| Camembert | |
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| Country of origin | France |
| Region, town | Normandy, Camembert |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurised | Not normally |
| Texture | Soft-ripened |
| Aging time | at least three weeks |
| Certification | Camembert de Normandie AOC 1983, PDO 1992 |
- For the French village, see: Camembert, Orne.
Camembert is a soft, creamy French cheese. It was first made in the late 18th century in Normandy in northern France.
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Production
Camembert is made from unpasteurised cows' milk, and is ripened by the moulds Penicillium candidum and Penicillium camemberti for at least three weeks. It is produced in small rounds, about 350 grams (around 12 oz) in weight, which are then typically wrapped in paper and packaged in thin wooden boxes.
Although traditionally made only with unpasteurised milk, many countries today heavily restrict the production and sale of unpasteurised dairy products. In these countries, most or all cheeses sold as "Camembert" are actually made with pasteurised milk. Many gourmets[who?] consider these cheeses not to be "true" Camemberts. The AOC variety "Camembert de Normandie", is required by law to be made only with unpasteurised milk.
Characteristics
When fresh, it is quite crumbly and relatively hard, but characteristically ripens and becomes softer and strongly flavoured as it ages.
Camembert can be used in many dishes, but is also popularly eaten uncooked on bread or with wine or meat, to enjoy the subtle flavour and texture which does not survive heating. It is usually served at room temperature.
History
Camembert was reputedly invented in 1791 by Marie Harel, a farmer from Normandy, thanks to advice from a priest who came from Brie.[1]
However, the origin of the cheese known today as Camembert is more likely to rest with the beginnings of the industrialization of the cheese-making process at the end of the 19th century. In 1890, an engineer, M. Ridel invented the wooden box which was used to carry the cheese and helped to send it for longer distances, in particular to America where it became very popular. These boxes are still used today.
Before fungi were properly understood, the colour of Camembert rind was a matter of chance, most commonly blue-grey, with brown spots. From the early 20th century onwards, the rind has been more commonly pure white, but it was not until the mid-1970s that pure white became standard.
The cheese was famously issued to French troops during World War II, becoming firmly fixed in French popular culture as a result. It has many other roles in French culture, literature and history. It is now internationally known, and many local varieties are made around the world.
The variety named "Camembert de Normandie" was granted a protected designation of origin in 1992 after the original AOC in 1983.
Chemical composition
Camembert cheese gets its characteristic flavor from many naturally occurring chemical substances, including ammonia, succinic acid and salt. When present, bitter notes may be caused by ornithine, cadaverine, and citrulline.[2] Over-ripe camembert contains an unpleasant, excessive amount of ammonia, which is produced by the same microorganisms required for ripening.[3]
Camembert and Salvador Dalí
"The Persistence of Memory" is one of the most famous paintings by artist Salvador Dali. The painting has also been popularly known as "Soft Watches" or "Melting Clocks". The original idea of this painting came to Dalí on a hot summer's day. He was at home with a headache while Gala, his wife, was out shopping. After his meal, he noticed some half-eaten Camembert cheese and how runny it had become due to the heat of the sunny day. That night, while he had been searching his soul for something to paint, he had a dream of clocks melting on a landscape. He went back to the unfinished piece he had been working on, which had a plain landscape with rocky cliffs in the background and a tree on a platform. Over two or three hours, he added in the melting pocket watches which made this the iconic image it is today.[4]
See also
- Brie cheese, a similar cheese from a different region of France
References
- ^ The Invention of Marie Harel, Camembert de Normandie web site
- ^ Kubíckováa, J.; W. Groscha (1998). "Evaluation of Flavour Compounds of Camembert Cheese". International Dairy Journal 314: 11–16. doi:.
- ^ McGee, Harold (2004). On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen. New York: Scribner. ISBN 0-684-80001-2.
- ^ [1] If Rules Change, Will Camembert Stay the Same?, New York Times
Further reading
Camembert: A National Myth by Pierre Boisard ISBN 0-520-22550-3 claims that Camembert was one of the first globalised, homogenised and standardised foods.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Camembert cheese |
- Old camembert labels
- Taste Camembert website
- The true Normandy Camembert
- Camembert AOC
- The story of Joseph Knirim's so amazing homage to Marie Harel and the camembert cheese
- Good camembert and Brie article
- Pictures of Camembert cheese
- Recipes with Camembert (in French)
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