History of Brie de Meaux

The Brie de Meaux was allegedly invented at the Abbey of Notre-Dame-de-Jouarre.Talleyrand (the French ambassador to England from 1830 to 1834) declared Brie de Meaux the “King of Cheeses” during the Congress of Vienna. Talleyrand had previously claimed  that no cheese could stand up to Brie. Prince Metternich, an Austrian statesman, was upset that his Bavaria blue cheese had not received such honor. Thus, he decided to organize a cheese tasting contest to conclude the closing banquet of the Congress, with fifty-two regional cheeses representing the countries that attended the Congress.As the tasting contest came to an end, Prince Metternich himself proclaimed Brie de Meaux “King of Cheeses and Prince of Desserts”.

Fabrication

Claudine takes pride in perpetuating the traditional fabrication of her farmstead cheese. The milk is collected and processed within the same day. The curds are hand-molded with a pelle à Brie (a Brie shovel), and subsequently dry-salted. Maturation lasts for at least four weeks, a slow and regular process during which the cheese is delicately turned over many times, by hand.

Tasting advice

Brie is enjoyed at the end of meal, on a slice of cereal bread, with a bite of fresh green grape. It is also used to cook specialty dishes of the Brie region: galettes briardes (Brie cakes), bouchées à la reine au Brie de Meaux (a puff pastry traditionally filled with poultry and mushrooms, also called vol-au-vent)

Wine pairing

Wine pairing Whereas it is often enjoyed with a full-bodied wine such as a Côtes du Rhône, a Pomerol,
or a Pinot-Noir from Alsace, its best pair remains dry cider from Brie.

Appearance: white bloomy rind specked with reddish pigments, pale straw yellow color.

Texture: unctuous, supple but not runny.

Sense of smell: fully developed bouquet, with slight hints of fermentation.

Taste: ripe all the way through the middle, it develops a nutty flavor.

General Characteristics

Product code: BRIE2
Production place: Ile-de-France, France
Approval number: FR 54 395 173 CE
Shelf life: 21 days
Storage temperature: between + 2°C and + 4°C
Period of maturing: minimum 30 days
Maturing place: Lorraine, France
Weight: 2,9 kg

Nutrition Facts

Type of milk: raw cow’s milk
Type of cheese: bloomy rind cheese
Ingredients:
- Raw cow’s milk
- Salt
- Lactic starters
- Calcium chloride
- Rennet
Rind color: white bloomy rind specked with reddish pigments
Texture color (inside): straw-colored

Energetic value per 100 g

kcal-kJ 277 - 1149
Protein 15 g
Fat 20 g
Of which saturated 14 g
Carbohydrate 0,9 g
Salt 1,74 g
Sugar < 0,5 g

Fat content

Fat level in total weight 20 %
Fat in dry matter 45 %
Dry extract 44 %

Microbiological Criteria

Listeria: none in 25 g No preservatives or color additives.
Salmonella: none in 25 g Guaranteed GMO-free, in accordance
Enterobacteria: < 10 ufc/ml with current legislation.
box sizes: Large 600*150*400 mm