Today's post is a revisit of sorts. Long ago, way back on September 24, 2012, to be exact, I did an article about Limburger cheese. Feel free to take a look--it includes a brief history of the food, along with its cultural footprint. And speaking of feet, that 2012 post also includes some info about the connection between the cheese and feet, odor-wise, both literally and figuratively. But, back then I didn't talk about the brand and company which made the cheese I tried. Mainly because I didn't know--I was going on a memory that was over a decade old. Therefore, I feel justified in discussing this cheese again, since this time I took notes right after I smelled and consumed it. And this time I'll have a bit of detail about the brand and company that made the Limburger.
The brand of Limburger cheese I had was Country Castle. Which is made by the Chalet Cheese Cooperative, out of Monroe, Wisconsin. The CCC, as I'll abbreviate it from now on, is a collective of five dairy farmers, who joined together in 1885. Aside from Limburger, they also make Swiss cheese, Wisconsin Brick cheese, baby Swiss, Cheddar, and smoked versions of the previous ones. And then I discovered something surprising. Currently, CCC's Country Castle Limburger cheese is the only one made in the U.S. Now, I had my first taste of the cheese back in 1996 or so. I did some checking online, but I was unable to discover if there were other companies that still made Limburger almost 30 years ago. So it's possible (perhaps even probable?) that my original brush with this cheese was also from Country Castle. Even if it was, I still think it's okay. Since this time my evaluation of the Limburger will be much more current and accurate, as it's not based on vague-ish memory. Moving on, the Wisconsin town of Monroe is not just the only place in the country to make Limburger--it's also known as the Cheese Capital of the U.S.A. Given my love (okay, obsession) with this food, I should probably visit the community at least once before I depart this mortal realm.
Country Castle Limburger cheese: This cheese was an off-white color, and it had a soft, spreadable texture. And it had a strong, kind of foul odor. I should say, though, that the smell wasn't as potent as I recalled. Don't get me wrong--it wasn't good, but it wasn't intolerable or anything. The flavor was also strong. It was quite sourish and tangy. But still pretty good. I had some plain, and some on crackers. Plain was decent, and on the cracker was probably a little better--the crunchy cracker made for a good flavor pairing. So, overall, Limburger isn't my favorite cheese, but it's still solid, maybe even very good. It sort of reminded me of some blue cheeses. So if you like strong cheeses, I would recommend you give it a try. I thought its evil, stinky reputation was quite exaggerated.
Let's elaborate on Limburger's alleged awful stench some more. A university in the U.K., Cranfield, did a study in 2004, and concluded that Limburger is only the 5th worst smelling cheese. If you're curious, they found the worst to be Vieux-Boulogne, followed by Pont-l' Eveque, cendre d' Olivet, and then Epoisses de Bourgogne. A follow up study in 2007 used an "electronic nose" sensor, which reportedly confirmed this finding. To take this to a darker place, I saw an article from the New York Times from June 12, 1885, about an attempted suicide by a woman named Teresa Ludwig. She claimed her German husband ate Limburger frequently, and the odor greatly disturbed her, especially when he then tried to kiss her. Meaning death was preferable. To be fair, the article also noted that she was inebriated, so her alleged reason for the attempt may have been made up, i.e., the ramblings of a drunk. Furthermore, it was stated that she would then face a trial. Which is....rather disturbing. I realize suicide is technically illegal, but I thought civilized nations would get the person mental health care rather than jail them. I doubt prison cures many folks suffering from depression. But it was 1885, I guess. And maybe Mrs. Ludwig would actually be happier in jail, as long as Limburger wasn't on the prison menu.
To end on a more positive note, there's the situation of Stephanie Klett. She was named Limburger Queen in 2014. And she couldn't feel better about it--she regards this honor as being superior to also being named Miss Wisconsin. She regarded her first try of Limburger as "love at first whiff." And she thinks its odor is not stinky, but "wildly assertive." I should note that she is also the Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism, which may explain some things. However, her adoration of this controversial dairy product seems sincere nonetheless.
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