Brie
This classic, taste-bud-seducing cheese is always the first to disappear from cheese trays. It's easy to spread, it mixes well with other ingredients and tends to melt very quickly.
- Aroma Fresh mushroom and milky aroma
- Taste Delicate hazelnut, mushroom and butter taste
- Texture Soft, creamy and velvety texture
Basic info
Category: Soft
Appearance: Crust of a white and velvety colour; cream to light yellow or straw colour.
Varieties: Plain; double cream and triple cream; flavoured with pepper, with herbs, etc.
How to enjoy them?
Numerous recipes use Brie. For instance, it’s delicious in a steaming bowl of soup. But it’s mostly appreciated at the end of a meal or at a wine and cheese tasting with a good crusty bread, fruit or nuts and a glass of red wine. To fully appreciate its qualities, we recommend leaving it at room temperature from 45 minutes to one hour – long enough so it’s perfect and its interior is just about to become runny.
How are they made?
The soft curd is gently placed in a mould so the whey drains off. It is then placed in a brine solution and transferred to a ripening room where the white mold grows to become a bloomy rind cheese. To create the bloomy profile, Penicillium Candidum is either sprayed on the curd or it is part of the curds.
Visit the cheesemaking page to learn more about how Canadian cheeses are made.
History / Tradition
Brie has been made in Canada since the French colonial era and is one of the most popular cheeses in the country.
Conservation
Storage
Young Brie cheeses will keep for about a month. If the cheese is ripe and kept under good conditions, it will last for about two weeks.
Soft cheeses are at their best when they emit an aroma of mushrooms and the rind gives when pressed slightly under your finger. A very strong smell or an ammonia-like odour is a sign that the cheese is overripe.
As a rule, make sure that the wrapping adheres well to the cheese to prevent it from drying out. Store your cheeses in the lower shelf of your refrigerator, far from foods with strong odours, to avoid absorption of unwanted tastes and smells. If you follow these rules, your refrigerator’s vegetable drawer will make a good storage place.
To preserve its freshness, plastic wrap is the most versatile and accessible. It also provides the tightest seal to protect it from moisture, odours and possibly mould in the fridge.
Freezing
All cheeses can be frozen but do keep in mind that freezing can affect their texture and character. This is why thawed cheeses are best used for cooking. Neither the taste nor the texture of meals cooked with previously frozen cheeses will be affected.
You can freeze cheeses, in pieces of 500 g or less, for up to two months! Make sure they are carefully wrapped in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight freezer bag. It is important to allow them to thaw slowly in the refrigerator before using.
