Looking to fall in love?
It may look a little sharp and spiky on the outside, but its velvety, savory inside will seduce you.*
This prickly little porcupine of a cheese is Brin d'Amour.
Brin d'Amour - "a little bit of love" is produced by artisan cheesemakers on the island of Corsica. It is an unpasteurized ewe's milk cheese that is wrapped in a blanket of aromatic local herbs from the maquis, the distinctive Mediterranean shrubland of Corsica, and matured for 2 weeks to 2 months. This cheese also goes by the name Fleur de Maquis.
As you can probably guess, the herbs -rosemary, thyme, savory, and juniper- infuse the cheese with their assertive flavors. There are also subtle hints of green olives, hazelnuts and tangy citrus, making this a very unique cheese.
The texture is firm, yet creamy and smooth, and melts in your mouth. The aroma is dominated by the heady herbs, especially the rosemary.
Enjoy with a Côtes de Provence rosé or a white wine from Corsica.
*We cut the herb covered rind off because the texture was too sharp, but a less matured cheese should have a softer coating.
Larousse translation of brin.
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5 comments:
Sounds amazing...hope to try some day!
This really is a great cheese, but I completely agree about the rind.
Sandy
You must give it a try!
Allie
I think some people eat the rind but it was much too sharp for me!
I just adore this cheese and love it with the rind because the rind flavor tastes so complex. Always have a cabernet with it, too.
Mary M., St. Paul, MN. USA
Mary
I've read that the rind is very good when the cheese is young, and becomes stronger and sharper as it ages. I think the piece we had was aged, so the herbs were sharp!
I'll have to try a young piece so I can enjoy the herb rind.
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