Camembert Cheese
Camembert is also named for a town in France near where it was originally formulated. The French so revere it's inventor, Madame Harel, that they have erected a statue in her honor in her native Normandy village. It is a fermented, velvety or downy on the outside and soft core cheese that ripens from the outside rind in - with a bloom ripened rind with light reddish stripes. In 1890 the familiar round wood container was created to allow the cheese to be more easily exported. The Penicillium infused cheese making method started shortly after the turn of the century in France. Camembert became, from then on, known by the beautiful white powdery exterior that is familiar to us today. Prior to 1910, this cheese had a «blue» rind. Today, raw milk varieties from grass fed cows in France are aged less than 60 days. However in the United States many pasteurized milk varieties are available.
French Camembert is now an agricultural product which benefits from an "Appellation d'Origine Controlée (A.O.C., site in French)" much like fine french wines.
Camembert has become famous spread on a baguette and is excellent served wih a hearty red wine with hints of fruit like St Emilion, fruits or nuts It is best eaten at room temperature.