
Boursin cheese, also known as Gournay cheese, is a popular French cheese made from cow's milk. It was created by Frenchman Francois Boursin, a cheese maker and marketing genius who decided to sell a commercial version of a simple French dish, fresh cheese with herbs. The cheese is known for its creamy interior and rich, distinctive flavours and is often enjoyed as a spread or used in various recipes to add a rich and creamy consistency.
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What You'll Learn

Gournay cheese is made from cow's milk
Gournay cheese, or Boursin cheese, is made from cow's milk. It was created by Frenchman Francois Boursin, a cheese maker and marketing genius who decided to sell a commercial version of a simple French dish, fresh cheese with herbs. Boursin cheese is a popular French cheese known for its creamy interior and rich, distinctive flavours. It is often enjoyed as a spread or used in various recipes to add a rich and creamy consistency.
Boursin cheese is made from cow's milk, heated and curdled with rennet, and then transformed into a creamy cheese. The milk is typically sourced from local dairy farms, ensuring that only the freshest and highest-quality ingredients are used. The cheese is then blended with a combination of herbs and spices, depending on the desired flavour profile. These herbs and spices give Boursin cheese its signature taste and aroma.
The first Boursin flavour, garlic and fine herbs, was created in 1957 by François Boursin, a cheese maker from Normandy. Boursin's product was derived from a traditional party dish, fromage frais (French for "fresh cheese"); guests would take their cheese and add herbs for flavour. His recipe was the first flavoured cheese product to be sold nationally in France. Boursin cheese was first developed in Normandy, and at one time was produced exclusively in Croisy-sur-Eure, France, by the Boursin company.
Boursin is incredibly versatile and can be used in any number of exciting ways. Boursin works perfectly as a spread smeared on crackers or bread. It is also good melted in pasta, added to lasagna or mac and cheese, sprinkled on a salad, stuffed in mushrooms or chicken breast, spread on a burger, melted in an omelette, or dolloped onto a piping hot bowl of chilli.
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It is heated and curdled with rennet
Gournay cheese, more commonly known as Boursin cheese, is made from cow's milk that is heated and curdled with rennet. The milk is sourced from local dairy farms to ensure freshness and quality. Heating the milk with rennet causes the mixture to curdle, transforming it into a creamy cheese. This process is essential to the formation of the cheese's characteristic texture and flavour.
The curdling process involves adding rennet to heated milk, causing the milk proteins to coagulate and separate into solid curds and liquid whey. The specific type and amount of rennet added, as well as the temperature and duration of heating, can vary depending on the desired characteristics of the final product.
Once the milk has curdled, the solid curds are carefully separated from the whey. This separation step is crucial in cheese-making as it isolates the milk solids that will form the structure of the cheese. The curds are then drained to remove any excess liquid, preparing them for the next stage of cheese-making.
After draining, the curds are mixed with herbs, garlic, and salt. This step introduces flavour and aroma to the cheese. Boursin is known for its unique blend of herbs and spices, which can include garlic, parsley, chives, and other herbs. The specific combination of additives depends on the desired flavour profile, resulting in a variety of Boursin flavours.
The mixture is then moulded into the desired shape and allowed to age for several days. During this ageing process, the flavours continue to develop and intensify. The final product is a creamy, spreadable cheese with a rich and distinctive taste that has made Boursin a popular choice for cheese lovers around the world.
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It is then blended with herbs and spices
Gournay cheese, more commonly known as Boursin cheese, is made from cow's milk, heated and curdled with rennet, and then transformed into a creamy cheese. The milk is typically sourced from local dairy farms, ensuring that only the freshest and highest-quality ingredients are used.
The combination of garlic, parsley, chives, and other herbs in the classic garlic and fine herbs Boursin variety creates a rich and savoury flavour profile that pairs well with crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables. Boursin cheese is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, including grilled cheese, mashed potatoes, pasta, lasagna, mac and cheese, salads, stuffed mushrooms or chicken breast, burgers, omelets, and chili.
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The creator, François Boursin, drew inspiration from a traditional party dish
Gournay cheese, or Boursin cheese, was created by Frenchman François Boursin in 1957. Boursin is a commercial version of a simple French dish, fresh cheese with herbs, or fromage frais.
The story of Boursin's creation is an interesting one. In 1961, a French newspaper mistakenly reported the launch of Boursin infused with garlic. The public was intrigued, but there was a problem: François had no such recipe in the works. However, he quickly got to work to meet the public's demand and spent two years perfecting his original recipe, inspired by the traditional party dish fromage frais. This dish blends garlic, fresh cream, soft cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper. Finally, in 1963, François introduced his Gournay cheese and garlic creation to the world.
Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese quickly became a household name, served at celebrations and gatherings throughout France. François decided to make history again by being the first cheese to be featured in a national TV ad campaign in 1968. This forward-thinking marketing move helped Boursin become one of the most popular cheese brands manufactured by Bel Brands USA Inc., a subsidiary of Bel Groupe.
Boursin cheese is made from cow's milk, heated and curdled with rennet, and then transformed into a creamy cheese. The milk is sourced from local dairy farms, ensuring freshness and quality. The cheese is then blended with a combination of herbs and spices, depending on the desired flavour profile. These additions give Boursin its signature taste and aroma. The original Boursin flavour, garlic and fine herbs, is a classic choice, offering a rich and savoury flavour profile that pairs well with crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables.
Today, Boursin continues to be a popular and versatile ingredient, adding flavour and creaminess to a wide range of dishes. It has transformed the fresh cheese-spread market in over 35 countries on five continents.
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The original flavour was garlic and fine herbs
Gournay cheese, also known as Boursin cheese, is a popular French cheese known for its creamy interior and rich, distinctive flavours. It is often enjoyed as a spread or used in various recipes to add a rich and creamy consistency. The cheese was created by Frenchman Francois Boursin, a cheese maker and marketing genius who decided to sell a commercial version of a simple French dish, fresh cheese with herbs.
The original Boursin Garlic & Herbs flavour has almost all the characteristics that make a cheese universally appealing. First, the texture: creamy and light, it’s like a bar of cream cheese. The soft-serve ice cream of cheese, its lightness is delivered in a cloud of whipped butterfat. How can something be so airy and so dense at the same time?
Classic Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin cheese is made with dried garlic, salt, white pepper, parsley, and dried chives. The combination of garlic, parsley, chives, and other herbs creates a delightful taste that pairs well with crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables. Boursin cheese is incredibly versatile and can be used in any number of exciting ways. It is a no-brainer to include it on every single cheese board you ever make. Because it is so easy to spread, it’s great on crackers, toast, or even as a dip for vegetables.
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Frequently asked questions
Gournay cheese, also known as Boursin, is made from cow's milk, heated and curdled with rennet, and then transformed into a creamy cheese. The milk is typically sourced from local dairy farms. The cheese is then blended with a combination of herbs and spices, depending on the desired flavour profile.
Boursin is a popular French cheese known for its creamy interior and rich, distinctive flavours. It is often enjoyed as a spread or used in various recipes to add a rich and creamy consistency. Boursin was created by Frenchman Francois Boursin, a cheese maker and marketing genius who decided to sell a commercial version of a simple French dish, fresh cheese with herbs.
Boursin is made from pasteurised cultured milk and cream. The milk is sourced from cows and is typically sourced from local dairy farms. The cheese is then blended with a combination of herbs and spices, such as garlic, salt, white pepper, parsley, and dried chives.

























