Camembert

Camembert is an originally French white cheese. Under the name Camembert de Normandie AOC he enjoys the status of a protected designation of origin: Only a Camembert made ​​in Normandy from raw milk Camembert de Normandie may be called. In contrast, the name Camembert is freely usable.

History

Owes its existence to the cheese according to legend, the farmer's wife Marie Fontaine Harel from the village of Camembert in Normandy: Abbé Charles -Jean Bonvoust, a priest from Brie, the area near Paris, from which comes the cheese of the same, took place during the French Revolution in her shelter and initiated her into the secrets of cheese making. In fact, before similar cheese produced in the area as well a long time. To break the Camembert then the French Emperor Napoleon III helped. , Which put him on the imperial court table.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Camembert was able to establish itself on the markets in Paris and other parts of France, thanks to the railroad. 1890 today often available packaging was invented in small round wooden boxes. Since 1884, the Camembert is also manufactured in Germany after Agathe Zeis was for the dairy Heinrichsthal Radeberg acquire the French patent. Another early production facility is the Hessian Lauterbach, where Camembert is produced since 1887. Since 1905, he operated under the name Tramp and is sold with the image of Lauterbach Strolches. Today Camembert is exported around the world, but in many cases made ​​out of the country, as the name " Camembert " alone is not protected.

Appearance and taste

The classic example about 250 grams heavy, mostly circular, rarely oval or rectangular loaves of Camembert are covered with a white mold rind. The dough of the Camembert is light to golden yellow depending on the maturity. Due to the maturity Gärlöcher may arise that do not affect the taste of the cheese.

The taste is slightly spicy and nutty. The cheese is slightly less bold than the Brie, so that it has a " drier " has taste. Once it has reached the right maturity, it tastes milder turn. Overripe Camembert, which bleeds when one touches on him, an often developed as unpleasant, ammonia touch.

Ripe Camembert has a relatively smooth, creamy consistency and can be spread easily on bread or a bun. The cheese is also breaded for frying or can be used for browning.

100 grams of a Camembert with 45 percent fat in dry matter have an energy value of about 1250 kJ (300 kcal), this value can vary somewhat depending on the manufacturing process.

Production

The production of a traditional Camembert of fresh raw milk cow takes about three weeks. On the first day, the milk is acidified and in a heated room ( 28-30 ° C) heated in large kettles to about 36 ° C. and brought with rennet to coagulate. The curd thus obtained is carefully without breaking them, introduced in about five layers into individual cheese molds; thus remains in the cheese whey much, and he receives a creamy texture. When the cheese body are dried sufficiently, they are turned.

On the second day, the cheeses are removed from the molds and tempered to 18 to 20 ° C salt room around sprinkled with salt and then treated with the white mold Penicillium camemberti, which ensures the growth of the soft fungal flora on the surface of the cheese. On the third day of the cheese comes in the ripening room, where a temperature between 10 and 14 ° C is maintained. The maturation period lasts depending on the season around 12 days, then the cheese may be packaged. Then they ripen another four to five days at about 9 ° C, then they come on the market.

Baked Camembert

Baked Camembert served as a warm snack. For this purpose, not stripped of bark to mature Camembert, cut into thick slices or chopped and formed into rolls, dusted with pepper, breaded and fried twice swimming. In many places, it is also common for Camembert to bread at a time and bake it until it puffs up slightly.

Usual side dishes are fried parsley leaves or cranberry.

Already breaded and pre-baked Camembert is usually frozen, available as a convenience food.