Coulommiers is both a cheese and a town - in 77 Seine-et-Marne, Ile de France, 40 odd miles east of Paris. The town celebrates its cheese in a grand cheese and wine festival from 7-10 April 2006 - cheese and wine tasting, competition for the best cheese, competition for the best cheese eater, concert, exhibition etc.
See www.foire-fromages-et-vins.com
Coulommiers is a soft cheese, essentially a small Brie, made from raw cow's milk. The more one investigates the more one discovers - as there is Brie de Meaux, Brie Fermier, Brie de Melun, Brie de Coulommiers (which is not quite the same as Coulommiers), Brie de Montereau, Brie de Rungis and Brie de Provins. Brie de Meaux is widely regarded as the best, but as with all these styles of cheese, appropriate ripeness is critical.Too young and hard and so much flavour and texture is missing. Ripened too quickly the cheese separates and is lumpy. A good cheesemonger will ask when the cheese is to be eaten and choose appropriately, Getting one that has just the right amount of ooze is critical, in the short period before it gets dissolves too far into a sticky goo which smells of ammonia.
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