Only in Normandie
Camembert de Normandie is a soft raw cow’s milk cheese that originates from Normandie, in the North of France. Its origins date back to the late 1700’s.
Actually, whilst the name Camembert can be used by cheesemakers around the world, Camembert de Normandie is a protected name that is reserved exclusively for cheeses made according to strict specifications in the Normandie region.
Moreover, the AOP dictates that cheesemakers can only use raw milk from Normande cows to make this cheese.
How Camembert is made
After adding rennet to the milk, cheesemakers do not cut the curd so as to preserve moisture. When ladling the curd, they use deep ladles with no perforations.
Afterwards, they gradually fill the moulds, one ladle at a time, over the course of four hours. This process, coupled with light pressing under a metal plate, creates a densely textured young cheese.
Camembert vs Brie
Also, each wheel of Camembert has to be around 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 3 cm (1 in) in thickness, weighing around 250 g (0.5 lbs). As a result, Camembert matures much faster than larger cheeses such as Brie.
In addition to this, Camembert has a slightly firm texture and a fat content lower than 50%. On the palate, it tends to exhibit pronounced earthy notes of mushroom, truffle and even wet hay.
How to pair Camembert de Normandie
Camembert pairs beautifully with a Normandie Cider or a light red such as Beaujolais. Add in some crackers and hazelnuts and you are set!
