Brillat-Savarin cheese

Brillat-Savarin is a soft, white-crusted cow's milk cheese with 75% fat, named after the 18th century French gourmet and political figure Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The cheese was created in the 1930s by cheesemaker Henry Androuët.

Brillat-Savarin is produced all year round, mainly in Normandy. It comes in wheels 12-13 cm in diameter and approximately 4 cm thick, and is aged for one to two weeks. It is also available as a fresh cheese (non affine) that resembles rich cream cheese.

It is a triple cream Brie that is luscious, creamy and faintly sour. It goes well with medjool dates and also champagne. Because of its creaminess combined with its Brie aroma and slight sharpness, it has been described as "Dairylea for grownups" or "what Dairylea tastes like in heaven".

Pairing with red wines is difficult, as any mushroominess or "moldy" taste will bring out the tannins of the wine. Brillat Savarin is also quite salty when ripe, which may disturb the taste of red wine. It also pairs well with a Pale Ale, for similar reasons as the Champagne. The carbonation wipes the fattiness from the palate and the malts enhance the creaminess of the cheese.

The French cheesemaking company Rouzaire also produces an older Brillat Savarin under the name Pierre Robert. The extra aging time concentrates the proteins and salt in the cheese, resulting in deeper earthy flavors and more intense salty taste. Wheels of Pierre Robert are physically shorter (due to loss of moisture), yet creamier than the regular-aged Brillat Savarin.

ee also

* List of French cheeses
* List of cheeses