Limburger is a cheese that originated during the 19th century in the
historical Duchy of Limburg, which is now divided among modern-day Belgium,
Germany, and Netherlands. The cheese is especially known for its pungent odor
caused by the bacteria Brevibacterium linens, which is partially responsible
for body odor and particularly smelly feet.
Manufacture Today, most Limburger is produced in
Germany but Herve cheese is a type of Limburger cheese still produced in the
Land of Herve, in the territory of the old Duchy of Limburg. Herve is located
near Liège, and the borders separating Belgium from the Netherlands and
Germany. The "Pays de Herve" is a hilly area between the Vesdre and Meuse
rivers. In the US, it was first produced in 1867
by Rudolph Benkerts in his cellar from pasteurized goat's milk. A few years
later, 25 factories produced this cheese. The Chalet Cheese Cooperative in
Monroe, Wisconsin is the only American company that makes this cheese. It is
also manufactured in Canada, where it is a German-Canadian cultural marker, by
the Oak Grove Cheese Company in New Hamburg, Ontario.
Description In its first month, the cheese is firmer
and more crumbly, similar to the texture of feta cheese. After about six weeks,
the cheese becomes softer along the edges but is still firm on the inside
and can be described as salty and chalky. After two months of its life, it
is mostly creamy and much smoother. Once it reaches three months, the cheese
produces its notorious smell because of the bacterium used to ferment Limburger
cheese and many other smear-ripened cheeses. This is Brevibacterium linens,
the same one found on human skin that is partially responsible for body odor and
particularly foot odor. Uses
One of the most traditional forms of eating limburger is the limburger
sandwich. After three months, when the cheese has ripened, it becomes
spreadable. The cheese is often spread thick on firm-textured 100% rye bread,
with a large, thick slice of onion, and is typically served with strong black
coffee or lager beer. Alternatively, for heartier eaters, chunks or slices of the
cheese up to 1.5 cm thick can be cut off the block and placed in the sandwich.
This sandwich still remains very popular among the descendants of German
immigrants residing in the midwest part of America, such as in Cincinnati, or
German Village in Columbus, Ohio. However, it is markedly less popular
among the descendants born after ca. 1960, mainly because of the permeating
smell, and the inconvenience of going to specialty cheese and sausage shops to
obtain it. In Wisconsin, the Limburger sandwich can be found on menus at
certain restaurants, accompanied by brown mustard.
Limburger and its characteristic odor are a frequent butt of jokes and gags.
Reactions to, and misinterpretations of, the smell of limburger cheese were gags
used in numerous Little Rascals and Three Stooges comedy shorts.
In 2006, a study showing that the malaria mosquito is attracted equally to
the smell of Limburger and to the smell of human feet earned the Ig Nobel Prize
in the area of biology. The results of the study were published in the medical
journal "The Lancet" on 9 November 1996. Nutrition facts
28 grams of Limburger contains 5 grams of saturated fat and 8 grams of total
fat. 67 of the 92 calories in the 28 grams are from fat.
See also Liederkranz cheese
List of cheeses List of German cheeses
References Notes
External links Media related to Limburger cheese at
Wikimedia Commons TED-talk about "Cheese, dogs and a pill
to kill mosquitoes and end malaria" at TEDxMaastricht,·Apr 2012