BRIE

Did you know that Brie is first mentioned as early as 770 AD when Charlemagne stopped off at the little village of Ruel-en-Brie? Or that Charles d’ Orlean offered it as a New Years’ gift to ladies of the court in the 14th century? Or that it was hailed as the King of Cheeses at the Congress of Vienna in 1814?

True Brie is produced from whole or semi-skimmed cow’s milk, is pale in colour and has a greyish tinge under the rind when it is perfectly ripe. You should avoid Brie that is pure white, as it’s not mature and once it is cut, it will never mature and develop the flavour you expect. But equally, it can be over ripe, so avoid Brie that has a strong ammonia-like smell.

Brie is one of the world’s great dessert cheeses, but to experience it at its best it’s essential that it’s served at room temperature. Only then will Brie’s characteristic ‘runny’ texture and complex earthy flavour and aroma be revealed.

To protect its flavour, we recommend wrapping in waxy, greaseproof parchment paper and storing in a sealed plastic container in the fridge.