Soft & bloomy cheese
Camembert
France — Normandy. Associated with the village of Camembert in the Orne since the late 18th century.
PDOCamembert de Normandie. PDO: raw cow's milk, curd ladled by hand; other camemberts are not protected.
Profile
- Milk
- Cow's milk.
- Pasteurisation
- PDO uses raw milk; most camembert is pasteurised.
- Texture
- Soft, supple to runny.
- Flavour
- Earthier and stronger than brie.
- Aroma
- Mushroom, cabbage, farmyard as it ages.
- Rind
- Bloomy white rind, edible.
- Typical maturation
- About 3–6 weeks
Tasting & pairing
Compare a young (chalky centre) and a ripe (soft through) camembert. Use the tasting wheel.
Food
- Crusty bread
- Apples
- Baked with garlic and rosemary
- Walnuts
Drinks (non-alcoholic)
- Apple juice
- Sparkling apple
Optional, if you drink alcohol: Normandy cider, Calvados.
Storage: Refrigerate in its box/paper; serve at room temperature. Bake whole in its wooden box.
How it's made
- Method
- Like brie but in small, deep rounds: cultured, renneted, ladled, drained, salted and ripened under white mould.
- Cultures
- Mesophilic lactic cultures; Penicillium camemberti; Geotrichum candidum.
- Coagulation
- Rennet
- Curd handling
- Ladled into small moulds.
- Pressing
- Not pressed.
- Salting
- Dry-salted.
- Ageing
- Humid ripening rooms.
At home: Advanced home make
Same skills as brie-style.
Sources
- Cheese Making Technology e-book — University of Guelph, Food Science
- Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Foods to avoid in pregnancy (cheese guidance) — NHS (UK)
- eAmbrosia — EU geographical indications register — European Commission
Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.