Somerset Brie

Each cheese is made in the French manner, where pasteurised milk is heated to 37 degrees centigrade and vegetarian rennet is slowly added to develop the curds and whey. The cheese is placed into large circular mounds for up to 18 hours to allow excess liquid to drain. The cheese is then turned and taken out of the moulds before being left to mature for up to 3 weeks. The local Somerset milk gives the cheese its rich and distinctive buttery texture and taste together with a smooth and oozy paste. If the cheese is made with summer milk then that buttery rich taste is more defined and noticeable due to the quality of the grass.

Brie was first made in France in the Ile-De-France region in the Middle Ages by monks in the Priory at Rueil en Brie and when in 774 the French Emperor Charlemagne discovered the cheese he enjoyed it so much that he ordered it to be delivered regularly to his Chateau in Aachen. King Phillipe-Auguste judged it to be excellent and ordered 200 rounds to be sent to the members of his court as New Years gifts.

Brie’s are a delicate cheese and as such won’t welcome an overpowering chutney or relish but they are perhaps best served with a Damson Jelly or Chutney and served on a water biscuit or crusty bread.