cheese wheels getty

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Munster energy: some French cheese matures

As those of us who left a banana in our desk drawer during lockdown will one day find out, the passing of time does interesting things to food.

It’s not all bad news, though. Vosges cheesemaker Lionel Vaxelaire, clobbered like so many by a lockdown sales decline, put several of his munster cheeses in storage – and forgot about them.

When Lionel eventually returned to the cellar, he found they had developed a green-grey flowery rind. Like any proper fromager, he ate some and, lo, it was delicious! Le Confiné, as it’s become known, reportedly has notes of camembert, and has sold well enough that another batch is now maturing.

C’est la brie, as the French say.