Of all the triple cream cheeses I've tried, St. Andre has always stood out for its creaminess and almost whipped like texture. It reminds me of whipped cream cheese that is rather remarkable, since this texture is naturally occurring and not mechanically enhanced.
Today I found a St. Andre look alike from France called St. Angel. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but for one thing, the St. Angel was perfectly ripe in the center without the exterior looking past it's prime. When St. Andre is not fully ripe, the center is not creamy, but crumbly and chalky looking. The flavor is not buttery, with no hint that it will become so. St. Angel is buttery through and through. It has a buttery mouth feel, is light textured and very creamy in taste. I don't know where the St. Angel cows graze, but I'd love to roll around in that grass. It has usurped St. Andre as my favorite French, triple cream, cow's milk cheese
Brie De Meaux, another more dense, triple cream, French cow's milk cheese was a part of today's tasting. This cheese is a well known French classic, with a mild rind, a light earthy note and a slight salty taste that would be perfect if paired with crackers or a baguette.
The last of today's tasting was a Northern Italian goat's milk cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves. It was described as having a smokey bacon flavor, but that eluded my taste buds. What I discovered was a delightful, mushroom flavor and what can only be described as an "umami" taste. It was less salty than the Brie De Meaux and it seems the leaves kept it from forming a classic rind. It is very fluid when ripe and I'd definitely buy it again when looking for a strong, earthy flavor.
