On Rinds: A Musing

It's hard to believe that this innocent, virginal, mild cheese curd will grow up to be the delicious stinky monster known as the Hooligan, an award-winning washed-rind cheese. Sometime between when this picture is taken on day one and at least two months later after aging, this cheese will go through a process in which starter cultures, the air, and the salt brine begin to form a rind. For washed rind cheeses, the process includes maintenance that involves washing the rind with cold brine, which leaves my fingers numb and my sleeves smelling like concentrated ear-wax. But the final product is a clean, visually pleasing, full-flavored delight that is one of my favorite cheeses (see picture at end of post). 

Most people don't really understand the process of rind formation, which can be particularly mysterious, and in theory, disgusting. But can we eat the rind? Or better yet, do we have to eat the rind? When I first started becoming interested in artisanal cheese, I began to ask these same questions. Sometimes it's embarrassing not to know, especially when there is no available trash can and you're left holding on to the rind in your pocket like a dirty Kleenex. Yeah, I've done that. When I was in cheese school at VIAC, I asked a few of my classmates their thoughts. Even many experienced cheesemakers didn't know the right answer. The likely reason is because there is no right answer.

The rind is not poisonous, disgusting, or high in fiber. It's a natural, protective part of the cheese, formed from the same ingredients as the sweet, innocent curd. Most importantly, by the time it hits your table, the rind is far removed from all the unappetizing aging room up-keep and has been thoroughly groomed and cleaned.

Of course the flavor might not be everyone's favorite cheesy experience. In my opinion, eating rind is a matter of preference. When eating a new cheese or a new batch of cheese, I tend to eat a little rind with my second bite, but will leave most of the rest. If it's a washed rind cheese (cheeses with the soft, flexible, and often orange rind like Tallegio), I will eat more. The rind won't hurt you. It's just milk, cultures, and air, plus salt from the brine that aids in drying the outside to quickly form the protective rind cover. (With some washed rind cheeses, there is an extra ingredient such as wine or beer that is rubbed on the outside for added flavor.) If you think rind is necessary to enjoy the cheese, then eat it. If not or if you don't like the taste, then don't. Some think that it's important to eat the rind unless it's too thick or dry because 1) you paid for it by the pound, and 2) it's part of the flavor profile.

While I generally agree on those two points, especially on a washed rind cheese, I don't necessarily agree that it's necessary to eat all of it. Eating the rind with every bite can get overpowering, especially for hesitant cheese lovers. With a blue cheese, for example, the rind adds its own flavor, but the majority of the flavor profile that people look for in a blue comes from the work of the penicillium mold on the inside. Many artisanal cheesmakers also make cheeses that develop very thick, rustic-looking rinds. These are impossible to consume even though they are a substantial part of the purchase weight. I've received food in boxes before, but I prefer not to eat the cardboard even if it's included in the shipping price. 

Most people I see who try samples will throw out the rind. For your first impression of a cheese you probably want to try the part you eat the most: the interior of the cheese. I suppose eating the rind is only an absolute necessity in cheese contests when the whole flavor profile is under judgment. I don't know many consumers who eat all of the rind with every bite. But go ahead and try it, especially if you're familiar with the cheese or it's a washed rind. There's no harm in trying a bite... at least if you're a bit adventurous. If you're not, don't be shy, but please stay away from the rind. It will just freak you out and confuse you.