Munster (Alsace)

At least since the 7th century A.D., monasteries and abbeys across Europe have been producing cheese. Some of the most delectable and important styles owe their provenance to the religious orders. French Munster, whose name shares its etymology with the monks, is one of them.

Make no mistake, this Munster has nothing in common with the domestic, industrial U.S. variety. The latter is a dull, white cheese, so mild as to be tasteless in comparison to the real stuff. Nor does it have anything to do with Muenster, a equally uninspiring German variety.

True Alsatian Munster, on the other hand, is one of the world’s great cheeses. It is a dark, rich yellow in color, with a strong flavor and an aroma that announces itself like Homer Simpson after a chili festival.

The cheese is made in small rounds, with a thinnish rind. It’s one of relatively few cheeses that ripen outward—that is, the deepest interior of the round matures first. When young, the paste is rather supple, and its general texture becomes creamier as it ages.

Real Munster has a strong barnyard smell to it, with a smelly rind that leaves a finger-licking order on your hands when you eat it. It has a big, beefy, and densely nutty flavor.

PAIRINGS: In Alsace, whence Munster hails, they sprinkle spices on the cheese before eating it. Fennel seeds, or cumin or caraway, are most common. That’s a bit too regional for me, but I do like to have it with dark bread and dark beer.

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