Epoisses is probably my favorite cheese, so when I heard Trader Joe's was carrying a store brand Epoisses, I had to try it. Like all of TJ's products, the Epoisses gives no indication of where it was made, other than somewhere in Burgundy, which is a given. The cost is $8 for a smallish half wheel.
The TJ's Epoisses was not bad. It had a nice flavor with a bit of pungency. It lacked the balance of the better Epoisses I've had which are a perfect balance, at once mild and creamy as well as strongly pungent. The texture was also not quite right. At room temperature, the cheese was soft but not at all runny. It was more the texture of a Taleggio; in fact, it generally tasted more like a Taleggio than an Epoisses, and also had some nuttiness to it.
TJ's isn't a good substitute for Berthaut's wondrous Epoisses, but at $8, it's a pretty good deal and would work in a pinch for your cheese plate.
Mmmm I do love taleggio, but I don't think they sell this at the TJ's in Oregon just yet. On the bright side, I'm coming home for the holidays so I'll be sure to scout this out. Thanks for the hot tip.
ReplyDeleteI concur. It wasn't nearly as good as the "real" thing. My first hint (aside from the too-light color of the rind) was the fact that my boyfriend was NOT offended by the smell when I first opened the package. He didn't complain at all about the flavor being too strong, either, which I had wholly expected. Also, there was a flavor in there I couldn't quite place that I'm not used to (and hence wasn't thrilled with). But for $8 it was worth a shot :)
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