Proclaimed the "King of Cheeses" by Talleyrand, Brie de Meaux PDO has been tickling royal taste buds since the Middle Ages, with its creamy paste, buttery taste and bold personality.
What you need to know
An impressive cheese, instantly recognizable by its diameter, Brie de Meaux PDO has a soft paste and a bloomy rind, and is made from raw cow's milk. It is said to have been created in the Middle Ages, in an abbey near Meaux, the town from which it takes its name and where the region's biggest market was held. Later, Louis XIV commissioned weekly supplies of this cheese, so that he could enjoy it at Versailles. Brie de Meaux PDO is made with milk from cattle reared in the geographical area of production, and is molded by hand using a brie shovel. After salting with dry salt, the Penicillium that gives the cheese its rind is added. The cheeses, which measure approximately 14 inches and weigh between 5.7 and 7.3 lbs, are then ripened in cellars for between 4 and 8 weeks, to bring out their character.
Characteristics
Smell
Scent of mushroom and undergrowth.
Look
Downy white rind, with brown to slightly orange marks and streaks that appear with age. The paste has a creamy texture and an ivory to straw-yellow color.
Taste
Soft, creamy, slightly sticky paste. Buttery and nutty aromas, a distinct, salty taste which intensifies as it matures. Slightly bitter after-taste.
Nutritional benefits
Brie is an excellent source of calcium and protein.
Editor's note
« During the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the famous French statesman and diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, a fervent supporter of Brie de Meaux, organized a tasting of 52 cheeses from the participating countries. At the end of the session, Austria's Metternich, a staunch defender of his country's "Bavarian blue", had to concede that Brie de Meaux was indeed the "Prince of Cheeses". »
How to use
Tasting tips Brie de Meaux Cheese PDO
Brie is a cheese board staple and is delicious with soft sourdough, but it is also wonderful melted in a gratin, a buckwheat pancake or a savory tart. It is used in galette briarde (brie shortbread) and croque-briard (croque-monsieur with Brie), two regional specialties.
Pair with
Savory: hazelnut, truffle, green apple, pear, bacon
To drink: Givry PDO, a red Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil PDO, Alsace Pinot Noir PDO, a red Saumur PDO
