Brie is a creamy cow's milk cheese from France which is well known around the world. Sometimes called the “Queen of Cheeses,” Brie is a delicious dessert cheese, usually served at room temperature or even slightly warmed. It has a distinctive rich, creamy flavor which is deliciously mild and complements fruit, high quality bread, and anything else the cheese can be smeared onto. Certain types of Brie have designations of origin control, meaning that the cheese must meet specific standards to be labeled.

Although Brie is traditionally a French cheese, it is made all over the world, with the highest quality Brie coming from France. The cheese has been manufactured in one form or another since the eighth century, and was popular with French royalty before becoming beloved by the people as well. The creamy center and edible, though tasteless, rind have wound their way into the hearts of cheese lovers everywhere, making Brie one of the most recognized types of cheese in the world.

True Brie must be made from unpasteurized milk, and is therefore unavailable in the United States, where the United States Department of Agriculture prohibits raw milk cheese under 60 days old. Raw milk Brie can be found in France, however, and has a complex flavor and somewhat darker rind. This true Brie has a preferable flavor to Brie made from pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk Brie is made both inside and outside of France and exported all over the world as well. Due to legislation surrounding the use of raw milk, many consumers have never experienced true Brie, which is a great pity.

Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun both have protected origin designations, and can only be made in France. These cheeses have been protected since the 1980s, and are still made in the traditional way from raw milk, usually aged approximately four weeks. Opportunistic bacteria can set in on unpasteurized Brie which is allowed to sit, so the cheese is generally eaten shortly after purchase. Like Camembert, a similar creamy and slightly runny cheese, Brie is considered to be mature after it has softened all the way through, and will have an astringent, chalky taste if eaten too young.

To make Brie, milk is curdled with the addition of rennet and the curds are spread out in molds and drained. Usually several passes are taken, creating layers of curds which can sometimes be distinguished in the final cheese product. After draining for almost a day, the cheese is removed from the molds, salted, and bacteria is introduced. Finally, the cheese is set in a cave to age for approximately one month before being brought to market.