Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A French Cheese

     Let's return to my favorite food yet again--cheese.  Is this the one that finally broke my streak, and was one that I didn't enjoy?  (Spoiler alert, no.  Don't be silly!)  Anyway, today's cheese was from the Supreme brand, their Brie bites.  And as the title states, these bites are French in origin.

     Our story dates back to 1956.  A French man named Jean-Noel Bongrain released a soft cheese named Caprice des Dieux.  It was very successful, and the Bongrain company that made it flourished.  And how it flourished--according to its official website, the company, renamed Savencia in 2015, is the #2 cheese company in France.  (The #1 company might be Danone, but I'm not positive of this.)  Savencia exports to 120 countries around the globe, employs 22,751 people, and has annual sales of 7.1 billion.  (I don't know if this is in Euros, or converted into U.S. dollars.)  The business operates plants in 31 countries, as well.  For business enthusiasts, Savencia in turn is owned by a holding company, named Soparind SCA.  It owns dozens of cheese brands, including Ile de France, Smoret, Rogue Creamery, Saint Agur Blue, Saint Albray, and Etorki.  Also Saint Andre, whose cheese I reported on in a post on May 15, 2021.

     Alas, there is a downside with Savencia.  Some of their products are made using caged eggs, which upsets various animal welfare organizations.  Recently the company agreed to stop this by the end of 2025, but only did so in certain countries.  Additionally, Savencia has been accused of continuing to operate in Russia even after it invaded Ukraine in 2022.  Clearly, many folks strongly disagree with this, for understandable reasons.  So keep these points in mind, I guess.  Sorry to insert real life issues in what was supposed to be a light-hearted post about edibles, but that's the reality.

     Supreme Brie bites:  These were disc-shaped, about 4 cm. (about 1.5 inches) in diameter, and about 2 cm. (about .75 inches) thick.  The color of the outer rind was white, while the interior was off white/yellow.  There wasn't much of an apparent odor.  Eaten plain they tasted like regular Brie, or delicious.  The edible rind was slightly chewy, while the interior cheese was smooth and soft.  Put on a cracker was also a great way to consume this.  The saltiness of the cracker paired very well with the cheese's savory flavor.  As I've repeated countless times, I at least like every kind of cheese I've sampled as an adult.  But Brie is even better--I don't think I've ever eaten a Brie I didn't love. This was no exception.  I couldn't recommend these Supreme Brie bites more.  Top notch!