The difference between good Brie and mediocre Brie is so vast that I tend to avoid the cheese entirely. Let’s face it: the best Brie is in France, where producers can use raw milk. Mediocre Brie is what you find at most supermarkets, made from pasteurized milk and dead on arrival. Why isn’t it more supple? Where’s the aroma? Believe me, with the Brie and Camembert pictured here you won’t be asking those questions. These two cheeses, from the same French creamery, demonstrate the heights possible with pasteurized milk. I would love to pit them side by side against their raw-milk counterparts because I’m convinced they would hold their own.
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