Today, I have decided to talk about a little piece of my land, Burgundy. More specifically about the cheese called Epoisses.

Epoisses is made in a small town in Burgundy, in France and is one of the great gourmet cheeses of France and of the world.
The origins of the Epoisses can be found at the L”Abbaye de Citeaux. It is here that the monks first produced this remarkable complicated cheese. We are told that Napoleon was partial to this cheese and ate it with Chambertin wine. It was very popular in the early part of the twentieth century but disappeared during the Second World War. It was only in 1946 that two local Bourguignon families started to produce it. The well known Epicurean Brillat Savarin called it the King of cheeses. Many people consider it one of the most interesting French cheeses. It is often compared to the character of two well known French historic personalities; the Epoisses has the force of Charles le Temeraire and the sensibility of Madame de Sevigne.
Each gourmet cheese is covered in an edible reddish-brown coating, and underneath that coating is a creamy, white interior with a daunting aroma that comes straight from the farm, often said it is a candidate for the top ten most pungent French cheeses. Epoisses is produced in small discs; the gourmet cheese has a pale brick-colored rind which is washed in the local eau de vie called Marc de Bourgogne as it ripens. The paste is soft and supple.
The flavor is deliciously rustic but also creamy and refreshing with sour lemons lingering on the palate. Because of the strong flavor and aroma of this cheese, it is best served on its own, rather than used in cooking. Truly a great French gourmet cheese, Epoisses must rank high on your list of great French gourmet cheeses to be both savored and appreciated.
In order to comply with US FDA regulation for export to the USA the maturation of this cheese has been extended to over 60 days.
One of my favorite Epoisses is made by Berthaut.
This wonderful cheese can be eaten on it’s own, spread on a nice and fresh piece of baguette or country bread. Most of the time people like to drink red wine when they eat cheese but try with Chablis with Epoisses, Sancerre with goat, and beer with a “vieux lille” or “Marroille” when You go to visit Lille in the north of France.