Affidelice
Affidélice is a Burgundian washed-rind cheese from the same producer and tradition as Epoisses, washed during aging in Chablis wine rather than Marc de Bourgogne. The wine wash produces a slightly gentler result than its more famous relative.
Flavor Profile
The rind is sticky and orange-tinged, and the paste beneath is soft, supple, and nearly flowing when fully ripe. The flavor is savory and creamy with a pronounced tang and a meaty depth, though the Chablis wash lends a fruitier, more restrained character than the brandy-washed Epoisses. The aroma is considerably stronger than the taste.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature in its wooden box, scooping the softened center onto crusty bread. Pair with sweet acidic fruits, which balance the savory intensity. This is a cheese that rewards the adventurous.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with a Chablis, echoing the wash, or with a Sauternes or Gewürztraminer. Serve with baguette, grapes, apple slices, and walnuts.
Storage
Keep refrigerated in its box, away from other foods since the aroma transfers readily. Consume within one to two weeks.
Brie – France
Brie is France’s most famous soft-ripened cheese, recognized worldwide by its creamy white bloomy rind and smooth, buttery interior. True French Brie has a richer, more complex flavor than domestic versions, with a luscious texture that becomes increasingly soft and oozy as it ripens.
Flavor Profile
French Brie has a mild, buttery flavor with earthy, mushroomy undertones from the Penicillium camemberti rind. When perfectly ripe, the paste is silky and flowing, with a gentle tang that develops as the cheese matures. The rind is entirely edible and contributes a delicate earthy note.
How to Serve Brie
Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture. Let it sit out for at least 30 minutes before serving. Brie is ideal for cheese boards, baked preparations (wrapped in puff pastry with honey and nuts), and as a spread on crusty baguette.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Champagne, Chardonnay, or a light Pinot Noir. Accompany with fresh berries, fig jam, honey, walnuts, and sliced baguette.
Storage
Wrap loosely in wax paper and store in the refrigerator. Consume within one to two weeks of cutting for the best quality.
Brie – Germany
German Brie is produced in Bavaria and other German dairy regions, where soft-ripened cheesemaking has been established for over a century. German producers make Brie-style cheese in large volumes and are among the leading exporters of the style worldwide.
Flavor Profile
German Brie has a smooth, creamy paste beneath a white bloomy rind. The flavor is mild and buttery with a gentle mushroomy note from the rind and a clean, mellow finish. It tends to be milder and more consistent than traditional French farmhouse Brie, with less of the earthy pungency that develops in raw milk versions.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature, allowing 30 minutes out of the refrigerator so the paste softens. It is excellent baked, wrapped in pastry with honey and nuts, and it spreads readily on crusty bread. Its mildness makes it a reliable crowd-pleaser.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with a German Riesling, a Sekt, or a light Spätburgunder. Serve with fresh berries, fig jam, honey, walnuts, and baguette.
Storage
Wrap loosely in wax paper and refrigerate. Consume within one to two weeks of cutting.
Brie de Nangis
Brie de Nangis is a traditional French soft-ripened cheese from the Île-de-France region, made from cow’s milk with a velvety bloomy white rind. It is considered one of the more authentic and full-flavored versions of Brie available, closer to the historic style than many commercially produced varieties.
Flavor Profile
Brie de Nangis is richer and more flavorful than standard Brie, with a deeper earthy character, notes of fresh mushroom, and a pleasant tang. The paste ripens from the outside in, becoming increasingly creamy and flowing as it reaches peak maturity. The edible rind adds complexity.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature to allow the full range of flavors to emerge. Perfect for cheese boards, wine pairings, and elegant entertaining. Let it sit out for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Champagne, Burgundy, or a light, fruity red. Serve with baguette, fresh fruit, fig preserves, and toasted nuts.
Brie, Triple Crème
Triple Crème Brie is enriched with additional cream before production, pushing the butterfat content above 75 percent of dry matter. French labeling law defines the triple crème designation precisely, and the result is among the richest cheeses made anywhere.
Flavor Profile
The texture is the point: dense, silky, and almost mousse-like, coating the palate in a way standard Brie does not approach. The flavor is intensely buttery and sweet with a gentle tang and a clean dairy finish. The bloomy white rind adds a light earthy note that keeps the richness from becoming cloying.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature with minimal accompaniment so the richness leads. A drizzle of honey or a few fresh berries is enough. This is a celebration cheese, well suited to holidays, date nights, and occasions where indulgence is the point.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Champagne, whose acidity and bubbles cut the richness perfectly, or with a Sauternes or sparkling rosé. Serve with fresh berries, honey, and light water crackers.
