Top 6 Francilien Pasteurized Milk Cheeses

Boursault is a French soft-ripened triple-cream cheese. It's made from pasteurized cow's milk and hails from the region of Val-de-Marne. The cheese was invented by Henri Boursault in 1951, hence the name. Underneath the bloomy rind, the texture is smooth, creamy, and spreadable because is has a high-fat content. The aroma is earthy and the flavors are buttery, seriously rich, nutty, salty, and citrusy. Boursault ages for 12 days, and it spends an additional month in its packaging. It's recommended to pair the cheese with pears, grapes, and light, fruity wines such as Vouvray.Expand

Fromage de Meaux is a traditional cheese and the pasteurized version of Brie de Meaux (made with raw milk). The cheese is made with pasteurized cow's milk, and it's left to age from 6 to 8 weeks before consumption. Underneath its velvety mold-ripened rind, the texture is soft, smooth, and buttery. The aromas are cabbage-like and garlicky, while the flavors are rich and mushroomy. Fromage de Meaux must mature within the areas of Ile-de-France, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine, or Bourgogne. It's recommended to let the cheese sit at room temperature before it's enjoyed with crusty baguettes, pear jam, or crisp green apples. Pair it with a glass of Chardonnay.Expand

Dating back to the 18th century, Fontainebleau is a French cheese originating from Ile-de-France. It is made with cow's milk and cream, and its texture is smooth, spreadable, and creamy. The flavor is light, mild, fresh, and milky, and the cheese can be served as a dessert or a cheese on its own. Fontainebleau is traditionally sold in a gauze-lined container, and it is recommended to serve it with fresh fruit or berries.Expand

Gratte-Paille is a French triple cream cheese produced in Tournan-en-Brie. The cheese is made from raw cow's milk and cream, and it's shaped into a loaf. It's left to mature for 6-8 weeks, and the more it ripens, the stronger the paste becomes. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is creamy, silky, and airy. The cheese melts in the mouth with flavors that are salty, buttery, sweet, milky, and mushroomy, with hints of straw and nuts. The name Gratte-Paille refers to an ancient road near the fromagerie, where the bushes on the side of the road used to scruff the carriages that rode by. The cheese is aged on a bed of straw, which also leaves visible marks on the rind and provides it with earthy aromas. It's recommended to spread Gratte-Paille on crusty bread and pair it with light red wines or sparkling wines.Expand

Pierre Robert is a French cheese produced in the region of Seine-et-Marne. Made with cow's milk, this triple-crème cheese has a mild, rich, and buttery flavor. It ages for about 3 weeks, and develops a soft and dense texture on the interior. Pierre Robert was invented by the makers of Brillat-Savarin, Robert Rouzaire and his colleague Pierre, hence the name of the cheese. Apart from the name, pierre means boulder in French, so the cheese has a small, whimsical bump on its velvety rind, which is useful for distinguishing this cheese from other similar cheeses. Due to its flavors, it is recommended to pair it with Champagne and dessert wines such as Muscat.Expand

Explorateur is a soft French cheese made from cow’s milk in the region of Île-de-France. It is characterized by its bloomy white rind, smooth texture, and a mild, buttery flavor with hints of truffles and mushrooms. Explorateur is a triple crème cheese with a fat content of 75%, and these types of cheese are made by adding more cream to milk. Interestingly, it was invented in 1958 to honor the first US Satellite – Explorer, hence the name of this unique cheese.Expand