The History of Muenster Cheese

Muenster cheese was first produced in the Alsace region, which has at different times been part of either France or Germany. Benedictine monks in the Vosges Mountains first made the cheese and the name is derived from the word for their monasteries. The Alsace version is typically made from unpasteurized cow's milk and uses a washed rind process that makes it not only notably pungent, but also gives the cheese its characteristic orange rind. In the late 1800s, French immigrants settled in Wisconsin and began adapting the process to create a milder, American version of Muenster cheese. Notably, the Wisconsin version gets its orange exterior from annatto rather than the washed rind process that gives the European version its pungent taste and colored rind. Today, Muenster cheese is popular in many parts of the world and is usually included in sandwiches and/or paired with beer.