Brie Cheese: French cheese with white mold. Brie cheese: beneficial properties and possible harm

Brie cheese is one of the most famous French cheeses from cow's milk, characterized by a soft texture with a pale, almost grayish tint and a white moldy crust. The taste is delicate and soft, almost creamy, becoming sharp as it ripens.

The moldy crust has a pronounced ammonia aroma, but is edible. Brie cheese comes in different varieties and is usually produced in the form of a flat cake with a diameter of 30-60 cm and a thickness of up to 5 cm. This cheese is considered universal, as it is suitable for festive table and for a regular meal, and is also used for dessert. The taste depends on the variety and ranges from fruity to mushroom. The cheese gets its name from the French province of Brie, where it was first created. There are three varieties of this cheese: Brie de Meaux, Brie de Melun and Brie de Columier.

Brie cheese has been around for many centuries and is known as the cheese of kings. Often, crowned heads presented Brie cheese as a gift to their favorites and ladies of the court. This was the most beloved and long-awaited dessert gift.

Brie cheese flavor

This cheese is produced at any time of the year. It matures for at least four weeks. Young Brie cheese has delicate taste, ripe – spicy. It is believed that the thinner the patty of Brie cheese, the sharper and more piquant it tastes. Ripened Brie cheese has a denser texture, while young Brie cheese is more like butter. The fat content of the cheese is about 25%. The optimal storage temperature for cheese is 0 +2 °C. It is best to enjoy cheese at room temperature, which allows you to reveal all its taste.

Brie cheese goes well with various wines, because its taste, like the taste of wine, is varied and unique.

Bree is soft cheese French origin, made from cow's milk. In shape it is a flat circle with a diameter of 30-60 cm and a height of 3-5 cm. Higher heads are not very good quality As a rule, they are unripe on the inside and overripe on the edges. The surface of real brie is covered with a white velvety mold. Sometimes you can see red or brown streaks on the crust. The crust is edible, but practically tasteless. The pulp of the cheese is a flowing mass of pale yellow, almost straw color. Brie has the most delicate creamy taste with an elusive mushroom or nutty aroma, which fully reveals itself in adulthood, when it acquires additional spicy notes. By the way, the sharpness of the cheese can be judged by the thickness of the heads - the thinner they are, the sharper the taste.

Warranty marking

In 1980, Brie was given its original controlled name, A.O.S. Officially, only two varieties of brie are given the honor of being a legally protected product - Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun; the cheeses are named after the cities in which they are produced. In general, there are a large number of variations on the theme of brie, with various additives (spices, herbs, nuts, mushrooms, etc.), from different types milk, not just cow's milk. The technology for producing brie has been mastered not only in France, but also in some other countries, including the USA, but all these cheeses are only copies, and the best remains, of course, only the original.

Culinary use and storage

Brie is excellent table cheese, which will elevate any dish, even sandwiches spread with this cheese will become a royal delicacy. The rich, fruity aroma of brie cheese is ideal for fondues and sauces. Fruits (green apples, pears, melon), berries and nuts (grapes, strawberries, walnuts), vegetables and meat. Brie should be served at room temperature, keeping it warm for a while to allow the cheese to fully release its flavor. The pulp of the cheese is eaten either together with the rind or separately, trimming it from chilled cheese or removing it with a spoon from cheese at room temperature. Be careful not to purchase overripe heads of cheese: they are easy to recognize if you lightly press on the surface - the overripe cheese will immediately press through. In addition, overripe brie has a brown, sticky crust and emits an ammonia smell.

Brie cheese has a fairly short shelf life once you've already cut a piece off a whole head. In this form it does not lend itself long-term storage, so it should be eaten within a few days. Brie stops ripening immediately after even a small part of it is cut off. But you can store it whole for up to six months in the refrigerator at a temperature of +2-4C. It will not deteriorate, since at this time it will still undergo the ripening process. If necessary, brie can be replaced with camembert or reblochon.

Cheese and wine

Both white and red wines, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chateau Clarcke, will go well with brie. They can keep him company sparkling wine, for example, champagne.

Cheese production

Brie can be made from whole or semi-skimmed cow's milk, to which rennet is added and heated to a maximum temperature of 37C. Then the cheese is laid out in marble molds using a special perforated ladle, in French it is called a “brie scoop” (pelle à brie). The cheese is left for 18 hours, after which it is removed from the molds, salted and the mold Penicillium candidum is introduced. It is thanks to this fungus that the cheese acquires a special consistency: the bacteria first “work” to create a light crust, and then go deeper towards the center of the cheese, simultaneously softening its structure. The cheese matures in cellars from 4 weeks to 2 months. A 35 cm circle of brie contains approximately 20 liters of milk.

