It ain't easy being cheesey.

May 1, 2007 9:50 AM

Are there cheeses that are buried in manure during the aging process? If so, what are the names of these cheeses?

So I have a bet to settle...

I remember reading long ago about some cheeses, French specifically, that were buried in manure during the aging process to impart specific flavors. My coworker has called shenanigans.

Anyone know of this and if so, could you give me some cheese names or links? Google is stonewalling me on my cheese/manure/french/etc/etc searches.

Thanks in advance!!

posted by MrToad to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

I'm not sure how reliable this is, but...
Gamalost, a cheese made by the Vikings 1000 years ago which is believed to have medicinal and healing properties, is also said to improve sexual function. According to research by Janice Nieder of the Slow Food San Francisco Convivium, some of the cheese's benefits stem from the fact it has more than 50 percent protein and less than 1 percent fat.

Nieder also says Gamalost contains significant amounts of chitosan, a substance said to lower cholesterol levels. Nieder reported to the cheese to be robust in both smell and flavor, but sampled a piece less than two weeks old. Norwegian legend states Gamalost is created by stuffing a piece of cheese into an old sock, burying it in manure under a barn. The cheese is ready to be eaten when it crawls out by itself.

Original source
posted by parilous at 10:09 AM on May 1, 2007

I should edit that last link, because the text is found here.
posted by parilous at 10:19 AM on May 1, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks. I'd seen that one but figured my buddy would blow it off due to the "Norwegian legend states..." part.

I also saw mention of cheese under crap in this AskMeFi thread, but there were no direct references.
posted by MrToad at 10:21 AM on May 1, 2007

I found a brief mention in a blurb about a book on Amazon.

Here is the bit.

"Thus we meet the likes of Cindy and David Meyers, whose Vermont dairy makes exceptional cheeses, and Germany's Torshen Kramer, producer of fine cured meats and sausages. The artisans also share with Kummer the stories of their work (of their early cheese-making efforts Cindy Meyers says, "The bleu wouldn't turn blue ... I buried a lot of cheese in the manure pile")."
posted by munchingzombie at 10:27 AM on May 1, 2007

Gamalost is the Norwegian limberger in terms of reputation for foulness (there is even a song about it). I wouldn't believe any legends about its origins. Cheese can get plenty stinky without involving feet, socks or manure.
posted by Good Brain at 10:29 AM on May 1, 2007

The cheese is ready to be eaten when it crawls out by itself.

This doesn't sound quite right.
posted by RustyBrooks at 10:29 AM on May 1, 2007

munchingzombie: I read that as "I threw out a lot of cheese".

How about "The cheese is cured by hanging them over cow manure in a barn." (Gammalost again)
posted by Leon at 10:33 AM on May 1, 2007

USDA definition of Gammelost, courtesy of archive.org. No mention of manure, but I wonder if a big, decomposing manure pile might be a suitable "warm place" in a pinch.
posted by Leon at 10:44 AM on May 1, 2007

Are there cheeses that are buried in manure during the aging process? If so, what are the names of these cheeses?

I really thought the "more inside" would say "...so I can avoid them."

I had heard of this too. Good AskMe.
posted by The Deej at 12:42 PM on May 1, 2007

Are you sure you're not thinking of Sardinia's (in)famous maggot cheese? There's some kind of manure relationship there, and the gross factor is high:

- Wikipedia
- Verified!
posted by missmobtown at 12:46 PM on May 1, 2007