Époisses
Photo: Coyau · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Époisses takes its name from a village in Côte-d'Or between Dijon and Auxerre, where oral legend credits a community of Cistercian monks with starting production in the early 16th century. Farmers kept the recipe going, but production almost stopped after the First World War and had virtually ceased by the 1950s. In 1956 Robert and Simone Berthaut relaunched it, and their Fromagerie Berthaut still makes it. The cheese gained AOC status in 1991; it is washed in brine and marc de Bourgogne, the local pomace brandy.

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Common allergens: Milk

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4 as a starterHands-on 10 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 whole Époisses (250g) in its wooden box
  • 1 small garlic clove, sliced
  • 2 tbsp dry white Burgundy or a splash of marc de Bourgogne
  • 1 baguette, sliced and toasted
  • Boiled small potatoes and cornichons to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180C. Take the cheese out of its paper and put it back in the wooden box, removing any plastic.
  2. Cut a shallow cross in the top of the rind, push in the garlic and pour over the wine or marc.
  3. Wrap the box loosely in foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is molten in the middle.
  4. Serve straight from the box with toasted bread, potatoes and cornichons for dipping.

Tip from the editors. Buy it ripe, when the centre gives under a thumb; a chalky young Époisses will not melt evenly.

Where to eat époisses

Époisses in Dijon

La Brasserie des Loges ★ 3.9

€€ BrasserieCentre Historique

La Brasserie des Loges seats guests beside the Musée des Beaux-Arts on Place du Théâtre in Dijon, serving Burgundian brasserie classics daily.

OrderThe Menu Bourguignon, a set three-course run through the region's classics.

TipIt stays open every day of the year bar three, useful for a Sunday or holiday table when smaller kitchens shut.

Directions

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