Origin story

Brie originates from the region of the same name near Paris. The first mention of brie cheese was captured in the exclamation of delight of Charlemagne, who in 774 exclaimed: “I have just tasted one of the most gourmet dishes" In addition, there is a legend that the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne, having tasted Brie in one of the monasteries of the Brie region, fell in love with the taste of this cheese forever. And most likely, this is true, because history does not know the names of those who would not be captivated by its taste and aroma. The passion for brie played a fatal role in the fate of the French king Louis XVI - fleeing from the revolutionaries, the king stayed in the town of Varennes near the town of Meaux, where the best brie was made, for a tasting and was captured. It’s not for nothing that Brie is called the “cheese of kings”; that’s exactly what it was until the French Revolution. Brie was considered one of the best and most expensive gifts, which was given to those close to kings on special occasions. Among big fans This cheese can be called King Philip Augustus, Henry IV and Queen Margot. In the 19th century, brie was considered the best cheese in the world, and all thanks to the French diplomat Charles Maurice Talleyrand, who introduced the famous cheese to Europe. After the Great French Revolution, brie, as they say, “went to the people,” who proclaimed it “the king of cheeses.”

Brie is a cheese that came to us from the banks of the Seine-et-Marne, a department in France formerly known as "Brie". It is pale in color, usually has a white edible crust, and light gray flesh underneath. More mature brie has a stronger flavor and a crumbly crust. Here are some tips for serving this delicious, savory cheese.

Steps

Eating brie (the right way)

If you're at a party, eat brie in slices. It will be quite awkward if you try to peel it off - eat it with it. Should you grab a sandwich, choose your meat, and put the brie on the bread? Definitely not. If you don't feel like eating the crust, just cut at an angle to get a minimum of crust and a maximum of cheese.

• Are you saying you tried eating crust before and it was disgusting? Oh, chances are you just got some bad brie (yes, this really happens). Good crust It should crumble a little and taste a little bitter, but it shouldn’t be off-putting with its stickiness. If you haven't tried the crust, go ahead, it's completely edible.
• By slice we mean a small, tiny piece of the pie. Not a slice of bacon.

1. Eat it on its own, with fruit, nuts, or bread. Brie is soooo delicious. If you can resist the temptation to shove an entire head of brie into your mouth, it will taste even better when combined with the power of others delicious products. Try it with:

   • Apples or pears
   • Fig jam, compote sour cherries or honey
   • French bread
   • Almonds or candied walnuts
   • White crackers
     • Of course you can eat however you like! We'll cover the recipes in part three—brie can be eaten as more than just a snack.

2. Pair with a drink. Brie pairs well with champagne, as well as certain wines and beers. More acidic wines will pair better with this cheese, while stronger beers (like a good stout) will complete the flavor.

   • Soft cheeses, like brie, are best combined with dry wines: Riesling, Marsanne, and Viognier. Lighter red wines (like Pinot Noir) also work well due to their smooth, rich flavor that complements the soft, juicy flavor of Brie.
   • Don't want to drink alcohol? No problem. Apple cider or similar juice will work just fine for you. The lighter and fresher the better.

3. Know when Brie is bad. Brie only lasts for a couple of weeks. Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking at a cheese wheel:

   Serving brie

   Using Brie as an Ingredient

   1. Bake the brie. There are many options that go with baked brie. Try baking brie with cranberries for a sweet treat, autumn dish. Cheesy grace? Oh yeah. Good luck waiting for the dish to cook!

      Make crusty brie. This is when you take a small circle of Brie and cover it puff pastry, coat it with egg and bake until the dough is ready. There are a million variations - often with raspberry or other jam on top, or with nuts inside. It's simple and still delicious.

      Make crab stuffed salmon! What's better than baked salmon stuffed with soft, creamy brie loaded with peppers, onions and crunchy pine nuts? Brie doesn't have to go with sweet jams or fruit - it can be spicy too!

      You might want to make pesto or cheese sauce from brie. Great for casual get-togethers with friends or for a snack on your own! This will liven up any standard get-together with friends. To whom cheese balls? Just be sure to stock up on dry pretzels and crackers!

