2007/03/17
When I was in Germany, we spent Christmas at my ex-boyfriend's aunt and uncle's house. Every morning, we had the same breakfast: an enormous spread of breads and rolls, 6 or 7 different cheeses, 4 or 5 meats, Nutella, 3 different jams/jellies, liverwurst (I'm not a fan, but it was present), and hard boiled eggs. There are probably things I am forgetting because basically the table was covered in food. The best part, in my opinion, was sampling all of the cheeses. Selection of cheese in Europe is so great compared to what you can find in a typical American market.
So at this breakfast, I first discovered Saint Albray cheese. It is similar to Camembert and is incredibly creamy and delicious. It was by far my favorite of the cheeses we had at breakfast. It also comes in the shape of a flower and has a slightly orange skin. When Nick and I returned to Berlin for a few days before I flew back to the US, I bought some to bring back with me.
Since then, I have not been able to find Saint Albray. The other day in the market by my house, I saw a French cheese called Saint Andre, and my memory not being quite so strong for cheese names, thought perhaps that was the same French cheese from Christmas in Germany. I knew it did not have the flower shape or orange skin, but I thought perhaps they exported it in slightly different form. So I bought it.
Saint Andre is also delicious. It is a brie/camembert type cheese, but with a ton of creamy milkfat added. It also has a skin of mold making it more intense. It is taller than the Saint Albray and most brie wheels you see.
Anyway, my point with this post is that I am learning to feel more confident with any cheese with a Saint's name beginning with A and coming from France... While different, these are both delicious. And if anyone can find a place in the US to buy Saint Albray, I would love to know.
Posted by Cara Bohon on 2007/03/17 @ 16:58 | Comments (22) | EatFoo 1.0 Posts
Comments
It's interesting that you can't find it, because they have it everywhere here. Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, even the tiny grocer in the strip mall near my house has it.
I've had my eye on it for a while, but have yet to try it. I have a mini-fridge that is basically full of coke and cheese. I literally have like 12 different cheeses in my fridge. It's wonderful but way too much. I'm trying to finish off a bunch before I buy more.
Posted by: Barzelay at March 18, 2007 10:02 PM
Yeah, I am thinking that my next party will be a wine/cheese party so I have an excuse to try a bunch of cheeses at once. Your Austin wine/cheese party was so great - or really the shopping we did for cheese before you had the party... I mean, the party was fun, too, I guess.
And perhaps I will have to do more searching for Saint Albray here. My usual market doesn't have it. And I'm pretty confident that Safeway won't have it. We'll see.
Posted by: Cara Bohon at March 18, 2007 11:31 PM
I just bought Saint Albray from my grocers. But it is cut into a wedge (small). I have to say it was nasty!. I tried to eat it, but finally spit it out and finally rinsed my mouth. It sounds like it is supposed to be wonderful. Do you think it's spoiled? It looked lovely. But didn't taste lovely at all! Help.
Posted by: alicia at May 9, 2007 12:13 PM
Hmm, I have no idea. I've only had it in Europe, so it could be that the importing process messes it up or allows it to age in a not normal way? I have no idea... If you're ever in Europe, give it a shot there and see if it's different. My other advice would be to get a friend to try it from a different store (a friend so that you don't have to spend a ton of money on it) - and see if it's any different.
Posted by: Cara at May 9, 2007 1:00 PM
Thanks Cara, My daughter heads to Europe in July, so I'll have her try it for me!
Posted by: alicia at May 10, 2007 10:44 AM
i love that cheese, i ussualy find it at publix supermarkets
Posted by: mariana at May 19, 2007 2:35 PM
I tried some at our local Ralph's, but it had a bitter, nasty, ammonia-like flavor. I'll have to try some from somewhere else but I have to agree with Alicia above. Of course, since it is only aged two weeks when originally sold, it may be quite a bit older by the time you get it at the store. I had a reaction like CDR Data on Star Trek: "This is revolting!" and promptly ate some more.
Posted by: StephenB at June 23, 2007 7:06 PM
Stop & Shop has the cheese. I know it smells and frankly i have never tasted it that I know of. But my friends are into adventures in cheese. Funny last time I bought it but threw it out because it stunk up my fridge soooo bad. I was afraid everything in the fridge would taste like the smell! Now I have one out on the counter and it does not smell so bad. I'm going to taste it this Labor day BBQ.
