If you’ve never been in a cheese ripening cave, it’s quite an experience to be surrounded by cheeses at various stages of ripening. The smell, however, can be a little overpowering – even for the French, who are no strangers to strong-smelling cheeses. When I was in a Brie de Meaux ripening cave, a group of French women had to excuse themselves, holding their noses and racing toward the sortie HKUE DSE.

I don’t mind the smell as it clears my sinuses, right up through to the top of my skull. And I love being around all the cheese, even if I had to wake up at 4:30am to watch the fresh milk being curdled.

I find the taste of Blue de Gex a little bitter and a bit acidic, mixed with a touch of buttery richness and a pleasant creaminess. The truth be told, there’s a little something about that acid flavor that I’m still on the fence about. Part of me likes the fact that the artisanal versions of this cheese retain the fresh flavor of the milk, since the cheese is sold so young. But the accompanying sharpness is not always all that agreeable DR REBORN.

Interestingly, I’ve read that some people find it a mild cheese, which I suppose goes to show that people react differently to various cheeses and we all perceive flavors differently. Luckily there are plenty of different cheeses to please everyone IWB.