Camembert cheese comes from France and is one of the most famous French cheeses in the world. It is valued for its elastic consistency and intense taste and aroma. In addition to taste, camembert cheese has many health benefits.
Where Camembert cheese came from?
Camembert cheese comes from France and is one of the most famous French cheeses in the world. It is valued for its elastic consistency and intense taste and aroma. In addition to taste, it is also a good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12.
The history of camembert is not entirely known. It was probably first produced in the 18th century by Marie Harel, the wife of a Normandy farmer from the village of Camembert, who, using the advice of the priest from Brie, prepared this speciality. Seventy years later, cheese gained recognition from Napoleon III and became one of the main delicacies in his palace.
However, the production of the camembert cheese known today began at the end of the 19th century, when wooden boxes were used to transport the cheese over longer distances. This made the cheese popular in France, Europe and even reached America.
Benefits of Camembert
Camembert cheese, like other cheeses, is a good source of wholesome protein, which performs building functions and functionalities in the body, including participating in the regulation of gene expression, oxygen transport, and immune response. In addition, the protein increases the feeling of satiety, thereby reducing appetite.
In addition, this cheese has a high content of calcium (388mg/100 g) and phosphorus (347mg/100 g), i.e. ingredients that are responsible for the proper functioning of the skeletal system, nervous system, respiratory system and blood system. Also, adequate calcium intake reduces the risk of osteoporosis. It is also a source of selenium (14.5mcg/100g) and zinc (2.38mg/100 g).
Should you eat camembert?
Camembert cheese is not recommended for people with hypertension due to high sodium content. Also, people with overweight and obesity and people on a slimming diet should give up this cheese or consume it in limited quantities, because this cheese is high-calorie and rich in saturated fatty acids.
Camembert cheese obtained from unpasteurized milk should exclude pregnant women from the diet due to the risk of infection with Listeria monocytogenes, which may result in miscarriage, premature delivery or child health problems.
In addition, it should not be consumed by people with a cow’s milk allergy.
How to choose the best camembert cheese
Good quality Camembert cheese should have a white or pale yellow colour, have a smooth consistency without gas holes (or several small holes), a firm structure and a white skin with possible orange, red or brown spots.
When buying this cheese, pay attention to the label, manufacturer and the presence of the designation Protected Designation of Origin, then we can be sure that the cheese we are buying is original.
Camembert vs Brie cheese
Camembert cheese and brie cheese are very similar, they are made according to a similar recipe and are served similarly, but they differ in appearance, taste and aroma.
Brie cheese is milder and is produced in larger forms and is therefore available on the market as a slice of circle.
Also, brie cheese has a higher fat content, which determines its more creamy texture.
How to use camember cheese in the kitchen?
Camembert cheese tastes best when slightly chilled, so if it is kept in the fridge, it should be consumed half an hour after removing it from the fridge. It goes well with any type of bread, baguettes and crackers with fruit jam and honey. It is often a component of the cheeseboard and is consumed in the company of red and white wines.
This cheese can also be added to salads. It tastes great when combined with apples, pears, dried fruits and nuts.
Camembert can also be eaten baked with rosemary and garlic. As an addition to baked cheese, fruit and herbs, as well as bread, are perfect.
How camembert cheese are produced
Camembert cheese is a cheese with a soft, springy, homogeneous texture, ripening from the surface to centre. The inside of the cheese is white to pale yellow, and the rind is covered with a uniform white mould with acceptable red, brown or orange spots. The cheese has an intense, deep, buttery taste and aroma.
The original Camembert cheese, Camembert de Normandie, is made from raw cow’s milk and has been included in the list of products with the Protected Designation of Origin. However, pasteurized milk is also used to make camembert.
The cheese production process begins with heating the milk and adding mesophilic bacteria and rennet to coagulate. The resulting curd is cut into small cubes, salt and placed in cylindrical forms for 48 hours.
The result is a cheese with a hard and crunchy structure and bland taste, the surface of which is sprayed with an aqueous suspension of Penicillium camemberti and left to mature for a minimum of three weeks. After this time, the cheese texture becomes elastic and a characteristic white rind is produced.
