Brie de Melun

1. History

Brie de Melun is one of the oldest recorded cheeses, existing before the Roman invasion. Around 999, Robert the Pious, King of France established in Melun, consumed it regularly. In the 17th century, grammarian Furetière first mentions it in his dictionary as a cheese suitable for aging. The history of Brie de Melun is intimately linked to the famous recipe of Bouchées à la Reine, created by the chef of Marie-Antoinette, wife of Louis XV, who appreciated this cheese.

2. Physical characteristics

Brie de Melun is a soft cheese with a bloomy rind, made exclusively with raw cow's milk. It takes the form of a disc 24 cm in diameter and 3 cm thick, weighing approximately 1.5 kg. Unlike Brie de Meaux which is white, Brie de Melun is distinguished by its reddish-orange rind, making it visually very different from its cousin. Its aging lasts one to two months in cool caves, making its paste homogeneous and supple.

3. Taste profile

Brie de Melun possesses very rich and complex aromas, distinctly fruitier and more robust than Brie de Meaux. Its flavor is very pronounced and characterized by an intense taste. It is a cheese with a predominantly lactic character, which gives it particular aromatic complexity and longer preservation than Brie de Meaux.

4. Production zone and period

Brie de Melun originates from a specific terroir located east of Paris, between the Seine and Marne rivers. Its production zone extends mainly throughout Seine-et-Marne, as well as some neighboring communes in Aube and Yonne. The secret of its unique taste lies in the milk from cows raised in this region and in the expertise of cheesemakers who craft it with passion.

5. Certification

Brie de Melun received its Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in 1980 and its Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP) in 2009. It is considered the ancestor of all Brie cheeses. The manufacturing process is particular: milk ferments in a vat for 20 hours, then remains 16 hours in a basin before being curdled, cut and molded, followed by two days of salting.