Camembert

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Camembert (Camembert) is another high representative of the group of soft French cheeses, characterized by a slight mold. Its name comes from the eponymous village of Camembert, located in the northeastern department of Orne in Normandy. Camembert is made from cow's milk and has a soft creamy texture.

Although they often compare Camembert with Brie, there is a significant difference between the two cheeses - starting from the location of production (Brie is produced in Ile de France) and ending with the type of mold and the shape of the molds, which in Brie is much larger.

Both types of cheese are an ancient part of French culture, but Camembert testifies to a presence in literature, history and art. It is believed that it inspired Salvador Dali for his painting "Persistence of Memory" with "melting" watches.

History of Camembert

For the first time Camembert was produced from unpasteurized cow's milk by hand technology in the 18th century. The Norman peasant Marie Harel was the one who produced the first Camembert cheese in 1791, on the advice of a priest from the Brie region.

Mary tried to improve and perfect her cheese-making technology, and the end result left her name in history. Nearly a century later, however, in 1890, an engineer named Riddle made wooden boxes typical of Camabera that allowed the dairy delicacy to travel peacefully around the world.

And until today Camembert is extremely popular in America, especially the United States. At the very beginning, the bacteria that keep the color of Camembert white were selected, which has been the standard for Camembert since 1970. Napoleon became a real fan of Camembert and from that moment on the village of the same name and his specialty became famous.

Camembert production technology

Camembert is made from unpasteurized cow's milk with the addition of fermenting bacteria such as Penicillium candida and Penicillium camemberti. Camembert pies are small - with a diameter of 10, 5 - 11 cm and a weight of about 250 g. The technological process of maturation of this type of French cheese is at least 21 days.

At the earliest stage of maturation, the cheese is characterized by a grainy and soft texture, which becomes more creamy after 2-3 weeks. The very fresh Camembert is brittle, but the more it matures, the softer and more fragrant texture it acquires.

The cheese has a soft white rind covered with a slight mold, through which reddish-brown or yellowish spots can be seen. Below, under the rind, is closed the heart of the cheese - oily and rich texture with a pale yellow color. The cheese has a complex taste, resembling minced meat with delicate salinity. Camembert is characterized by a mild fruity aroma and a light hue of mushrooms.

Composition of Kamaber

Camembert is known in France by its nickname "Feet of God" because of its rich aroma of ammonia and sodium chloride compounds. The calorie content in 100 grams of Camembert is 297 calories and between 23 g of fat. Camembert is a high-fat cheese - at least 45%. Overripe Camembert cheese has a very intense ammonia odor, which is produced by the same bacteria needed to ripen it.

Camembert selection and storage

If you come across a cheese with a label and a stamp marked Camembert de Normandie Appellation d'Origine Controlee au Lait Cru, it means that you are holding a real quality product in your hands, with a guarantee from Normandy. Although Camembert later received AOC status (in 1983), it is one of the most frequently copied and produced cheeses in the world. Due to this fact, to this day it is a challenge to find a real Camembert. There are many duplicates of the original Kamaber, but few of them have its quality.

When choosing Camembert see the date of manufacture and the place where the cheese was made. The original cheese contains absolutely no impurities, preservatives or enhancers. The good Camembert cheese has a very soft texture, and once you cut its pie, it starts to lose its aroma. Sliced Camembert cheese should be stored in a cool place for no more than 5 days.

Culinary use of Camembert

Soft Camembert cheese, which acquires a stronger taste the longer it matures, can be consumed in quite different ways. It is good to serve it both on slices of toast and as an appetizer to various wines or to put it in pasta sauce, for example. Its delicate taste is very suitable for fruits, vegetables, nuts and meat. It is important to remember that heat treatment destroys the taste and aroma of Camembert.

Camembert combines well with fruity red wines, light white wines and champagne and sparkling wines, as well as red wines such as Merlot. The French fkus strongly recommends the consumption of Camembert on bagels or baguettes, in combination with red wine "Bordeaux" or "Beaujolais".

Damage from Camembert

For pregnant women, it is advisable to give up certain types of cheese, because some of them may contain bacteria that can harm the fetus. This type of bacteria is called listeria and is contained in soft cheeses with mold, such as Brie and Camembert.