We have been making cheese since the dawn of time in Normandy. And it is enough to see the green and very greasy grass not to be surprised. This very “plump” grass, if I may say so, is found in abundance in the Pays d’Auge. And this is where the village of Camembert is, which gave its name to the most famous French cheese in the world.
An almost legendary origin…
– By Marc Noordink — https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcnoordink/15085415125/, CC
Legend has it that we owe the recipe to Marie Harel, a young farmer, who, when the Revolution was going badly for the priests, welcomed one into her farm, Father Charles Jean Bonvoust, from Brie, a land of France well also known for its cheese. Grateful and greedy, Father Bonvoust would have given advice to Marie Harel to improve her Camembert cheese, to the point of making “THE” Camembert. Discovered by Napoleon III during a visit to Argentan, not far from Marie Harel’s, Camembert conquered the Emperor’s table, before conquering Paris thanks to the arrival of the train, then conquering all of France, in point of being part of the ration of our soldiers during the First World War. There are Camembert box label collectors, they are called Tyrosemiophiles.
Side flavors
Of course, you can eat a good Camembert with bread and a splash of red wine, although it also goes quite well with a fruity white wine. It can also be made into a sort of fondue by placing it in the oven and skewering bread or ham in it. It can be melted with turkey cutlets, made into a gratin or even a pie with broccoli, for example. Whether we like it or not, Camembert is a part of French identity. The one with taste!