the brie interloper

I’ve been busy preparing for my move from the US back to the UK. Finally booked my flight and am now pulling out my hair trying to get it all done before Sept 12 rolls around. Tiring, tiring, tiring – physically and emotionally.

But there’s been some movement on the cheese front in the form of Brie de Nangis.

I’ve had some trouble warming to brie – sometimes I love it; when it’s rich and gooey and has collapsed in a puddle, and needs some crisp bread to scoop it up. Sometimes I don’t love it; when it’s a solid inch-and-a-half high wedge of tastless stodge, with a strange furry coating and a bland, benign taste.

Well it turns out that there is legitimate brie, and faux brie and I’ve tried one of each this past couple of weeks.

Brie de Coulonnes and Brie de Nangis

Both purchased from Real Foods, Brie de Coulonnes confirmed all my worst fears about Brie.  It stood up by itself, which is never a good sign.  And didn’t taste of much either.  Big and firm can be good when used to describe some things but not in describing Brie.

Picking off the label I scuttled off to Google the details.  Couldn’t find much but I did find an excellent site that outlined  which Bries were kosher, so to  speak. It seemed that the Brie de Coulonnes was not included on this list.  Hmmm.  Did this mean that this was a faux-brie?

Armed with a modicum of information I decided to try another Brie.  Brie de Nangis.  This was quite a different kettle of cheese. Tightly wound in saran wrap it had been cut from a bigger wheel at the store.  The wrapping was the only thing keeping it together – the gooey, yellowish filling squishing out from between the chalky crust.

I smooshed it onto some crusty bread and tucked in. The ‘afterwhiff’ of ammonia was striking as I thought about how different it was from the brie interloper. It was rich, and was a decadent, sluttish contrast to the uptight faux-brie with its soapy taste.

Yep, slutty cheese, that’s what I’m after.