Les Fromages de France: Camembert; le fromage normand archétypal

The Cheeses of France: Camembert; the archetypal cheese of Normandie

Louis la Vache continues his series on les fromages de France, the subject today being Camembert, le fromage normand archétypal. (Louis is certain that you will be surprised that he is posting something about dairy production in Normandie - NOT!)

The (perhaps apocryphal) story of the origin of Camembert has it that in 1791, Marie Harel, a farmer's wife, developed a recipe for Camembert from a recette she learned for Brie from l'abbé (abbot) Bonvoust, a monk she sheltered who was fleeing a tribunal of la révolution française. L'abbé was from the area of Brie and shared his recipe with her. Thus Camembert, the national symbol of French cheese, was born. Camembert, story of its origins apocryphal or not, shares many characteristics with Brie, the principal difference being that Brie is typically sold in wheels of about 2 kilos (4.5 pounds) in weight vs. the much smaller 250 kilogram (8.8 ounce) wheels typical of Camembert. Camembert takes its name from the village of Camembert in le département d'Orne en basse-Normandie. (Government in France is much more centralized than in the U.S. The country is not organized into states as in the U.S., but into départements, roughly analogous to U.S. or British counties.)

Camembert, Normandie, population: 199

There are many types of Camembert. The one that has earned an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) is made from lait cru, unpasturized cow's milk. Like its relative Brie, Camembert is a soft ripening cheese with a powdery white rind, a croûte fleuri. It must be aged at least 21 days and can only be made in five départements de Normandie. Other Camemberts are made with pasturized milk to allow them to be exported. Some are also washed with Calvados or cidre after they have been aged.

This Camembert is an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) cheese made with lait cru, raw milk.

The origin of Camembert as we know it today is likely to rest with the beginnings of the industrialization of the cheese-making process at the end of le XIX ème siècle. In about 1880 (some sources say 1890), an engineer, a Monsieur Ridel, invented a wooden box made from thin strips of poplar, which was used to carry the cheese and helped to send it for longer distances, in particular to America where it became very popular. These boxes are still used today. Until Ridel invented his method of packaging Camembert, it was only enjoyed locally and in Paris.

With the invention of these little shipping boxes made from thin strips of poplar, Camembert found its way from Normandie et Paris around the world.

The cheese was famously issued to French troops during la premiere guerre mondial, becoming firmly fixed in French popular culture as a result. It has many other roles in French culture, literature and history. It is internationally known, and many local varieties are made around the world. 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.

Inspired by Camembert: Salvador Dali

The cheese is often served at the end of the meal. It has a strong dairy smell with a milky, fruity taste. It can also be coated and fried, melted in its box and used as a dip or melted on sandwiches. Camembert is most commonly served at room temperature with bread and a bubbly cidre normand or a glass of Côtes du Rhone or Bordeaux.

Camembert labels

La Poste has issued a series of stamps on les fromages français.

Et maintenant, une recette en utilisant le camembert!

À table!

Quiche au Camembert

Four préchauffé à 190º C
Oven preheated to 375º F

INGRÉDIENTS:

1 - tart shell de 24 cm diamètre et 4 cm de hautre (9" deep dish) , slightly baked,* made from pâte brisée (recette suivante)

85 grams de camembert (l'écorce a retiré)
3 oz. Camembert cheese (rind removed)

170 grams de fromage neufchâtel
6 oz. cream cheese

2 cuillères à soupe de buerre ramolli
2 Tablespoons softened butter

3 cuillères à soupe de crème
3 Tablespoons cream

2 oeufs
2 eggs

1/2 cuillère à soupe ciboulettes hachées
1/2 Tablespoon minced chives

sel. poivre blanc et poivre de cayenne à goût
salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

MÉTHODE:

1. En utilisant une fourchette, mélangez le fromage avec le beurre et la crème.
Using a fork, blend the cheese with the butter and cream.

2. Ajoutez les oeufs dans le mélange de fromage et remuez bien.
Beat in the eggs into the cheese/butter mixture.

3. Forcez ce mélange au travers d'un passoir pour retirer tous les morceaux.
Force this mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps.