      Place it on a sandwich. Perhaps some bacon, avocado, black forest ham, mustard, marinara sauce, basil, cranberries, mushrooms - brie goes well with almost everything. Put this on a sandwich, it will definitely be delicious. Hey, you can make a cream cheese sandwich with brie!

      Create your own recipe. Now that you know the magic of Brie, what would you do with it? Throw it on a cutlet? Improved French fries? Would you put it in a salad? Use up the entire circle before it starts to spoil!

   • The fat content is overestimated by most consumers. Label percentages are based on dry product. Since brie is about 40% water, you should multiply the fat content by 0.6 to get a more realistic number.
   • Eat the crust along with the soft contents. Learn to appreciate the combination.
   • Another way to serve brie is to wrap it in foil and bake in the oven until warmed through and softened in the middle. This will make the cheese easier to spread on bread or crackers, and it will be a nice contrast to the cold fruit inside.
   • Younger brie is softer in texture. More mature brie crumbles slightly and has a stronger aroma and flavor.
   • When you go to cut yourself a piece of cheese, try not to change the overall shape and appearance the rest. It is best to cut the slice from the edge to the center. In any case, you should not leave only the crust to others.
   • Although you can eat cheese without bread or crackers, it is better to eat it with bread if the host offers it. Simply place the brie on the bread.
   • Preheating cheese is not very French. The product is good the way it is.

   Warnings

   • Because of the risk (albeit very small) of listeriosis, do not eat cheese made from unpasteurized milk while you are pregnant. Although the cheese is supposed to be tastier, it is rarely done this way. Some people buy this brie from farmers who make the cheese themselves.

Now it's finally time for Brie cheese. This is, without a doubt, one of the most famous French cheeses, loved by gourmets around the world. In this article I will talk both about Brie in general and about my personal impressions of it and about various brands of this cheese - French (Milkana, Monmartre, President, Fleurs de France), Danish (Castello, Friendship), German (Kaserei Champignon ).

A little history and theory

Brie is one of the oldest cheeses in the world; it was already popular in the Middle Ages; it has been made since at least the 8th century AD. French aristocrats valued it very much and even sent it to each other as a gift. Among the fans of Brie cheese were the French King Henry IV and his wife Queen Margot.

The name Brie comes from the name of the French province where this cheese was first produced. This province is located in the heart of France, not far from Paris. The department of Seine-et-Marne, located in this province, is considered to be more or less the exact place of birth of Brie.

Over time, Brie began to be produced in other European countries; in particular in Germany and Denmark. The name Brie did not become legally protected, like Roquefort and Parmigiano Reggiano, but the French still identified a couple of appellations - AOC Brie de Meaux and AOC Brie de Melun. Brie cheeses with such names can only be produced in a strictly limited area and according to regulated rules.

Brie cheese is made from cow's milk (both unpasteurized and pasteurized). The aging period for Brie is several weeks, usually 4-6 weeks, but sometimes longer, up to a year (this cheese is called Brie Noir because it acquires a dark color). The final product is small and large cylinder circles, covered on all sides with white noble mold. The diameter of such circles varies from 10 to 60 centimeters, thickness - from approximately 2 to 4 centimeters, although it can be larger.

Brie cheese contains cow's milk, table salt, mold culture Penicillium Candidum, bacterial ferment of lactic acid organisms, milk-clotting enzyme of animal origin. Some manufacturers also add calcium chloride (a safe additive). Fat content - about 30%. The mass fraction of fat in dry matter is 60% (in French Brie; for Danish, 50% is more typical). Energy value- usually about 350-360 kcal/100 grams for French Brie and about 290-300 kcal/100 grams for Danish.

Some companies add to Brie various additives. For example, there is a "version" of Brie from President with walnuts.

Brands

• President- a very popular French brand. The cheeses, however, are rather ordinary, although decent. Keep in mind that President's 125g Brie packs are produced in Poland; 200 gram packages are made in France. However, there is no particular difference.
• Milkana- a less popular French brand of cheese. Recently, however, cheeses of this brand are increasingly found on store shelves. Made in France. Not bad, although not brilliant. It's worth a try.
• Fleurs de France- this brand belongs to Lactalis, the owner of the President brand mentioned above. Made in France, the taste and aroma are very simple, rather ordinary. But the price-quality ratio is quite adequate.
• Monmartre Cheese Gallery- a little popular French brand of cheese. Brie of this brand, however, is distinguished - in my opinion - by a very good price-quality ratio, so I recommend it. Sold both by weight and in small “circles” of 250 grams. Production - France.

