If you are wondering what kind of cheese the French have been eating since before you were born, Brie De Meaux is the closest you will to the real thing. Its light pungent taste that is a mix of intensely mushroomy and grassy notes has captured the hearts of everyone since the Middle Ages.
In the 19th century, the Brie De Meaux was considered as the cheese of the kings, as it was often preferred by Diplomats because it tastes rich and luxurious in the mouth, but not cloyingly buttery. Brie De Meaux was said to have helped make world peace – in one of the many heated Vienna proceedings, the Frenchman Talleyrand proposed a friendly competition (to lighten the tension between parties) to find out which country had the world’s best cheese.
An English Lord argued that the English Stilton was the best, while a Swiss gentleman peddled for Switzerland’s Emmenthal. Talleyrand remained reserved until one man arrived with his nominee, the Brie De Meaux. One historian recorded the Brie De Meaux to have rendered its cream to the knife; it was a feast, and no one dared argue from then on.
But before that incident in the Congress of Vienna, the Brie De Meaux has already marked its place in history. The emperor Charlemagne is chronicled to have tasted the Brie De Meaux in the year 774. Not only that, facing death in the aftermath of the French Revolution, Louis XVI is reputed to have asked as his final wish for one last taste of the Brie De Meaux before his execution.
As its name implies, the Brie De Meaux originated from the region of Brie about 50 kilometers east of Paris. It used to be strictly a Parisian cheese, but has now become far more widespread due the spread of railways. But the AOC has made sure that the Brie De Meaux is produced only in certain provinces surrounding Paris in order to ensure consistency and quality.
The Brie De Meaux is made from raw and unpasteurized cow’s milk. The secret of its creamy and soft texture is the massive 23 liters of milk that are used to make each wheel of Brie De Meaux cheese. Although the cheese is heated during the renneting stage, it is never actually cooked. And faithful to twelve centuries of tradition, the Brie De Meaux is molded by hand on a “pelle a brie”, or a perforated ladle.
Brie De Meaux is smooth and creamy on the tongue, richly flavored with hints of hazelnut and fruit. The best way to serve the Brie De Meaux is to let it come into room temperature to enjoy a full range of flavors. If you were looking for the right pair to your red Bordeaux or Champagne, you will find a perfect match in the Brie De Meaux. So go and get one today!
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Tags: brie, Brie De Meaux, French Cheese