Cheese: Spotlight on Coulommiers

Today, we will be featuring a cheese that is not widely known outside of France, Coulommiers. This cheese is named after the town where it originated in the French department of Seine-et-Marne, which is about an hour's drive east of Paris.

Coulommiers cheese is made either with unpasteurized cow's milk on a farm as a "fermier" version, or with pasteurized milk at a dairy, then aged for up to eight weeks before being sold. It is often called le Petit Brie de Coulommiers, as it comes in a round about 5 inches across, as opposed to the 14-inch round of a Brie from Meaux or Melun, for example.

Coulommiers is often mistaken for the more famous Brie as it has the similar snow-white rind and a slightly salty, nutty flavor and should be eaten at room temperature. A young Coulommiers is perfect with a glass of champagne, while a more unctuous, mature one is delicious accompanied by a glass of Pinot Noir. Coulommiers an excellent choice to be served with apples, pears or fresh berries at the end of the meal. It is also a great hors d'oeuvre cheese with sliced crusty french bread. 

Try some on your barge cruise

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