Brie de Meaux

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• Unpasteurised
• Cows' Milk

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Brie de Meaux is the classic and original Brie made just outside Paris in the Ile-de-France.  The Dongé Family makes this version.  In 1930 Etienne Dongé set up his family dairy near Paris (where Brie originates from) to make traditional unpasteurised Brie de Meaux.

Three generations later Jean-Michel and Luc Dongé still continue the family tradition and remain one of only seven producers of traditional Brie de Meaux (and many argue the best – since 2000 they’ve won the Médaille d’Or, usually a once-in-a lifetime achievement, no less than ten times!).  They still follow the traditional methods – cutting the curd by hand and ladling it gently into moulds where it drains on reed mats.  At eight weeks it is ripe and ready, with rich porcini-like flavours and a smooth, velvety texture.

Brie de Meaux was (and still is) a firm favourite of the ‘greats’ of France, including the likes of Charlemagne, Phillipe Auguste, Henri IV, Queen Margot, Louis XVI.  But it became famous at the 1814 Congress of Vienna when Talleyrand declared it the “King of Cheeses” – it is said France lost a war but gained a cheese.

It takes 25 litres of milk to make one Brie, which is then drained for three days before being aged for eight weeks or more.  It differs from France’s other famous Brie (de Melun) in that this Brie is more rennet-set and with less acidification.  In flavour, Brie de Meaux is more refined and subtle whereas Brie de Melun is more robust, rich and powerful.