Now, when you first read that, there is a good chance you thought, ‘that’s it, they have lost their mind!’ Well, on any given day, maybe, but today, we are thinking clear as a bell! You see, one thing we love here at Utah Taste Off is a good old fashioned cheese tasting. Now, when you think of cheese, you may have a favorite stand by; a Mild Cheddar, Asiago, or let’s be honest–deep fried cheese curds, (no judgement here), but did you know when it comes to cheese, sometimes, the stinker the better!
Beehive Cheese ♥ Gossner Foods ♥ Park City Creamery ♥ Caputos Market
That’s right, we said it! Stinky cheese, although often times is thought of as food for the highest level of foodie, but can actually be enjoyed by all. You see, there is something that happens to your brain when you smell stinky cheese, it activates receptors that have taught us to throw such things away. But, for the pure deliciousness of this experiment you have to push past that smell, past the aroma that can only be described as blaaahhhhh, and hit that moment of the magical backwards smell. The very first step for the backwards smell to work is to ingest, eat, devour the stinky cheese. You see, when you eat that stinky ol’ cheese, something magical happens; the aroma compounds are released in your mouth and they waft up the back of your nose, (hence the backwards smell). The aroma compounds are detected by the same smell detectors, but weirdly your brain perceives them as very different than if you lean forward and sniff them up the front of your nose.
By eating the cheese, your brain will combine the smell of the cheese and it’s creamy unique taste and provide you with a full rich flavor that would have been passed up had you thrown out that stinky cheese.
So next time you find yourself at an artesenal cheese factory, or let’s say a ahem…Utah Taste Off event, do yourself a favor and eat the stinky cheese! Just make sure your date is as well otherwise it may make for stinky goodnight kiss!
Happy Tasting!
