Brie is a soft young cheese, usually made from cow's milk. The brie rind is edible and complements the creamy cheese inside. Those who don't mind the flavor of the rind eat it along with the soft cheese, but you can also enjoy the cheese on its own as an appetizer or on a cheese board. You can even create a dish with baked brie, although the cheese, which has a rich, buttery flavor, is best when served at room temperature on hot, fresh French bread or baguette.
What does brie cheese look like?
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Brie is a pale yellow cheese with a creamy texture and white rind. For best flavor, it is best to buy it uncut—brie comes in round wheels. Supermarkets usually sell brie whole or cut into small triangles. Some shops sell brie, minus the rind, in plastic containers but most brie connoisseurs will tell you that this is not the ideal way to enjoy the cheese's flavor.
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What does brie cheese taste like?
The rind on brie is a white mold formed from penicillium candidum or penicillium camemberti. The mold is harmless unless you are very allergic to mold. A brie's rind should feel firm and silky, not hard and crusty.
It has an earthy taste and can be eaten alone or mixed on the bread with cheese. Some people dislike the distinct earthy flavor of the rind and prefer to eat only the creamy, buttery center of the cheese. Brie, as it ages, develops a stronger musty, earthy taste and aroma.
Brie bought or sold in the United States—including imported brie—is made with pasteurized milk rather than raw milk and does not have quite the same brie cheese taste as cheeses made the traditional way in France. In general, the flavor of brie found in the U.S. is milder than the French cheeses.
What is the purpose of the white rind?
The rind protects brie from the air and delays drying and loss of flavor. If you remove the white mold rind, you should eat the creamy center within a day or so while it still has a smooth texture.
How long does it take to make brie?
Making brie from start to finish takes at least a month (much of that time is the aging). Cheesemakers sometimes allow brie to mature for another month or two.
Where does brie cheese originate?
True brie, also known as the "Queen of Cheese," comes from France, namely the northern, Seine-et-Marne region, where the cheese originated. However, cheese makers in many other countries, including Canada, Switzerland, the United States and Australia, make brie.
What are the different types of cheese?
Brie de Meux and Brie de Melun are the two "true" types of brie. These are made only in the Seine-et-Marne region of France (the Brie region).
There are many other types of brie, made in France and in many other areas of the world. Brie de Meux, Brie de Melun, and many other brie cheeses are made from cow's milk, but several brie goat cheeses are made from goat's milk.
Some people (especially the French) enjoy Brie Noir, a type of cheese that has been aged for nearly a year. Their brie rinds are black, and the smell and taste of brie are pungent, unlike regular brie.