Camembert is a soft, creamy French cheese. It is named after the village of Camembert in the Orne département of Normandy in northern France, where it originated. The official date noted for its creation is 1791.

History

Camembert is made from unpasteurized cow's milk, and is ripened by the moulds penicillium candidum and penicillium camemberti for around two weeks. It is produced in small rounds, about 250 grams in weight, which are wrapped in paper and boxed.

The cheese is said to have inspired Salvador Dalí to create his famous painting, The Persistence of Memory. Its "melting" watches were inspired by the sight of a melting wheel of over-ripe Camembert.

Camembert: A National Myth by Pierre Boisard ISBN 0520225503 claims that Camembert was one of the first globalised, homogenised and standardised foods. Before fungi were properly understood, the colour of Camembert was a matter of chance, most commonly blue-grey, with brown spots.

It now has a protected designation of origin

External links

• Camembert website (http://www.camembert-country.com/cwp/)
• Camembert AOC (http://www.camembert-aoc.org/)