Ever heard of cheese being made with mites or being as hard as stone? If not, then these cheeses from around the world may shock you…
France
Éposse de Bourgogne
This cheese usually found in a small container smells so bad, that it is banned from public transport all over France. To achieve its distinct taste, the rind is washed in the local brandy ‘Marc de Bourgogne’ and brine. It can be served with beer or French wine
Hong Kong
Rainbow cheese
You’ll find this rainbow cheese toastie at Hong Kong restaurant ‘Kala Toast‘. The sandwich contains different coloured cheeses with different flavours to give them the ‘rainbow effect’. The blue is lavender, the green is Basil, the red is tomato and the yellow is made by blending four different cheeses.
Tibet
Yak Cheese
This is also known as ‘Chhurpi’ and Tibetans make it from Naks (female yaks) milk. It’s made by solidifying the curd of the yak’s milk then cutting it into pieces to dry over a wood fire. What makes this so unique is its earthy taste and the fact that is harder than stones. It’s so hard that people have been known to break their teeth on it!
Serbia
Pule Cheese
Pule is a crumbly white cheese (similar to feta) made out of the milk of endangered Balkan donkeys. A herd of 100 Balkan donkeys are hand-milked to produce it.
Germany
Milbenkäse
What makes this one strange is that it is left to dry in a wooden box containing rye flour and cheese mites for 3 months. An enzyme produced by the mites cause the cheese to ripen quickly. They are an integral part of the creation of Milbenkäse. This is made by flavouring balls of quark (a soft cheese) with caraway and salt.
Now you know 5 of the strangest cheeses from around the world. Let us know if you would try any of these yourself.