The best cheese in the world is made in France, the best cheese in france is made in the north, and the best cheese in the north is made in a small village called Coulommiers in the department of Seine et Marne, in the Ile de France region not so very far from where I now sit.
This lesser known cousin of Brie, which is also similar to camembert actually precedes both of these more popular cheeses, is actually one of the bestselling cheeses in france, but is unfortunately rarely exported.
Where this cheese exceeds and differs from both camembert and brie in different ways, it is firmer than camembert, and although the gooeyness of camembert is certainly an advantage when it comes to baking a whole round and scooping out the centre, however when being eaten cold, a firmer coulommiers is certainly welcome. The texture of coulommiers is closer to brie, but it has a tangier flavour than the former, and is less far salty.
Traditionally this cheese has been served with truffle, and has also been served with carrot, however given the delicate flavour of this cheese, I feel that it is best served alone, joined only perhaps by a cote-du-rhone, the lightness of which won’t overpower this fragrant cheese.
Coulommiers is a soft white cheese made from generally unpasteurised cows milk, the cheese has been made in this area since the reign of St Louis, when it was presented to the king and his cousins by a shepherd. The cheese was subsequently made famous by King Philippe Auguste, and was commonly enjoyed at the french court with cider, a delightful precursor to our contemporary pairing of wine and cheese.
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