I like cheese! I think most people do, or at least most people I know do. And, I really love trying new ones, but its hard to break out of that cheese rut youre sometimes stuck in. Brie is like that. An old standby favorite, its predictable, reliable and most times not disappointing. But, the thing about Brie is that its never one of those cheeses that makes you just say WOW! Or, at least not usually. Maybe our taste buds have gotten conditioned to the familiar savory flavor. In many cases, its one of the first French cheeses a lot of Americans ever taste. Thats probably because youve been able to get it here for such a long time.
So how about something a little different? Enter Goat Brie. Goat Brie is nothing new I know. Ive seen it staring at me almost every time Im making a cheese selection. But, each time I say, maybe next time. Well, next time turned out to be this past weekend. Perusing my cheese options, there was the Goat Brie, a nice La Bonne Vie Goat Brie. I pick up a wheel, inspected it, then put it back. I picked it up again, inspected it (again) and noticed the tagline at the bottom of the label, The Good Life. Hey, who doesnt want that, right? If a simple wheel of Goat Brie was the key to the good life then Im in. Into the basket it goes.
OK, heres the lowdown. The cheese itself had a whitish pale interior, much more so that the cow milk version. I thought at first maybe this cheese was under ripe, but that turned out not to be the case. I had set the cheese out for about an hour prior to serving, so it had a great soft texture. Not runny, but nice and creamy. A firm outer rind encased the delicate inside.
I normally like heavy, strong flavor (and odor) cheeses. But, I have an appreciation for the simpler, lighter cheeses too. The Goat Brie is the latter for sure. I was expecting it to be noticeably lighter than traditional cow milk Brie, but the difference was far more subtle than I thought. As for the taste, the first bite was very similar to the cow milk variety, but didnt have the lingering flavor. It had a somewhat tangy taste, really nice. The style of the cheese of course means it has a creamy texture, not crumbly like many goat cheeses are. And, it was very creamy and silky. I would be interested in a side by side tasting. I think sampled together, the differences would be far more pronounced.
I would recommend a Goat Brie for anyone who likes a light, uncomplicated, summertime cheese. It may not immediately transport you to The Good Life, but it would make a great addition to a cheese plate that included maybe a Comte and a nice bleu of your choosing. You can purchase a 125g wheel of this refreshing cheese for around $6.00.
I have never had such a bad Brie cheese!! I am french and it has been difficult but possible for me to find great stuff all over the places in the US but that cheese should not be sold! If you never had the real stuff, then you might feed yourself with this one like an uneducated person will feed his child at Mc Donald, but if you ever tried French Brie, believe me, you are going to through that so called cheese in the trash! La bonne vie ? I don’t think so.