Ile de France Le Brie..Oooooh La La.

A few weeks ago Alex from Isle de France contacted me to see if I was interested in reviewing a sample of one of their cheeses.  How fast can a person type, “YES!”?

Pretty stinkin’ fast…..

Anyway they allowed me to choose between Brie, Camembert, and Chevre.  I make my own chevre, and that was tempting to be able to compare the tastes between “real”  chevre, and what I make but..I have to say that one of my all time favorite cheeses is a really good Brie…and I am an unabashed Brie snob. ::Marye hands her head is pseudo-shame:::::::

So, the box comes by overnight.  The kids, HAVE I mentioned that my kids are vultures when it comes to boxes from food, book, and coffee companies? Theya re.  They were tearing into the box before I had gotten out of the computer chair in my office.

Mmmm…Double cream Brie.

Aroma was nice.   Very delicate, a little nutty.  I unwrapped it completely and looked at it.  The rind was uniform and beautiful.  Ahhh…My precious…

Glancing furtively around I closed it up and hid it in the back of the fridge, thinking that I would buy a couple of pears and Marc and I could have a bit of romance one evening.

About five minutes after  I put it in the back of the fridge I got it out.  That wasn’t a good enough spot…someone was surely going to find it.

As long as the Ile de France Brie was was out I decided I might as well have just a nibble…after all….a nibble wouldn’t hurt.  I would still have plenty for the romantic evening I had planned.  I carefully sequestered the cheese in yet another area of the fridge.

A little later I pulled out some eggs and the cheese came with them…Surely it was an ordained moment…I had another nibble.

Now that you know what happened to the cheese..let’s get on with the review…

Aroma: faintly nutty with a sharp note that was at the same time, delicate

Visual: Very uniform, white rind.  The cheese is a delicate ivory color with the occasional very tiny hole.  Firmly silky maturing to luxuriously runny.

Mouthfeel: Very buttery, almost juicy.  Incredible.

Taste-Delicate, with a nutty aftertaste followed by a lingering, pleasant astringency.

Would I buy it? You bet..and I would not share one bite!

O.k..that is not totally true.  I did share small crumbs with the family. Here was their reaction:

Chef Kyrie (5) It tastez like cream cheese but better

Nick(8):I like this. We should get more.

Sean (10):The rind is sort of waxy and buttery..are you sure it is mold?

Shiloh(12): It is soooo good.  MOLD? THIS is MOLD? Well..O.k..it is good mold.

Ethan:(14) You know, Mom, very few people are as cool as you.  Most adults would not waste this incredible stuff on kids.

Matt: (16)Yep.  Good. Is there more?

Marc (49). Oh. My. Gosh. MMMM!

So there you have it…It has totally passed the Audet team of critics and foodies and was a rousing success.

Here is a recipe I am copying from the website…I am going to make this soon because it sounds so perfect for fall…

Oh..and they have a recipe contest going..you could win 1000.00   I couldn’t win because there is no way the cheese will last long enough for me to make a recipe..but give it a shot.

Fig and Brie Appetizer Pizza (used with permission)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 whole wheat pita bread rounds (6 to 7 inches)
3/4 cup fig preserves
6 ounces Ile De France Le Brie Cheese, chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* Blend together olive oil, chopped rosemary and ground red pepper; brush over the top side of the pita breads and place on a baking sheet.
* Divide fig preserves evenly among the pitas, spreading almost to the edges; sprinkle with Brie and walnuts, dividing equally.
* Place in preheated oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and fig preserves are heated through.
* Remove from oven; cut each pita into 4 squares and serve while warm.
* Makes about 8 appetizer servings.
* May be garnished with additional fresh rosemary, if desired.

Images:Marye Audet