I love strong, pungent cheeses. So, when the cheese sommelier at Robuchon a Galera in Macau proposed - among the usual extensive variety the restaurant offers - one called boulette d'avesnes, warning that it was 'very strong', I said, 'Bring it on!' He cautioned that its nickname is suppositoire du diable and put it on my plate, telling me to eat it only after I'd tasted the other cheeses.
This was the only time my palate has ever been overwhelmed by cheese, and not in a good way. I left most of it on the plate and, on the rare occasions I've been offered it since, I've declined.
There's no mistaking boulette d'avesnes for any other cheese. It's cone shaped, with a bright reddish exterior that comes from paprika or annatto, a natural dye. The interior is a normal creamy colour, although speckled with herbs such as tarragon and parsley. The washed-rind cow's milk cheese is brushed with beer during the maturing process.
When I eat cheese, I often forgo bread, so I don't waste limited stomach space. If I were forced to eat boulette d'avesnes again, I'd spread it very thin on a thick slice of grainy bread. If the cheese were to be used in a dish, it would probably overwhelm the other ingredients.
