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Drum roll, please…our exclusive Isigny Ste. Mère Holiday Brie is in stores now. We've been (somewhat) patiently waiting all year for this holiday tradition to grace our tables again. This delightful cheese comes from a co-operative of 700 farmers in Normandy, France. Normandy is a lush area of rolling hills that produce very fertile grasses and the cows that graze on these grasses produce high butterfat milk. Our holiday Brie is unique in that it contains 60% butterfat, a formula customized especially for Whole Foods Market. This butterfat content imparts full and complex flavors to the cheese, resulting in a rich, buttery mouthfeel and herbaceous flavor. It's also produced using a traditional slow pasteurization process and no growth hormones, such as rBST, are given to the cows. In addition to being superb cheesemakers, Isigny Ste. Mère is committed to being a good citizen and protecting terroir. In 2008 they converted their facility to biomass renewable energy from the waste of saw mills, park service and industry. They also use a water recovery system to provide steam energy. Brie is simple to serve with your favorite fruit spreads or chutneys - just remove from the refrigerator about an hour before serving. Feeling more adventurous? Try one of our favorite Brie recipes:

• Baked Apple and Brie Canapes
• Brie with Cardamom-Scented Clementine Chutney
• Brie en Croûte with Cherries and Pistachios
• Fruited Brie Torte

• Potato and Leek Soup with Brie Croutons
• Prosciutto, Brie and Apricot Wraps
• Roast Beef and Brie Croissant Cocktail Sandwiches
• Smoked Turkey, Plum and Brie Panini Appetizers
• Open Face Ham and Brie Sandwiches

What's your favorite way to serve Brie? Let me know…I can't wait to try something new!