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.
Most of the royal French families were known to prefer the Brie De Meaux over the other types of cheeses because of its rich and luxurious taste in the mouth. In fact in 1814, the Brie De Meaux played an important role in creating world peace – during a heated Vienna meeting, the Frenchman Talleyrand proposed a friendly competition among parties to know which country produced the best cheese in the world.
An English Lord made sure that it was the English Stilton, while a Swiss noble touted for Switzerland’s Emmenthal as the best. Talleyrand remained still until a chap 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.
However, even before that incident in the Congress of Vienna the Brie De Meaux has already carved its name in the books of history. Documents have it that the emperor Charlemagne has tasted the Brie De Meaux in the year 774. Furthermore, Louis XVI asked to have a last taste of the Brie De Meaux before his execution during the aftermath of the French Revolution.
As its name implies, the Brie De Meaux originated from the region of Brie about 50 kilometers east of Paris. It used to be a strictly Parisian cheese, but thanks to the spread of railways, it has become more available now. However, the AOC made sure that the Brie De Meaux is produced in certain provinces near Paris only so that consistency and quality is ensured.
Raw and unpasteurized cow’s milk is used to make the Brie De Meaux. The Brie De Meaux is soft and creamy because 23 liters of milk are used to make a single wheel. Although the cheese is heated during the renneting stage, it is never actually cooked. Abiding twelve centuries of tradition, the Brie de Meaux is molded by hand using a “pelle a brie”, or a perforated ladle.
The Brie De Meaux tastes soft and creamy to the tongue, without being too buttery. 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 want to dine like royalty, a slice of the Brie De Meaux and a glass of red Bordeaux or Champagne is all you need. Eat like a king and try the Brie De Meaux today!