Camembert Cheese — What It Is, Where It Comes From, and Why It Tastes the Way It Does
Most people have eaten Camembert at some point. Fewer know what actually makes it the cheese it is — where it comes from, why the flavor changes so dramatically as it ages, and what separates it from every other soft white cheese sitting next to it in the case. If you have been curious about any of those things, here is the complete honest answer. The Short Version — What Is Camembert? Camembert is a small, round, soft-ripened cheese from Normandy in northern France. It has a white fuzzy rind on the outside formed naturally by mold cultures during aging, and a creamy paste inside that goes from firm and mild when young to almost runny and intensely earthy when fully ripe. The flavor range is wide. Early on it tastes like butter and crème fraîche with a hint of fresh cauliflower. Give it time and it shifts into mushrooms, forest floor, roasted garlic — something earthier and considerably more interesting. The texture shifts too — from firm and sliceable to soft, spreadable, and almost l...