Made by people, not machines
Coal River Ashed Brie is a triple cream soft cheese made by Coal River Farm in South East Tasmania, Australia.
Daniel and Melanie Leesong established this small farm on green pastures overlooking the idyllic Coal River Valley. After spending years in separate corporate careers, they both were craving a change in lifestyle. This need to escape, coupled with a passion for local Tasmanian produce, inspired them to setup a fromagerie, a chocolaterie and a paddock-to-plate restaurant on their land.
Their mantra was “Made by People, Not Machines”. As such, they were desperate to maintain a small-batch, hands-on approach to every project they took on.
Did you say triple cream?
Their current cheese offering includes marinated feta, blue cheese and a triple cream brie.
Triple cream bries are a fairly recent invention even back in France. The first one of its kind, Le Magnum, appeared on the scene in the late nineteenth century. You might know it by its current name, Brillat-Savarin.
The secret to making a triple cream cheese lies ins the amount of cream that is added to the milk during production. Compared to the more traditional double creams, this utterly decadent style of cheese will have a minimum of 75% butterfat.
You can read more about the differences between double and triple creams by clicking here.
Rolled in charcoal
This decadent creamy delight is made using local pasteurised cow’s milk. When the curd is set, the cheesemaker rolls each wheel in charcoal. Moreover, the charcoal enhances both the overall aesthetics of the cheese and its flavour profile, adding a bit of nuttiness.
Unsurprisingly, its straw-coloured pâte oozes spectacularly when ripe. Besides, its earthy mushroom aroma tantalisingly augments its buttery mouthfeel and mildy savoury flavour.
How to serve Coal River Ashed Brie
Remove your wheel of Brie from the fridge at least 30-60 minutes before serving. This is critical to allow the texture to soften and ooze. In addition to this, you will also liberate the more subtle aromas and flavours of the cheese.
Enjoy this Tasmanian wonder with seasonal forest berries and a glass of Prosecco or Champagne.
