It may look a little sharp and spiky on the outside, but its velvety, savory inside will seduce you.*
This prickly little porcupine of a cheese is Brin d'Amour.
Brin d'Amour - "a little bit of love" is produced by artisan cheesemakers on the island of Corsica. It is an unpasteurized ewe's milk cheese that is wrapped in a blanket of aromatic local herbs from the maquis, the distinctive Mediterranean shrubland of Corsica, and matured for 2 weeks to 2 months. This cheese also goes my the name Fleur de Maquis.
As you can probably guess, the herbs -rosemary, thyme, savory, and juniper- infuse the cheese with their assertive flavors. There are also subtle hints of green olives, hazelnuts and tangy citrus, making this a very unique cheese.
The texture is firm, yet creamy and smooth, and melts in your mouth. The aroma is dominated by the heady herbs, especially the rosemary.
Enjoy with a Côtes de Provence rosé or a white wine from Corsica.
*We cut the herb covered rind off because the texture was too sharp, but a less matured cheese should have a softer coating.
Larousse translation of brin.
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