When you want to attract a crowd, just place a bit of brie cheese on the table. This magical, moldy delicacy is a favorite of cheese lovers everywhere for its gooey, creamy texture and mushroomy, earthy flavors. Named for the region in France where it was first made, brie has a bloomy rind that's the result of a white mold applied to the surface, which ripens the cheese from the outside in. Aged for 4 to 5 weeks, younger brie cheese is softer and milder flavored, while brie that is left to ripen for several months to a year will have a dryer texture and stronger flavor.
While this bloomy variety may hail from France, brie cheese is finding a foothold in Wisconsin. For a truly local brie, though, check out Schroeder Kase's Triple Crème Brie, a cow's milk brie cheese made with triple cream butter fat for an unforgettable texture, a mellow mouthfeel, and flavors packed with umami tang and notes of mushrooms.
Brie cheese was likely invented by French monks in the region east of Paris as early as the seventh century. In 774, the emperor Charlemagne discovered and fell in love with this creamy, bloomy variety. In 1814, brie was pronounced “the king of cheeses” at a culinary tournament in Vienna. Today, versions of brie are made by cheesemakers around the world.
Brie cheese is traditionally made from pasteurized or raw cow's milk. Cheesemakers add rennet and enzymes to curdle the milk, and then gently scoop it into molds to preserve a high percentage of whey, which is crucial to achieving the soft, almost-liquid texture of the cheese. Cheese mold is then added to which results in a white, velvety coat of mold on the exterior. The cheese is then allowed to rest for a week and to ripen an additional 4 to 5 weeks, after which it is ready to be eaten.
The rind on brie cheese is edible and considered by many to be a delicacy, adding bloomy and earthy notes to the cheese's creamy flavor.
Brie is best enjoyed at room temperature, which allows the enzymes in the cheese to reach their fullest flavor and creamiest texture. When serving brie, be sure to take it out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes ahead of time.
Brie should be refrigerated until it's ready to be served. After the original packaging has been opened, wrap the cheese in wax paper and then cover it in plastic wrap or foil. Brie should last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
A rich and buttery chardonnay will match the creamy texture of brie cheese, while a fruity sparkling wine or champagne will provide a palate-cleansing contrast. Brie also pairs beautifully with a crisp riesling or sauvignon blanc – the acidity of the wine cuts through the creaminess of the cheese. For red, an Old World pinot noir will offer earthy notes that perfectly complement the funky flavors of your brie cheese, while the fresh red fruit notes in a beaujolais will accent the tanginess of the cheese.
Ciders, lagers, lambic, pilsners, and fruity beers are perfect foils for the rich creaminess of a brie. A mild wheat beer will let brie take a starring role, while a saison or farmhouse ale will bring more spicy floral notes to the mix.
The soft, creamy, buttery flavor of brie cheese goes beautifully with many cheese board ingredients. Try pairing it with meats like salami and prosciutto, with fruits like apricots, apples, and pears, and with candied walnuts, pecans, and almonds. A little brie on a baguette with a drizzle of honey is a slice of heaven.
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Double and triple cream brie cheeses have extra cream added to the milk to increase the percentage of butterfat in the ripened cheese. While double and triple cream cheeses may sound fattening, these soft cheeses have far more water than a solid cheese like an aged gouda, which likely has more milk fat.
Wisconsin offers more flavors, varieties, and styles of cheese than anywhere else in the world, and our cheesemakers make nearly half of the nation's specialty, artisan cheese. Wisconsin cheeses include everything from classics like cheddar, gouda, and fontal cheese, a slightly sweet Italian cheese, to spicy cheeses like ghost pepper jack cheese and specialty varieties like black truffle cheese, a savory cheese infused with black truffle oil or bits of black truffle.
Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?
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