• Castello- a Danish brand, now owned by the Danish company Arla Foods. A pleasant Brie, good value for money, but slightly different in “style” from the French Brie. Production: Denmark.
• Kaserei Champignon- German mark; The cheeses are not bad, but the prices, in my opinion, are slightly overpriced. Manufacture: Germany. The "style" is similar to Castello.
• Friendship- Brie of this brand (made in Denmark) unfortunately disappointed me. Very expressionless.
• Emborg is a Danish brand whose cheeses recently appeared on sale in Perekrestki. I haven't tried Brie from Emborg yet, but I liked Danablu from this brand.

Personal impressions

Brie cheese is covered with a fairly dense white mold crust, which can be either thin or very thick. Under the crust lies an appetizing, soft and tender pulp, light, with a yellowish or creamy tint and a small number of small air cavities. The smell of Brie can be either weak, barely noticeable, or strong, irritating to some people. Almost exclusively low-smelling options are supplied to Russia. In any case, the smell of Brie is quite piquant and contains notes of ammonia and ammonia characteristic of this type of cheese.

The pulp of the cheese, as I already said, is tender and, as a rule, has a very soft, pleasant and harmonious taste. However, Brie often boasts both piquant and spicy notes: the older the cheese, the more piquant its taste. Aftertaste (at simple options) not very long and slightly spicy. Overall, an original and pleasant cheese. The presence of a pronounced (distinctly unpleasant) bitterness is a sign that the cheese is spoiled, but a slight bitterness may well be present.

Without a doubt, Brie is a very worthy cheese, and if you haven't tried it before, give it a try. And don't be afraid of mold: it doesn't bite.

Where to buy and how much it costs

Brie cheese is quite common on sale. Even small shops and supermarkets sell it, not to mention hypermarkets and delicatessen stores. Below is information about which store chains sell which Brie you can find, and how much it costs there.

Crossroads: Brie from President (French production) - 200 rubles per package weighing 200 grams; Brie from President (Polish production) - about 105 rubles for a 125-gram package. Brie brand Fleurs de France (France) - 165 rubles per 200 gram package. Brie from the French brand Milkana - 125 rubles/125 grams. Brie from Kaserei Champignon (Germany) is for some reason very expensive: in some Perekrestoks it costs as much as 160 rubles/125 grams. Brie Emborg (Denmark) - about 105-110 rubles/125 grams.

Magnet: Brie from the Danish brand Castello - 102 rubles per package weighing 125 grams.

Dixie: Brie brand Fleurs de France (France) - about 160 rubles per 200-gram package. Brie from the Danish brand Friendship (I don’t recommend it) - 100 rubles for 125 grams. Brie from Castello - approximately 115 rubles per 125 grams.

Auchan: a very wide selection of Brie cheese, both loose and in packages. I would like to mention the French Brie from the Monmartre Cheese Gallery brand; it costs about 650 rubles per kilogram in Auchan. Brie from Castello in Auchan costs just under 100 rubles/125 grams; Brie from the German manufacturer Kaserei Champignon - a little more than 100 rubles (for 125 grams).

Alphabet of taste: Brie from President (France, 200 gram packaging) - 210 rubles. French Brie d’Isigny is a little more expensive than one and a half thousand rubles per kilogram.

Purchase and storage

The fresher the Brie, the better. It is better not to buy it for future use, and when purchasing, you should pay attention to both the production time and the production date. Store in the refrigerator, but not in the “zero chamber”.

It is interesting, by the way, that the shelf life of French Brie is usually 2 months, and Danish and German - a whole year. True, the Danes and Germans seem to use more airtight and reliable packaging.

Innings

Before serving, Brie should be removed from the refrigerator so that it warms up to room temperature: only in this case its aroma and taste will be fully revealed. However, there is no need to unwrap the packaging (so that the cheese does not dry out).

Brie is an excellent option for a cheese plate. Moreover, this a good option for breakfast and even for sandwiches. It is better to cut it into not very large, but rather thick pieces; and usually cut into radial pieces. There is no need to clean off the mold crust, it is edible.

You can serve nuts and dried fruits with Brie; grape.

