Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £3.30 through £19.80
Dongé’s pasteurised Brie isn’t just a clever way to get around import rules; it’s a carefully made cheese that honours its roots while making sure more people can enjoy it. Thanks to the care that goes into every stage, you really do get a proper taste of French cheesemaking, wherever you are (plus it’s absolutely delicious!).
Fromagerie Dongé is a family cheesemaker that’s been going strong since 1930, tucked away in the countryside of the Meuse in France’s Grand Est. They’re best known for their Brie de Meaux, which is often called one of the very best traditional French Bries. Traditionally, Brie de Meaux is made with raw cow’s milk, but because many countries don’t allow the import of raw-milk cheeses, Dongé has developed a pasteurised version. This means cheese fans outside France can still enjoy a taste of this classic, without running into any import headaches.
Brie de Meaux is always made with raw cow’s milk (or lait cru, as the French say), which gives it all those lovely layers of flavour. But with food safety rules in places like the USA and Australia, unpasteurised cheeses can be tricky to get hold of. So, the Dongé family decided to make a pasteurised Brie that still captures as much of the original character as possible.
Pasteurisation just means gently heating the milk to make it safe for everyone to enjoy. Some cheese purists say this can take away a bit of the depth you get from raw milk, but Dongé’s pasteurised Brie still manages to be full of flavour and true to its roots.
The cheesemaking starts just as it always has, with fresh milk from local farms. For the pasteurised version, the milk gets gently heated first, then it’s mixed with a special blend of cultures and moulds to kick off the magic of fermentation and ripening.
Once the curd is ready, it’s cut into cubes and carefully hand-ladled into big moulds. Even though the milk is pasteurised, the rest of the process remains closely traditional.
After draining, the cheese is salted and left to age for about 4 to 8 weeks in the cool cellars at the fromagerie. This is when the famous white rind appears, thanks to the Penicillium candidum mould. Inside, the cheese starts off firm in the middle and gets softer and creamier towards the edge as it ripens.
Dongé’s pasteurised Brie is easy to love. The texture is smooth and creamy, but not too runny, so it’s perfect whether you’re a longtime cheese fan or just starting to explore artisan cheeses.
Flavour-wise, this Brie combines a delicate fruitiness with wonderfully nutty undertones. It has an earthy complexity with mild mushroom and woodland aromas from the bloomy rind cultures.
Unlike some cheeses, Dongé’s Brie finds a lovely balance; rich but not over the top. It’s just as good for a quick snack as it is on a fancy cheese board.
Jen’s note: This Brie doesn’t have the official PDO label, since that’s only for the raw-milk version, but Dongé’s pasteurised Brie is a real treat and a lovely link to French cheese tradition.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starters, rennet, mould cultures
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
