VELVETY WHITE RIND ∙ CREAMY INTERIOR ∙ MUSHROOMY TASTE
Camembert de Normandie and Brie de Meaux are the best-known examples and the inspiration behind the variations produced around the world. Soft white cheeses typically have a white crust, a slightly grainy to almost runny texture, and a wonderful aroma of mushrooms.
The mildest cheeses hint of sweet hay and button mushrooms; the strongest taste like creamy, wild mushroom soup and finish with the peppery bite of dandelions, and have an earthy aroma reminiscent of cool cellars and mushrooms warmed in butter. Those made with ewe’s milk have a subtle sweetness with just a hint of roast lamb or lanolin, while those made with goat’s milk taste of almonds or even marzipan.
Defining features soft white cheese
Factory-made varieties tend to have a thick, velvety rind that seems more like a wrapping than an integral part of the cheese. In contrast, artisan examples grow a thinner, white crust that can be stained with reddish pigments or yellow-gray blotches of mold. The coat protects the cheese from drying out and speeds up the ripening process; hence, they are sometimes called mold-ripened cheeses.
Texture soft white cheese
Slightly chalky when young, it softens and becomes creamy when mature.
Age soft white cheese
It is considered ripe from 21 days, depending on the size.
Rind soft white cheese
Thin and crusty with a dusting of white mold to thick and velvety.
Flavor soft white cheese
Depending on the milk used, wild mushrooms, almonds, roast lamb, and lanolin can all be tasted.
Fat content soft white cheese
They have a low fat content of 24–26 percent per 3.5oz; but 75 percent if made with extra cream.
Moisture
They have a high moisture content, which keeps fat content low.
Color
These cheeses can be made from cow’s, goat’s, ewe’s, buffalo’s, and even camel’s milks. The color varies: stark white when made from goat’s milk, butter-yellow when made with Jersey or Guernsey cow’s milk.
Milk
The milk used to make the cheese determines the color of the interior.
How They’re Made
To achieve their almost-liquid texture, soft white cheeses must retain a high percentage of whey. this means that the curds must be scooped gently into the molds. During this part of the process only the weight of the curd is used to lightly press out the excess whey. The surface of the cheese is then enveloped in a white, velvety Penicillium candidum coat that is made up of millions of microscopic mushrooms of the penicillin family. This is where the mushroomy aroma and taste originate.
How to enjoy
UNCOOCED
These wonderful cheeses are at their very best when served at room temperature with crusty bread and a glass of wine.
COOKED
A popular recipe involves baking a small soft white cheese in the oven for about 15 minutes and scooping out the molten interior with chunks of bread or raw vegetables. these cheeses also broil well; try it on a croissant layered with roasted peppers or sweet chutney, but cut off the rind around the sides, because it will become dry and a little bitter.
WITH DRINKS
The French serve cider or calvados with Camembert, Chardonnay with Brie de Meaux, and Champagne with Chaource. As a general rule, goat’s or ewe’s milk variations work very well with similar wines. Alternatively, try a tawny Port with a strong soft white. A hoppy pale ale (rather than a bitter beer) works with the milder, sweeter cheeses.
Excellent Examples
Brie de Melun
Like most Bries, Brie de Melun has a strong mushroom flavor, but is less well known than Brie de Meaux.
Camembert de Normandie
France’s other famous soft white comes packed in wooden boxes. Ripe examples have pink or brown-tinged rinds.
Sharpham
Its buttercup-yellow interior is a result of the high carotene content of the Jersey cow’s milk it is made with.
Brillat-Savarin
Extra cream added to the milk triples its fat content to 75 percent per 3.5oz and gives this cheese a wickedly rich feel.
Capricorn Goat
One of england’s first soft white goat cheeses, it has a stark white interior typical of goat’s milk cheeses.