Suggestion of the wine waiter
A round supple red: Côte du Rhône, Bourgueil, Brouilly, Pinot Noir from Alsace.

Brie de Montereau is a soft cow’s milk cheese with a bloomy rind.

Product
Cow’s milk cheese

Nutritional value
45% fat

Production
Usually made between July and March. Raw milk is partly skimmed. Molding is done by ladling the curd into 8 to 10 cm (3-4”) high molds in successive layers over a 3 hour period. Two or three turns follow to complete the draining. Total draining time: 18 hours. Dry salting. Ripening lasts from 4-6 weeks.

Curd
Soft, not runny, reddish rind.

Appearance
A flat cylinder 18 cm (7”) in diameter, 2.5 cm (1”) thick, 400 to 500 g (1 lb.) in weight.

Flavor
Between Brie de Melun and Coulommiers.

Buying
Refuse a grayish, overly red or uneven rind; refuse a cheese in which the curd detaches from the rind; smell and refuse any with a scent of ammonia.

Storing
Brie keeps very well in the lower part of the refrigerator, wrapped separately. Simply take it out 45 minutes before serving so that the room temperature can restore its flavor and refinement.

Cooking
See: Brie de Meaux