One Cheese, Five Ways: Brie For All Seasons & Reasons | culture: the word on cheese
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One Cheese, Five Ways: Brie For All Seasons & Reasons


If you’re reading this post, you’ve likely tasted brie, a soft-ripened cow’s milk wheel with a soft, mushroomy rind and a mild, buttery flavor. Maybe you’ve had the original French Brie, a gooey, pungent version made with raw cow’s milk (the two PDO-protected wheels are Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun). Or maybe it’s been one of the countless copies capitalizing on the public’s love for the soft, buttery curds.

These types run the gamut on the spectrum of quality—anyone who has bitten into an ammoniated, bitter piece of brie at a catered event can tell you that.

But a delicious wheel of this cheese, with its silky-soft interior and crowd-pleasing mellow flavor, reminds you why brie became so ubiquitous in the first place.

And since it melts beautifully and its flavor plays well with others, it’s great to cook with, too. We’ve added brie to creamy spinach and parsnip soup, tucked it into a roast chicken sandwich and wrapped it in pastry for our show-stopping Brie en Croute. So don’t diss brie. Find a version you like and head to the kitchen. 

Brie, Mushroom and Leek Crostini 

Earthy mushrooms, savory leeks, and creamy brie blend harmoniously in these melt-in-your-mouth crostini. (feature image)

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Celeriac Slaw Salad 

Gooey brie and crunchy toasted hazelnuts add richness and contrast to this bright raw salad.

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SpinachParsnip Soup 

Vibrant and warming, this pureed soup gets its silky body and creaminess from melted brie. 

 brie_plate

Roast Chicken and Brie Sandwich  

All the flavors of a French café in one deliciously simple sandwich.

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Apple-Pear Brie en Croute  

Serve this decadent dish with plain crackers (water crackers are ideal) and plenty of cocktail napkins. When cut, the melted brie oozes from the flaky pastry, making for an impressive (but less-than-tidy) appetizer. 

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Molly Shuster

Molly is a freelance food stylist, writer and recipe developer. She is one of the co-recipe editors of Gather Journal and has had her work published in various publications including Boston Magazine, Yankee Magazine, The New York Times, Food and Wine, Family Fun, The Boston Globe and Edible Vineyard, among others. Molly currently divides her time between New York and Boston.

Photographer Lauren Volo

New York City-based photographer Lauren Volo has been shooting our "One Cheese, Five Ways" feature for over a year—hard job, huh?

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