Le Châtelain Brie was just awarded one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a cheese: a Gold Medal from France’s biggest food competition, the Concours General Agricole held at the Salon International de l’Agriculture in Paris. Chosen from among 17,000 French food products and judged via uncompromising standards of quality and taste, the Gold Medal is a major achievement for any fromager. However, this award is especially remarkable for Brie Le Châtelain because it was crafted especially for the U.S. market, using pasteurized milk.
Though most cheese experts believe it is impossible to recreate the same rich, nuanced flavor using pasteurized milk, Brie Le Châtelain has done it, beating out many competitors.
As anguished cheese-loving Americans can attest, the FDA has imposed strict regulations requiring that raw-milk cheeses imported to the U.S. must be aged for at least 60 days. Therefore brie, which needs only four to five weeks to ripen, must be made with pasteurized milk to be sold in the United States. Le Châtelain took great care to develop a cheese that embodies the very same luscious, complex taste of raw milk brie.
In all other respects, Brie Le Châtelain is a traditional cheese crafted according to exacting artisanal standards. It is made in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France using a traditional recipe passed down through generations of master cheesemakers. The milk that goes into Brie Le Châtelain comes from cows that roam free on grassy hillsides and are completely free of rBST. All-natural and free of preservatives, Brie Le Châtelain contains only milk, cheese cultures, salt, and enzymes.
Typical of brie, Le Châtelain has a soft, white, bloomy rind, a luxurious ivory paste and an especially rich and buttery flavor. As the cheese ripens over time, it goes from a simple fresh cream taste to a creamier texture and bold flavor venerated by connoisseurs.
To experience the full flavor and creaminess of Brie Le Châtelain, remove it from the refrigerator one hour before serving. Brie is perfect served simply on crackers or slices of baguette, and is also excellent with nuts and fresh or dried fruit. Try Brie Le Châtelain warm for a luscious appetizer: heat it until barely melted and top with preserves, or bake in puff pastry. Pair brie with a full-bodied red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, or enjoy it with Chardonnay. Brie Le Châtelain is currently distributed in all 50 states. It is sold in major supermarkets including:
- East Coast: Shaws, Lunds & Byerly’s, Kowalski’s, Festival, HEB/Central Market, The Food Emporium, Zabars
- West Coast: Fred Myers, Fry’s, Smith’s, Metropolitan Markets, Gelson’s, Bristol Farms, Mollie Stone’s, Lunardi’s
- Texas, and Seattle, WA: Central Markets
Le Châtelain is also sold in cheese shops and gourmet stores. The cheese is available in 6.6 lbs wheels labeled to be divided into wedges, for a retail price ranging from $9.99/lb up to $16.99/ lb. Also available in Le Châtelain family: Camembert 8-oz and Brie 8-oz.
Le Châtelain brand is manufactured and imported by the Lactalis group, which also brings to the US Market Istara P’tit Basque, Société Roquefort, and Valbreso Feta.
Source: Lactalis USA, Inc.