Pierre Robert
A relatively new cheese, Pierre Robert was created when French cheesemaker Robert Rouzaire and his friend Pierre experimented with a cheese they had long produced but had grown a bit tired of: Brillat-Savarin. They added additional cream and aged it longer in their caves, which resulted in a more intense flavor and a rich, melting center.
This super decadent triple-crème cheese begs to be spread on a cracker or a slice of baguette. With a fat content of 75 percent, this buttery dream-baby of a cheese will make you swoon over its meltingly rich lusciousness. The slightly sour cream-like tang melts in your mouth when the cheese is young. As it ages, it gets even richer and tangier. With age, the rind thickens and the interior paste gets darker. It would look lovely sitting on your cheeseboard, tempting guests with just one more taste on one more cracker.
Origin: France (Seine-et-Marne region)
Producer: Fromagerie Rouzaire
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet type: Animal
Rind: Bloomy
Age: 1 month
Look: Snowy white rind with a vanilla-colored inside
Feel: Soft, creamy, with the consistency of thick whipped cream
Smell: Milky, slightly pungent
Taste: Like buttah. But better! It has a slight tang to it to make it even more interesting.
Tastes good with: Pears go well as do exotic fruits like guava and mango.
Drink with: Champagne, Prosecco, a good Bourgogne like Pommard
Raimage Fermier Brie
Brie Fermier is a farmhouse Brie that is silky, soft, and smooth. Its thin rind and buttery, mushroomy, taste will remind you of Brie de Meaux. It is a true melt-in-your-mouth cheese. Mild and soft as a young cheese, it grows increasingly complex as it ages.
Experience the oozy, sticky texture and full flavor of this lovely Brie. One taste and you’ll understand why Louis XVI’s last wish was supposedly for a final taste of Brie.
Origin: Mayenne, France (Loire region)
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet type: Traditional
Rind: Bloomy
Age: Fresh
Look: Thin white rind encasing straw-colored interior
Feel: Creamy and soft
Smell: Aromatic
Taste: Earthy, rich, creamy
Tastes good with: Marcona almonds, figs, baguette
Drink with: Bordeaux, Chardonnay
Bûcheron
A classic and pretty goat cheese from the Loire valley, Bûcheron is like two cheeses in one. Is it cake or is it cheese? Enjoy the gooey cream line between the rind and the rest of the cheese, and then go for the center, which is cakelike in texture and lemony in taste. The bloomy rind comes from a harmless mold sprayed on the cheese when young, which helps ripen it. The bacteria breaks down the fat and gives the cheese a beautiful creamy texture. As it ages, the flavor intensifies and the cream line becomes more oozy.
Bûcheron is a crowd-pleaser of a cheese and quite versatile. You can use it on spinach salads, sandwiches, crostini, melt it, or just serve it by itself.
For a quick no-recipe recipe, slice the cheese into ½-inch medallions and pop them in a 350-degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Take them out when they start to bubble and brown. Drizzle with honey and add a sprinkle of lemon thyme and chopped dried cranberries.
Origin: France (Poitou region)
Producer: Sevre et Belle
Milk: Pasteurized goat
Rennet type: Traditional
Rind: Bloomy
Age: 1-2 months
Look: A thick log, sliced to order. The rind is white and wrinkled, and the interior paste is molten creamy and white.
Feel: Soft with a substantial crust
Smell: Subtle, milky
Taste: Earthy, tangy, perfect combo of crumbly and creamy
Tastes good with: Grapes, crackers, Marcona almonds, large green olives, crusty bread. It looks spectacular on a cheeseboard.
Drink with: Loire valley wines such as Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir; wheat beers
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