When times get tough, try to remember to Brie. Take a breath too, but a big bite of Brie couldn’t hurt. It’s one of those little pleasures that can solve almost everything that’s going wrong, except for, y’know, all the systemic horrible stuff. Ugh, sorry for even going there. Now I need some Brie. But what is Brie cheese? How do you eat it and how do you serve it? And most importantly, can you eat the rind? For all you that are reading this, holding a big slice of Brie, rind included, thank you for your patience. We’re going to get some answers.
What is Brie cheese?
Brie is a creamy, whitish cheese with a bloomy edible rind. It originates from the Brie region of northern France between the Seine and Marne valleys, which later came to be known as Seine-et-Marne. Traditionally, Brie is made from cow’s milk, but goat milk can be used as well. The Brie in the United States usually has a mild flavor, while French Brie can be pretty funky. That’s because a lot of Brie in France is made with raw milk. U.S. Brie is made from pasteurized milk. France, of course, exports stabilized and U.S. legal versions of their Brie, but it is made differently than the cheese sold in France. Pasteurized Brie has a longer shelf life, and takes on more earthy tones as it ages. Brie also gets mixed up a lot with its close cousin, Camembert. Both are soft, white cheeses sold in rounds, but Camembert is usually funkier, sold in smaller rounds, and has a lower butterfat percentage.
Now that you know what Brie is, how do you eat it? Just stick that sucker in your mouth and chew. Actually, you may want to wait a little bit. Brie is great all on its own, but if you really want the flavors and aromas at their max, it’s best to let it rest at room temperature for about an hour. And when I say room temperature, I’m talking about a normal, comfortable, room. If you live in a 125 degree desert with no AC, your room is not room temperature, buddy.
How do you serve Brie cheese?
Okay, so you know how to eat Brie, but what if you want to force other people to eat Brie? How do you serve Brie cheese? Brie is a great addition to any cheese board. Just toss it on there with some nuts, dried fruit, and a crusty baguette. Since Brie usually comes in rounds, it’s customary to cut it in wedges, you know triangles, like little pizza slices. Also, Brie is great baked. You can bake it in a puff pastry or just drizzle some honey over it and enjoy some nice Brieness.
Yes, you can. Everyone who has been holding that slice of Brie while reading this, waiting for the rind answer, go ahead and take a big bite. Not only can you eat the rind, you should eat the rind. Technically, the rind is mold, usually Penicillium candidum, but it’s good mold! The rind protects the cheese on the inside and helps to give the cheese its flavor. You’re missing out on a big part of the flavor and textural experience if you do not eat the rind. Of course, you can cut the rind off and just eat the gooey cheese middle if you want. You can eat your food however you choose. But, just know that it will get back to me, and I’ll be very disappointed in you. But then if I get too sad, I can just eat some Brie, rind and all, and I’ll feel better.
Not only can you eat the rind, you should eat the rind. Technically, the rind is mold, usually Penicillium candidum, but it's good mold! The rind protects the cheese on the inside and helps to give the cheese its flavor. You're missing out on a big part of the flavor and textural experience if you do not eat the rind.
The mold used to make these cheeses is safe to eat. The firm, white rind forms when the mold blooms and is then patted down. This process happens over and over until the Brie is ready. Not only is the rind on Brie safe to eat but it may even keep out harmful organisms that could contaminate the cheese.
To eat Brie, first remove it from your refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This allows the brie to become softer and more flavorful as it warms. Once softened, simply slice your brie into small wedges, without removing the edible, flavorful rind.
It's customary to enjoy the whole wheel, rind and all. Though eating the rind on top and bottom is very standard, some may feel the need to cut off the perimeter bits. This isn't necessary and wastes beautiful cheese. The rind isn't hard and tastes exactly like the interior, so don't be afraid!
Brie cheese has a lot of potential health benefits. These include keeping bones healthy, maintaining heart health, and helping in weight control. The nutrients in brie cheese like Calcium, Vitamin B12, and Phosphorus are good for overall health.
It is a general rule that you should always cut a block of cheese as to not misshapen it; that being said, it is advisable to cut Brie, as if cutting pieces of a cake, in slices. Always slice from one end, never start in the middle of the block of cheese.
CRÈME DE BRIE — Alouette Cheese. Ultra-smooth, creamy and mild Brie without the rind. Extremely versatile – try it as a spread, dip or add it to your favorite recipe.
The recommended serving size of brie is 1 ounce (28 grams), which is about the size of your thumb. Eating excessive amounts may cause bloating or constipation — and lead to high calorie intake.
A good rule of thumb is to remove this cheese from the refrigerator an hour before you want to serve it. Doing this will allow the cheese to soften until it's room temperature and its texture is perfectly creamy.
Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, ricotta or Brie can be refrigerated one week but they don't freeze well. Hard cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan can be stored in the refrigerator six months before opening the package and three to four weeks after opening.
Now for the bad news—these cheeses are high enough in saturated fat and cholesterol to justify limiting or avoiding them, says Routhenstein: American: The full-fat version contains 28mg of cholesterol and 5g of saturated fat per slice. Brie: This French cheese has 28mg of cholesterol and 5g of saturated fat per ounce.
Soft cheeses, like brie or Époisses PDO fall into the lower end of that scale. Their high moisture content, which encourages bacterial growth, means that you shouldn't leave these unrefrigerated for more than four hours.
No, you don't have to remove the rind before baking brie. The rind is edible and I don't even think you can taste it after the brie is baked. If you want to remove the rind, you can use a sharp knife to carefully cut off the thin rind of the cheese at the top of the wheel. This is easier to do when the brie is cold.
It's recommended that brie cheese always be served: Serve Brie either at room temperature or warmed (never chilled), to bring out its creamy texture. As a full wheel or in pie-like slices, to allow each slice equal amounts of rind.
Smell: The best way to tell if a piece of cheese has gone bad is by smelling it! A strong odor or funky smell usually indicates that your Brie has gone bad. Mold: Moldy Brie isn't safe to eat and will make you sick if consumed. Throw out moldy cheeses immediately!
Made with phenomenally rich milk, Brie is rich and creamy with a center that could be described as voluptuous. The flavor is subtle and somewhat unique—wild grasses and flowers flavor the milk used to produce the product so each variety of Brie has its own flavor, depending on the flora of a particular time and place.
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