I have some shocking news. Not that far from where I sit ( a ferry ride and 300km, to be exact) The good people at Natural Pasture Cheese, on Vancouver Island are quietly turning out the BEST BRIE IN THE WORLD!
I stumbled across this little known fact recently at the Tofino Food and Wine Festival in early June. I was a couple of glasses of fruit wine into this spectacular event,and I was feeling like I had dropped down the rabbit hole of culinary happenings, blinking into the bright sunshine at the Tofino botanical gardens, and surounded on all sides by incredible food.
Mini local sausages in perfect little buns with hand-crafted condiments from The Wickaninnish chefs, dressed in their adorable faux farmer outfits complete with frayed straw hats? Sure!
Chilled cucumber shot glasses of a vodka gazpacho from the talented Barrie at Shelter restaurant? Sure!
Toothpicked morsels of the best brie on the entire planet? Are you kidding me?(cue sound of needle being pulled off a record here) There , under the modest cover of a white, 10 by 10 tent, on a small floral grandma plate, sat tiny wedges of the finest brie you could possibly sink your teeth into. Slightly sweet and grassy ,with the softest bloomy mushroom rind, I could taste immediately why this modest wheel had earned it’s global title.
Here it is, Best Brie in the World!
Paul Sutter is the master cheesemaker behind the wheel at Natural Pasture Cheese in Comox. His artisan flair, combined with the perfect terroir and many happy cows pushed the humble little Comox Brie into the spotlight at this years World Cheese competition in France.
I spoke with one of the owners of Natural Pastures who told me that a judge pulled him aside after they had been awarded the gold,and whispered into ear that his cheese was what Brie was like in Normandy forty years ago! Mon dieu.
Quel horreur! Imagine out-brieing France. This would be like taking the pasta title away from Italy, and giving it to Thailand. What do those pesky little Canadians know about making the finest Brie?
Apparently, beaucoup, my friend. Beaucoup!