4. Remuez dans la ciboulette. Goût et saison avec du sel, le poivre blanc et le poivre de cayenne.
Stir in the chives. Taste and season with the salt, white pepper and cayenne.

5. Versez dans le pâte, placez la casserole sur une feuille de traitement au four et faites cuire au four pendant 25 à 30 minutes ou jusqu'à la quiche est soufflé et bruni.
Pour into le pâte, place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the quiche is puffed and browned.

Pour servir: Dégustez la quiche tiède, accompagnée d'une salade de mâche.
Serve the quiche warm accompanied with a salad of butter lettuce.

Pâte Brisée

Four préchauffé à 180º C / Oven preheated to 350º F

INGRÉDIENTS:

600 ml farine
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 ml sel
3/4 teaspoon salt

150 ml beurre froid, coupé
5 oz. (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4" cubes

12 cl eau froid
1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cuillère de café jus de citron
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

MÉTHODE:

1. Préparez un moule de 24 cm diamètre et 4 cm de hauture légèrement graissé avec la matière grasse végétale.
Prepare a 9" diameter deep-dish pan, lightly greased with vegetable shortening.*

2. Dans le bol d'un mélangeur électrique équipé de l'attachement de palette, mélangez la farine et le sel.
In the bowl of an electric mixer** fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour and salt.

3. Ajoutez le beurre froid et mélangez à vitesse réduite jusqu'à ce que le mélange ressemble à des miettes de pain, approximativement une minute.
Add the cold butter and mix on low speed until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs, about 1 minute.

4. Ajoutez l'eau froide et de le jus de citron et continuez de mélanger juste jusqu'à ce que les grands morceaux forment.
Add the cold water and lemon juice and continue mixing just until large lumps form.

5. Mettez la pâte sur la surface de travail saupoudré légèrement avec farine et, à l'aide de vos mains, recueillent le mélange ensemble.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using your hands, gather the mixture together.

6. En utilisant le talon de votre main, malaxez la pâte doucement jusqu'à ce qu'elle lie, environ 30 secondes.
Using the heel of your hand, knead the dough gently until it holds together, about 30 seconds.

7. Formez la pâte dans un disque, l'enveloppez dans l'enveloppe en plastique et frigorifiez au moins 1 heure ou durant la nuit.
Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

8. Après que la pâte soit complètement refroidi, tournez-le dehors sur une feuille de papier sulfurisé saupoudré légèrement avec farine placé sur une surface de travail.
After the pâte is thoroughly chilled, turn it out onto a sheet of lightly floured wax paper placed on a work surface.

9. Roulez la pâte dehors à une épaisseur de 32 cm.
Roll the pâte out to a thickness of 1/8".

10. Placez le moule préparée à l'envers sur la pâte.
Place the prepared pan upside down on the rolled-out pâte.

11. Courez soigneusement vos mains sous le papier sulfurisé et renversez la pâte et le moule de sorte que le moule soit maintenant sur la surface de travail.
Carefully run your hands under the wax paper and flip the dough and the pan so that the pan is now on the work surface.

12. Serrez la pâte dans le moule et équilibrez la pâte excessif.
Press the pâte into the pan and trim excess pâte by running your rolling pin over the diameter of the pan.

13. Avec une fourchette, piquez le fond.
Using a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the shell.

14. Couverture et froid pour 1 heure.
Cover and chill for 1 hour.

15. Faites cuire au four à 180 degrés de juste jusqu'à ce que la pâte tourne le blanc.
Bake slightly at 350º as per the footnote below*** before filling the shell.

* This assumes a Kitchen Aid mixer.
** ** It is best to use vegetable shortening to grease pans because it contains no moisture. This helps insure a clean release from the pan.
*** Bake the shell in a 350º oven just until the moisture is driven out, but before the shell browns. This will insure a crisp crust.

Et voila! Bon appétit!

Voyez également:
Pont l'Évêque
Pour vôtre régal de nouvelle année: Brie Farcie
La Vrai Quiche Lorraine par Boulanger Gérard Mulot
Quiche gourmande aux poivrons

More reading:


Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best

The Cheese Plate

Camembert: A National Myth (Image not available)