France is a country of wines and cheeses. This people knows a lot about both, but not every Frenchman can list all the names of food products of national pride. However, there is cheese that many people know and love, moreover, not only in France, but throughout the world. This, of course, is brie cheese. In our country it is called brie. Cheese with white brie mold has long migrated beyond the borders of the Fifth Republic and took a strong position on gourmet tables of various nationalities. There are many fakes of this product. Russians even learned to cook white cheese in their small kitchens. However, a real brie can only be tasted in his homeland.
Story
The history of brie cheese is romantic. The first mention of it dates back to the 15th century and is associated with the name of Queen Blanca of Navarre. She not only enjoyed a delicious delicacy, but also regularly sent brie baskets to her noble relatives and friends. The French say that the cheese of the kings played a cruel joke with Louis 16. Fleeing from the rebels during the Revolution, he lingered in Brie. He was seized at a cheese meal. Probably, on the scaffold, he regretted his addiction to the delicacy.
Justification of the high price
Cheese of kings was made and is made only in one place. It is a small town of Brie, with a population of just under 1000 inhabitants and located 300 kilometers east of Paris. It is here that the very famous Brie de Mo is brewed, which is called the cheese of kings and the king of cheeses. Other French counterparts of this cheese, of which there are about a dozen species, practically do not differ from the standard, except that, unlike the Bree de Moe, they do not have an AOS quality certificate. But even without a famous quality certificate, this product is very expensive.
How much do people pay for brie cheese in Russia today? The price per 100 g of delicacy is approximately 230 rubles. 100 grams for a cheese like Brie is a lot. It is not easy to eat more than one 30-gram piece per evening, and it is unsafe for health, because the mold that covers its surface in large quantities is poison that can poison the blood. Since poison is even beneficial in small amounts, one should not be too afraid of such a delicate product as brie cheese. Its price serves as a kind of protection of health for poor people.
Distinctive features
It’s easy to distinguish brie from other cheeses. It is light gray, thick, soft and oily inside, and on top is covered with a thick layer of white mold, which has a characteristic thin and pungent smell of ammonia. The size of the whole brie is small - the diameter is about 50 cm, and the thickness rarely exceeds 4 cm.
Manufacturing secrets
The king of cheeses and the cheese of kings, brie, is cooked and ripens for a month and a half. A young product, ready to eat, has a maturity of 28 days. The older he is, the more pronounced his taste and smell. After 60 days, brie cheese becomes unfit for human consumption. This must be remembered and carefully studied the inscription on the label, which contains information about the production date and shelf life.
The king of cheeses and the cheese of kings is made only from cow's milk. The first secret of brie is alpine meadows, on which cows graze, giving milk, unique in taste and quality. Sourdough is taken from the rennet, secreted in the fourth section of a young ruminant - this is the second secret of French cheese makers, which is kept in strict secrecy. The third component of the success of brie cheese is a pickle, in which it is washed before a mold culture is applied to its surface. To repeat these three conditions is almost impossible, but for courageous experimenters in the field of culinary, we publish a recipe for making brie cheese in the home kitchen.
Making brie at home
To get a pound of cheese, you need 6 liters of unpasteurized village milk. It should be heated to a temperature of 37 degrees and fermented with citric or acetic acid, then add rennet, which can be found in specialized stores. Stir. After 40-50 minutes, when the mixture thickens enough, it needs to be slightly salted, stirred again and transferred to cheesecloth. In this form, leave to remove the main part of the serum. When the cheese becomes more or less hard, it must be transferred to a dry napkin and sent to the refrigerator. Within a few days, change the cloth to dry. As soon as the whey ceases to be excreted, the cheese should be smeared with mold from a real brie bought in a store. Five days mold is usually enough to begin to grow and multiply on the milk substrate. After a couple of weeks, the whole cheese head should be covered with white coating. This is the first indicator of the success of an experiment. Now the cheese can be wrapped in parchment and left in the refrigerator for 2 weeks to ripen. Ready cheese will have a yellowish color and ammonia smell.
Tradition of use
Kings cheese usually dominates any table. Its refined taste is usually shaded with light wine and fruit. The cheese king and the cheese of kings deserves a separate plate, although it is usually served in company with other cheeses. This is perfectly acceptable. From fruits, preference should be given to grapes, fresh figs, melon, pineapple, pears, apples. Dried fruits and nuts are also good with brie. Toasts or soft white bread are served on a separate plate, honey is poured into a shallow bowl. Also do not forget about freshly ground black pepper. They are sprinkled with kings cheese if they are spread on toast.
Cheese lovers often use this gourmet product to make delicious snacks. We suggest you try some unusual dishes with the participation of royal cheese with white mold.
Rye pie with brie cheese
From a round loaf of rye flour, you need to cut off the upper part, like a lid. Take out the crumb. Lubricate the inside of the loaf with soft butter mixed with mustard and crushed garlic. On the sides of the loaf make vertical cuts, trying to maintain its shape. Inside the bread bowl put cheese freed from moldy crust. Lightly grease it with a sharp oil paste. Cover and place in the oven with medium heat for 25 minutes. Such a cheese pie is very tasty both in a warm form and chilled.
Brie Stuffed Potato
Large and even potatoes, pieces 4, must be thoroughly washed and baked. Cook the filling. For 70 g of tender brie core, take 5 tablespoons of rustic sour cream without sourdough, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, black pepper and finely chopped bacon and onions.
From the finished potato you need to remove a little pulp and combine it with the filling. Put the filling in the potatoes and put in a hot oven for a few minutes. After the foam bubbles disappear, and in their place the crust begins to brown, the potato is ready. It should make a light vegetable salad and serve a dish with a glass of white table wine.