"C'est du fromage, oui?" she asked.
I saw Jean-Pierre and Agnès's return address on the box, shrugged and responded, "Je ne sais pas."
"My van stinks of cheese and the odor is coming from that box," she replied. I offered my sincere apologies and she wobbled off in her black stiletto boots, mumbling about the offensive smell.
I brought the box up to my nose and took a sniff. WOW! It did stink!
The box revealed a real treasure; Vieux-Boulogne from the famous Maître Fromager/Affineur, Philippe Olivier, in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
What a fantastic gift!
Jean-Pierre and Agnès left for Boulogne early last week to visit family before flying off to Thailand for a well deserved vacation. They went to Philippe Olivier to buy some cheese for their daughter who lives in Thailand, and decided to surprise us with some too.
These two have been incredibly supportive of our French food education over the last 8 years, introducing us to frog's legs, rabbit, Boulette d'Avesnes and Époisses.
I hope they didn't try to take Vieux-Boulogne on the airplane. Their fellow passengers would have suffered!
Vieux-Boulogne was voted the smelliest cheese in the world a few years ago. No wonder! I doubt that la factrice's olfactory receptors will easily forget its pungent odor.
However, this cheese's bark is much worse that its bite. While it isn't the mildest cheese I've ever tasted, its flavor definitely doesn't match the strength of its aroma.
Vieux-Boulogne, also called Sablé du Boulonnais, is produced in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The cheese is described as pré-salé, meaning "salted pasture," as the cows graze in pastureland near the sea outside of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The salt flavor comes through, adding another layer to its substantial, mushroomy, rich flavor. The pale orange rind is continuously washed in beer during its affinage, but neither the smell nor flavor of beer is apparent.
This one pairs perfectly with Champagne. I wish I could buy another piece of this memorable cheese to add to the cheese platter I'm composing for Christmas dinner. Vieux-Boulogne is delicious!
Merci Jean-Pierre and Agnès!
*The mailwoman
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