Cheese of the week: Les Freres

Name: Les Freres

Brand: Crave Brothers in Waterloo, WI

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Co-op in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: Milton Creamery in Milton, IA

Price in Iowa: $13.50/lb

Milk: cow

Processing: Hand-processed curds aged in a cheese cave beneath the dairy.

Texture: soft

Color: cream

Rind: washed

Aroma: STINKY. Strong dairy and funk.

Taste: Surprisingly mild considering the aroma. Pleasant mild dairy, with earthy & woody notes.

Mouth feel: soft and chewy

Notes: New cheese! This is an artisan cheese from Wisconsin, hand-made at the small Crave Brothers Dairy. The co-op had both the regular and the small versions of the cheese (I think I got the smaller one), but they're the same cheese. This cheese is a "european-style" variety (think a firmer brie or Camembert). The flavor is pretty unique, though. I'm not sure what the wash is, but it definitely adds a great bite to this delicate cheese.