Author Topic: Limburger Anyone?  (Read 23986 times)

Work

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Limburger Anyone?
« on: March 08, 2008, 01:05:24 PM »
Anyone tell me what Limbuger really tases and smells like, the idea of something smelling like socks is repelling and weird at the same time.

New York Times newspaper article from 1902 that Limburger banned in Louisville Kentucky ! !
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B0DEEDE1230E733A25757C1A9659C946397D6CF

Tea

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2008, 07:11:19 PM »
Is Limburger a washed rind cheese?  Just wondering, as I have a recipe for a cheese in my book that is a washed rind cheese, and they advise that the smell of this cheese is less than pleasant, but that the smell from the exterior molds in no way compromised the flavours of the cheese.  I have always wondered how you would get past the smell to taste it?

wharris

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2008, 09:50:59 PM »
Limburger cheese is in fact a washed rind cheese.

Milleens

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2008, 08:51:39 PM »
I make a washed rind cheese, similar in allot of ways to Limburger.
Reading your comments has me tickled.
It doesn't taste like socks, you gotta try it to believe it.
I love washed rind with a passion. Its a cheese with a strong smell, and a taste that develops on the palate.
Its actually bacteria, not mould, that gives the cheese its flavour and aroma, b.linens. Wow there among the most flavoursome bacteria on the planet.
Try some and if you love strong cheese you'll adore it.

Cheese Head

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2008, 06:08:44 PM »
Quinlan, welcome to the forum and thanks for the info, I did buy some b linens that is sitting in our freezer so I'll have to try making it!

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2008, 11:44:20 PM »
I tried some today.   

I honestly went into it with an open mind.

conclusion: It is not (yet) for me.

It really smells just aweful. The taste is strong, and does resemble the smell.

The smell is akin to my tee-shirt/socks, three days after a day-long workout, if i were to leave the shirts sealed in a plastic bag, in the sun.

What a brave (or hungry) soul it was to first eat this cheese.

I tried.

Tea

  • Guest
Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2008, 12:16:10 AM »
Very graffic description.  i just about need a peg on my nose to get my sons gym gear into the washing machine sometimes, so this might not be for me either.
I wonder why they said that the smell was not reflected in the flavour??

Cheese Head

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2008, 01:32:38 AM »
It is a very famous cheese, OK Wayne, now I need to buy and try some! I made a webpage on it here.

Milleens

  • Guest
Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2008, 09:32:33 AM »
Limburger is a surface ripened cheese. Its powerful aroma comes from its rind. The surface bacteria release enzymes which breakdown/ripen the curd/cheese beneath the rind.

The bacteria which colonise the rind are called Brevitium Linens, there are about 200 species of this bacteria.

If you don't wash your feet regularly yes some of these bacteria may colonise between your toes. Hence the possibility of a similar smell, however sweaty feet carry many more noxious niffs than does the Limburger.

Its unfortunate that this smear ripened cheese suffers the smear campaign of smelling like feet. You never hear of people describing a blue cheese as smelling like mouldy bread or of Parmesan tasting like calf vomit. Its not a proper way of contrasting your food.

You need to try some, its delicious, it wouldn't be a delicacy if it tasted like feet!

Tea

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2008, 07:49:23 PM »
Actually I have a friend that won't eat anything that I make with "spew cheese".  So yes people do refer to parmesan as vomit, much to my surprise.

So my question still stands, is the rind supposed to be cut off before eating, so do you eat it with the rind on?

wharris

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2008, 08:39:19 PM »
i eat as much of the rind of aged gouda as possible.

Love Beemster and Rembrandt.

Tea

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #11 on: December 18, 2008, 08:59:13 PM »
Ok maybe I'm not asking the question properly.
Limburger cheese.  Do you eat the rind or not?

I too eat the rind of most cheeses, but if this one smells so bad, and you are only wanting the "effect" of the mould on the cheese and not the smell, is the rind included in the edible part of the cheese?

wharris

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #12 on: December 18, 2008, 09:35:29 PM »
I did. 


Perhaps some pictures of limburger will help.  This was purchased yesterday and removed from the foil wrap.  There is nothing but cheese on a paper towel here.






Tea

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Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2008, 10:03:11 PM »
Ok my apologies for missing the answer.  I take it that beemster and limburger and both related.

Also I thought that the rind (b. linens bacteria) was orange/red in colour and sticky to touch.  The rind on that cheese doesn't look like that, so has it been washed or rub off before sale?

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Limburger Anyone?
« Reply #14 on: December 18, 2008, 10:36:05 PM »
Beemster has nothing to do with limburger.  I misunderstood the rind question.  Forget i brought up Beemster.  my bad.

moving on....
This cheese,  is limburger, and i ate a slice.  rind and all.

not sure there is any other way.

not sure if it was washed off prior to me getting it. 

There is only one limburger plant in the USA left, so i would imagine that all US limburger looks like this, right out of the package.