Brillat-Savarin

1. History

Brillat-Savarin was created in 1890 by the Dubuc family near Forges-les-Eaux in Seine-Maritime as Excelsior or Délice des gourmets. In the 1930s, Paris creamery owner Henri Androuët renamed it after the gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of Physiology of Taste. This triple cream cheese gained immediate success and received IGP protection in 2017 from the European Commission.

2. Physical characteristics

It is a soft paste cheese with bloomy rind, made from raw or pasteurized cow's milk enriched with cream, with at least 72% fat on dry matter. It comes in flat discs of 12-13 cm diameter, 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 500g. Matured for 1-2 weeks in a dry cellar, it develops a creamy texture.

3. Taste profile

Its flavor is mild, creamy, and refined, with a texture that melts in the mouth. Aromas recall fresh cream, lactic and slightly buttery notes, without marked acidity. Young and fresh, it delights with its high fat content and lingering smoothness.

4. Production zone and period

Produced year-round, mainly in Burgundy, Normandy (Seine-Maritime), Île-de-France, and Seine-et-Marne, spanning five departments from southeast Burgundy to central Seine-et-Marne. The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages in Cistercian abbeys of this area. Department codes include 76, 21, 77, 89, and 71.

5. Certification

Brillat-Savarin holds a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 2017, protecting its name as a collective trade mark. This European recognition highlights the ancestral know-how of lactic curd enriched cheeses. It ensures quality and geographical origin.