BRIE CHEESE

Brie is a soft raw milk cheese with a flowered rind. It is a product of French origin; in fact, it takes its name from Brie, the region of France where it is produced. In particular, it comes from the department of Seine-et-Marne (Paris).

Brie has a flat shape, like a cake, and a creamy texture that tastes like mushrooms and nuts. Thanks to its texture and delicate yet strong flavour, it has many uses in the kitchen. Brie is perfect both to be served during a dinner – indeed, it can never be missing from a French mixed cheese board – as well as an ingredient in many recipes. In Italy, a classic pairing of Brie cheese is with the distinct and strong taste of Speck: they are used together to garnish quiches, pizzas and sandwiches. It melts very well and is therefore perfect for making soups and sauces. Another use in the kitchen is sliced for potato dishes or on hot vegetables. In addition, the Brie is excellent when accompanied and tasted with a white wine with a moderate acid component such as a Chardonnay.

The rind

The Brie is a semi-fat, lightly matured cheese with an extremely peculiar characteristic: the rind. Indeed, it is defined as a cheese with a flowered rind. This name is used to define those cheeses characterised by a white down on the surface. Among cheeses with a flowered rind, the most famous are Camembert and, of course, Brie. The rind of Brie has a characteristic white mould on the surface, which gives it its distinctive light colour. The rind is formed by treatment with Penicillium mushrooms. One of the mushrooms used is Penicillium camemberti, which is specially selected for the cheese industry and used to make Brie. This mushroom creates an edible white outer coating, so the brie can be enjoyed whole, including the rind.

Processing

Like all flowered-rind cheeses (especially those made from raw milk), the Brie matures with a centripetal trend, i.e. it tends to mature faster in the centre than on the sides. This is why it has a distinctive stratigraphic appearance: a yellowish, creamy undercrust and a more consistent, white central core. The maturing of this cheese lasts about 8 weeks and takes place in humid places.

Curiosity

When there were no railways, Brie could not be transported, so only the people of Paris were able to enjoy its taste. This is why it was also known as “the Parisian” at the time.