Brie - cheese in a snow-white mantle

History and geography of the product

It was here, very close to Paris, that there was a kind of cheese center, where both cheese makers and traders from all over the province of Ile-de-France gathered.
Subsequent generations of French rulers could not resist the charm of the creamy taste and delicate aroma of the cheese. They say with confidence about brie that this cheese is inextricably linked with the history of the country, and sometimes had a very serious influence on its course. This happened in 1789, when Louis XVI, a great lover of cheese, was forced to flee from popular anger. Unable to resist the temptation to taste fresh brie, the king made a stop in the vicinity of Meaux. And the tasting was interrupted by the soldiers of the revolution, who overtook the fugitive monarch. Thus, love for the legendary cheese led Louis to the guillotine.

And after the victory of the French Revolution, the delicacy of kings and nobles was proclaimed a symbol of equality. But the triumph of people's power was short-lived, and the beginning of the 19th century was marked by completely tragic events. Following the victorious march of Napoleon's army, France was defeated. In 1815, the problem of passing borders in a changed Europe had to be solved. France was represented at the meeting by the great diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, but his art was powerless in a situation where everyone wanted to take a piece of his defeated country.

It is unknown whether the cunning Duke’s proposal to hold a tasting of European cheeses was a subtle political ploy or a desire to diversify the negotiations that had dragged on beyond measure, but such an event actually took place. The diplomats were able to taste gouda from the Netherlands and aromatic Italian parmesan. The most famous cheeses were brought from Great Britain, Switzerland and, of course, France. But the choice was unanimous, and the crown was given to a cheese in a regal ermine mantle - a magnificent brie.

This type of white mold cheese is well known throughout the world. It is called the elder brother of Camembert, and cheese makers in many countries, imitating the masters from Meaux, are trying to master its production. But real brie comes only from France.

Types and varieties

Brie de Meaux- This is the ancestor of the family, called Brie vu Valois or Royal. A cheese wheel weighing about 3 kg has a height of up to 8 cm and a diameter of 25 cm.

Brie de Melun– this cheese undergoes a longer aging process than Meaux brie, which results in its greater saltiness and spiciness. To form a cheese curd, cheesemakers from Melun do not use rennet enzymes, limiting themselves only to bacterial culture. The head of this brie weighs up to 1.5 kg, has a diameter of 24 cm and a height of about 4 cm.

These types of brie were certified as AOC, that is, brands produced in a specific area. Nangis and Montereau also produce their own brie. And the last in the family French brie appeared Brie de Coulommiers with an unusual head size for this species. Its diameter is only 12 cm, and its weight can be less than 500 grams. Despite the similarity of the taste of this cheese with classic brie, true gourmets they prefer to distinguish him by simply calling him Colomier.

The French reverent attitude towards traditions does not prevent cheese makers from offering lovers more and more new types of brie. Today many varieties of this delicious cheese are produced. In addition to classic brie, you can try cheese made from goat's or sheep's milk. There is brie with added herbs. And lovers of fatty cheeses can try double cheese, with a fat content of up to 60% or even a triple cream brie containing up to 70% milk fat.

Beneficial features

It is impossible not to note the amino acids included in the cheese, active cultures of bacteria and fungi. They help improve digestion and regeneration, activating the synthesis of vitamins and metabolic processes. The noble mold of many cheeses helps protect against sunburn and promote melanin production. Cheeses are indispensable for problems with calcium absorption, regular physical activity and intensive growth.

But despite all the benefits of brie cheese, you shouldn’t overuse it. Its excess in the daily diet can lead to an imbalance of intestinal microflora, exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcers. In some cases, an allergy to this type of cheese is possible.

Taste qualities

Cheese has a fairly short lifespan. Young brie is soft and somewhat sweet, but the older it gets, the more aromatic and spicier it becomes. Overripe brie can be identified by its grayish color, a predominant ammonia smell, and dark spots on the rind.
The ripening process in a full head of brie is continuous and stops only when cut. The cheese develops most fully at room temperature, so it needs to warm up a little before eating.

Use in cooking

If you wrap a slice of cheese with chicken or fish fillet, then a baked roll will become a nutritious and tasty dinner. Cheese goes well with meat and vegetables, being part of casseroles, pates and other dishes. It can be added to pasta or a subtle sauce.
The original combination of this unique cheese with melon, grapes and green apples, many berries and nuts forces chefs to create new salads, snacks and delicious pastries. Brie becomes the highlight in curd desserts and puff pastry products, light cakes.

And yet, to feel the full taste of mature brie, you need a real French breakfast - a fresh croissant with delicate filling of this cheese and coffee. And a worthy end to the day will be the same brie served with Bordeaux from St. Julien or Burgundy Vosne Romanee.