More recently, Camembert cheese made its way into the post-Soviet space behind the Iron Curtain. How to eat this product, so far not everyone knows. No, this is not a spoiled cream cheese. Mold and the characteristic smell of long-washed socks are an integral attribute of the delicacy. In this article, we will tell the fascinating history of the Camembert invention, explain how to distinguish an authentic product from the substitute that is made outside of France. We will also explain how this cheese is served, what it is served with and, most importantly, how it is eaten. Is it necessary to cut off the moldy crust and eat the soft center, or bite like that? Is this product useful and does it have any contraindications? You will learn about all this from this article.
What is a Camembert with mold
How to eat this type of cheese, we will tell later. In the meantime, characterize it. Outwardly, Camembert is similar to another cheese - Bri. Both of them are covered with snow-white mold. But “Brie” is produced in a triangular slice, and “Camembert” - in the form of a mug in a wooden box. High fat content and a more pronounced taste are the main distinguishing features of our cheese. Even at room temperature, the middle of the Camembert becomes like melted ice cream. By the way, it was this property that prompted Salvador Dali to create his own masterpiece - “fluid clocks”. French Camembert cheese from Normandy has a rich creamy taste with hints of mushrooms and eggs. The delicacy aroma is not liked by everyone. However, the smell should not be sharp and giving away ammonia - this is a sign that the cheese has deteriorated. The real French "Camembert" is produced only in its natural form - creamy. Any variations on the theme “With Garlic”, “With Mushrooms”, “With Bacon”, etc., like processed cheese, are not allowed. The Camembert should have a dense mold crust and a soft center.
History of Cheese
During the French Revolution of 1791, a certain Norman peasant woman Marie Arel hid in her home a persecuted priest, a native of the province of Brie. He taught her how to cook cheese the way they do at home. But terroir is not only fault. Normandy's cool, rainy climate gives rise to very different grasses than in the drier central region of France. And this directly affects the fat content of milk that cows give. And therefore, the younger brother "Brie", first named "Norman Cheese", came out completely different, although the same recipe was used in its manufacture. For almost a century, it was a modest regional product - Camembert cheese. How to eat it, and what it is, gourmets from the upper world did not know. The name "Camembert" was given in 1863 by Napoleon III. Or rather, not he, but the ceremonial master, who presented the delicacy as "cheese from the Norman village of Camembert." The emperor loved the delicacy so much that a railway was laid in the province to deliver fresh food to Paris.
How to cook it
Camembert cheese ... How to eat and serve delicacy is a special topic. As well as its preparation. And they make it from fresh, that is, unpasteurized milk of cows grazing in the fat meadows of Normandy. It is first heated with special bacteria, the abomasum enzyme is added and left to ferment. After an hour and a half, the thickened curd is moved into a cylindrical shape. Twice a day, it is turned over so that the contents turn into a homogeneous mass. Then each circle is salted and sprinkled with Penicillium camemberti, which gives the cheese an amazing snow-white mold. After that, the Camembert ripens from three weeks to a month.
Camembert cheese: how to eat and serve
Since this product is very oily, it freezes in the refrigerator like butter. But at the same time its taste and aroma are not felt. You need to get the cheese ahead of time from the refrigerator and cut a circle into portioned segments, like a cake. Then let the product reach room temperature. Before eating a Camembert with mold, set the table with fresh fruits, nuts. This cheese is considered dessert. You can put on the table and a vase with sour jam (cranberry, currant). "Camembert" is appropriate in the composition of the cheese plate, when along with it on the board serves less or more characteristic cheeses. Be sure to accompany the enjoyment of young red wines, which have a low tannin, with cider or calvados.
Camembert in other dishes
We do not forget, however, that for a long time the product was not a salon delicacy, but the usual food of Norman peasants. They used Camembert cheese for various gastronomic purposes. How to eat this product - in pure form or as part of pies or hot sandwiches - you decide. The cheese is easy to melt, and therefore the first thing that came to the mind of the peasants was to make it a kind of fondue. Pieces of heated fresh, crisp baguette were dipped into the melted Camembert and ate. Try and you Norman cheese "in a peasant way."
The benefits and harms of Camembert
This type of cheese contains choline, a substance that normalizes cholesterol and strengthens cell membranes. The Camembert also has sodium, and in large quantities, and potassium. These minerals prevent dehydration, strengthen the cardiovascular system. Like any fermented milk product, Camembert is useful for bones, hair, nails, teeth. It also strengthens the nervous system. But one should also take into account the high fat content of the Camembert cheese. Contraindications to the consumption of this product may be except for those who are on a diet. The calorie content of Camembert is three hundred units per hundred grams.