Posted by: jo ann at September 1, 2007 4:43 PM
you could not eat the outer coating, they are bitter. remove the orange coat & it taste wonderful.
Posted by: netyolk at December 17, 2007 9:42 AM
St Albray and St Andre can be found in Portland Orygun, at Nature's and places like it.
We just had St Albray as an appetizer tonight YUM,
St Andre tomorrow.
Cheers
Edw
Posted by: Edward Wright, Sr. at March 8, 2008 10:31 PM
Cute generalization. Try St Agur then, you might also like it.
Posted by: potato at March 18, 2008 4:41 AM
Try Central market. they have Saint Albray. I wanted to buy Brie De Meaux but they're out so they recommended S.A. It was very good ..I'm glad I found a new substitution.
Posted by: tony at June 13, 2008 9:51 PM
I had some on a cruise last year on Carnivals cruise ship the "Pride" in their upscale restaurant. Yeah it stinks to really bad. Kind of like urine and a stable at it' pick of ripeness. It will stink up anything near it also, but the trick is to get past that part. If you can get rid of the outer skin, the bad strong smell will vertually be gone and the chesse is actually very pleasant and mild. I've been looking for it also for over a year now with no luck. Asked "Whole Foods" in Coral Spings and Fort Lauderdale, FL to look for it and they came up with nothing as of 2 weeks ago.I did cruise on an other Carnival ship, "The Miricle" and they did have it again in their upscale restaurant. I asked to have the label on the chesse and they were more than happy to give it to me, but didn't know where it was bought from. Someone on board did mention that they up loaded most of their provitions in Ft Lauderdale and that more than likley it came from some where near by.
Posted by: L at November 25, 2008 11:57 PM
I found it this week in NYC at a local grocery store. It was terrible. Not nearly as good as in Germany. So perhaps there is something about the importing process that sours the taste?
Posted by: Cara at January 5, 2009 2:35 PM
It could have been overripe. I got some cheese a couple weeks ago from a very reputable cheesemonger, and it turned out to be overripe--sour, and smelling of ammonia.
Posted by: Barzelay at January 9, 2009 9:37 PM
I just bought St. Albray at Wegman's in Ithaca NY. Tasty, but the Trugole from Italy is absolutely fantastic.
Posted by: anna at January 10, 2009 5:02 PM
Really gross - tried it rwice, first melted om multigrain in a toaster oven and the two days later (so the bitter taste was gone) just plain, without the rind. It tastes okay for a few seconds and thw turns very bitter. Perhaps if I'm ever in france, ah, who am I kidding, I'd never pay for this cheeae again
Posted by: fred at February 4, 2009 4:57 PM
We must have gotten the bad stuff. It meted nicely and had a wonderful mouthfeel but then the bitter taste set in. We were wondering if it would make us sick at this point? I feel badly that I spent $9 for it and have to throw it away.
Posted by: libby at March 22, 2009 4:55 PM
I love this cheese! And yes, it does stink, although I've smelled worse/! (Try melting Raclette in your microwave as our swiss exchange student did, blech!) I've found it in the cheese area in the deli of our local Fred Meyers (Kroger) here in Portland, it definitely is not an hard to find cheese in this area.
Posted by: Kirsten at March 31, 2009 11:43 AM
I just tried this cheese and was so shocked I had to look it up - blech! I warmed it in the microwave so maybe the rind melted in even though I picked it out. Based on y'all's comments I'll give it a chance without the rind. Not looking forward to it tho - tasted like sheep manure!
Posted by: Ro at April 10, 2009 11:42 AM
I stumbled upon this page when searching for this cheese on the net. The search began because I just bought a piece of St. Albray. It tasted hideous! And the smell was kind of like old urine. I'm sure it's been in the shop for weeks. Alas, it's reassuring that it most likely tastes better when it's fresh in the store.
Posted by: Kristian at May 20, 2009 6:57 PM
All great cheese parties deserve a reading of chhese poems, it makes for a memorable occasion.
Cheese is the soul of the soil.It is the purest and most romantic link between humans and the earth.
Pierre Androuet
www.tastingtoeternity.com
Posted by: David Nutt at September 9, 2009 9:59 AM