Brie Cheese - The French Revolution Of Flavor
Lee Dobbins

Defined Tag: Brie Cheese.

You may be familiar with American tasty bread which can be found in both wheat and white varieties.  The distinctive mark of the spread is that it is very soft with a cross or rind.  The white of the bread is made partly from egg whites in the rind being made from egg yolks.

Now, picture the look of the American tasty bread as a cheese and you will have a clear image of brie cheese. This kind of cheese is made from cow's milk, and it originated from a province in France called Brie, hence the name for the cheese. Its body is colored white with pale tones. But the distinctive look of the cheese is provided by the rinds, much like the American tasty bread. The rinds are likewise darkly colored, but it is not made from a different material, rather, it is the result of the preparation process.

If there is one type of cheese that makes you think of France it's got to be brie cheese.  Brie is one of France's most popular cheeses and consists of cow's milk and rennet gathered from the lining of the cow's stomach.  These two ingredients are heated and cast into molds where they sit drying for a day.  After that, brie is usually aged for four weeks at least.


It is a rather complicated process, so much so that in past centuries, brie cheese was called the King's Cheese because it was prepared for novelty and citizens belonging to the ruling class. All this changed during the French Revolution, of course, when the idea of classes was broken. But brie cheese remained to be a favorite of those who are well off, if not in France, from all over the world.

Today this kind of cheese can be found in many fine dining establishments.  The unique flavor and crusty feel makes it the perfect appetizer and a complement for many meals.  It is great to have with red wine and many people love to keep it with fruit where they say it helps to bring out the flavor.


The rest of the world can thank France for many things: democracy, romance, the Eiffel Tower... but the cheese that comes from its native province of Brie should not be cast aside as it is truly one of France's finest contribution to the culinary world.