Baked Baron Bigod, tell me more...

Baron Bigod is a proper farmhouse brie and it's the best example of such that you'll find in the UK. It's been a classic on our menu at The Cheese Barge since day one and we thought it's about time we told you a little more about it.

Now I know Brie doesn’t sound like the most exciting cheese. You might think that if you’ve tried one you’ve tried them all, you might even think none compare to a proper traditional French Brie de Meaux, but we’re here to promise it’s not quite so simple.

Baron Bigod's heritage may lie in Brie country in lle-de-France, but the reason this cheese is so exceptional is that, in some ways, it is more authentic to early brie recipes than many of the wheels being produced across the channel today.

Before I make anyone angry, please let me explain: in addition to faithfully following the Brie de Meaux recipe, Jonny Crickmore of Fen Farm Dairy is one of the few brie producers anywhere, to make his cheese using the milk of his very own herd of Montbéliarde cows. This means the cheese, and the cows it’s derived from, all reside in the same place, creating a sometimes unappreciated harmony between produce and environment.

Wine experts talk at great length of the importance of terroir, and we believe this principal can be applied to all produce.

Baron Bigod has a bloomy white rind which breaks up as it ripens and sometimes splits to show off its butter-yellow interior. Its heart is often chalky by design to help cut through the opulent richness of its soft paste. In other words, it's bloody delicious!