Storage
Wrap loosely in wax paper and refrigerate. High fat and moisture mean it is best within ten days to two weeks.
Brillat Savarin
Brillat-Savarin is a luxurious French triple-crème cheese named after the famous 18th-century gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Extra cream is added to the milk before production, pushing the butterfat content above 70% and creating one of the richest, most indulgent cheeses in the world.
Flavor Profile
Brillat-Savarin is outrageously rich, with a smooth, buttery, and slightly tangy flavor. The texture is dense, creamy, and almost mousse-like. The bloomy white rind is delicate and fully edible. This is a cheese of pure luxury, designed for those who find standard Brie too mild.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature with minimal accompaniments so the cheese’s extraordinary richness can shine. It pairs beautifully with a simple drizzle of honey, fresh berries, or champagne. Perfect for celebrations, date nights, and special occasions.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Champagne (the classic pairing), Sauternes, or a sparkling rosé. The effervescence cuts through the richness perfectly. Serve with fresh berries, light crackers, and edible flowers for an elegant presentation.
Camembert – France
French Camembert comes from Normandy, where it was first made in the late 18th century in the village of Camembert. The AOP version, Camembert de Normandie, must be made from raw milk of Normande cattle and ladled into moulds by hand in five successive passes.
Flavor Profile
Camembert is richer and earthier than Brie, with pronounced mushroomy and sometimes faintly garlicky undertones. When perfectly ripe the interior is soft, oozy, and deeply savory, with the bloomy white rind contributing a rustic earthiness. Young wheels are firmer and milder; well-ripened examples are intense and unmistakably aromatic.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature, allowing at least 30 minutes for the paste to soften. Camembert is exceptional baked whole in its wooden box with garlic and herbs, served with crusty bread for dipping. It also anchors a cheese board alongside fruit and charcuterie.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Normandy cider, the traditional regional match, or with Calvados, a Pinot Noir, or a dry Champagne. Serve with apple slices, crusty bread, and walnuts.
Storage
Keep in its wooden box, wrapped, in the refrigerator. Consume within one to two weeks of cutting.
Camembert – Germany
Camembert is a soft-ripened French cheese from Normandy, smaller and thicker than Brie with a deeper, more robust flavor profile. It is one of France’s most beloved cheeses, with origins dating to the late 18th century in the village of Camembert.
Flavor Profile
Camembert has a richer, earthier flavor than Brie, with pronounced mushroomy and sometimes slightly garlicky undertones. When perfectly ripe, the interior is soft, oozy, and deeply savory. The bloomy white rind is edible and adds a pleasant rustic character. Young Camembert is firmer and milder; well-ripened wheels are intense and aromatic.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature, allowing at least 30 minutes for the cheese to soften. Camembert is exceptional baked whole in its wooden box, topped with garlic and herbs, and served with crusty bread for dipping. It also shines on cheese boards alongside fruit and charcuterie.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Normandy cider (the traditional match), Calvados, Pinot Noir, or a dry Champagne. Serve with apple slices, crusty bread, and walnuts.
Chaource
Chaource is an AOP soft cheese from the Champagne region of France, named for the village where it has been made since at least the 14th century. It is formed into a distinctive tall cylinder rather than the flat discs typical of most bloomy-rind cheeses.
Flavor Profile
The paste is dense, moist, and slightly crumbly at the center when young, softening toward the rind as it ripens. The flavor is fresh and lactic with a pronounced tangy brightness, a mushroomy note from the bloomy rind, and a rich creamy finish. It is noticeably more acidic than Brie or Camembert, which makes it refreshing rather than heavy.
How to Serve
Serve at room temperature on a board. Its tall shape makes an attractive presentation, and the tangy character provides useful contrast to richer cheeses. It pairs naturally with the Champagne produced in its home region.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair with Champagne, a Chablis, or a light Burgundy. Serve with fresh berries, walnuts, honey, and crusty bread.
Storage
Wrap loosely in wax paper and refrigerate. Best consumed within one to two weeks of cutting.
