History of Camembert de Normandie AOP Freres Marchand

Camembert de Normandie is the most famous cheese of Normandy. Its name is attached to Marie Harel’s who, in 1791, with the advice of a priest, developed an original cheese improving the fabrication of a local cheese.

The descendants of Marie Harel continued the tradition and developed the production of camembert which conquered the whole Normandy.

Fabrication

Jean-Michel needs two liters of cow milk to produce Camembert. After milk curdling, he drops off the curd with a ladle in a bottomless mold. The operation is repeated 5 times so that the curd is drained. After draining, Jean-Michel turns the cheese over. This is the next day that Camembert takes shape: it is removed from the mold and placed on a straw bottle cover on which the draining ends. At salting room, the cheese is seeded in surface. After 3 days, Camembert is placed in ripening room and dried again to make it lose its moisture and grow little by little.

Ripening continues in cellar, on planks. Both of sides need to ferment: Jean-Michel takes care to turn the cheese over every 48h.

A white down appears on the surface which will take a slightly red tint, as the refining. Engineer Ride had the idea, in 1880, to pack Camembert in a thin wooden box.

Tasting advice

Camembert Frères Marchand is enjoyed especially at the end of a meal, but it is also enjoyed as canapés (small garnished toasted bread).

Wine pairing

Many red wines can go along with it, such as Beaujolais, Côtes-du-Rhône or Touraine. We can also eat it with a good cider of the region, such as the cider AOC of Pays d'Auge.

Appearance: regular shape, striated surface, white rind, pigmented with red.

Texture: flexible texture without softness, not runny. White color and light yellow color.

Sense of smell: rustic flavor with bouquet, wetland.

Taste: pronounced fruity taste.

General Characteristics

Product code: CAME1
Production place: Normandie, France
Approval number: FR 54 395 173 CE
Shelf life: 21 days
Storage temperature: from + 2°C to + 4°C
Maturing place: Lorraine, France
Artisanal maturing: 21 days minimum
Weight: 250 g

Nutrition Values

Type of milk: raw cow’s milk
Type of cheese: bloomy rind cheese
Rind color: velvety cheese rind white
Texture color (inside): white, light yellow
Ingredients:
- Raw cow milk 98,10 %
- Salt 0,210 %
- Lactic ferments 1,360 %
- Rennet 0,020 %
- calcium Chloride (E509) 0,040 %

Energetic value per 100 g

kcal-kJ 277-1150
Protein 20 g
Total fat 20.3 g
Of which saturated 15.5 g
Trans fat 0.35 g
Carbohydrate 0
Of which sugar 0
Protein 20 g
Salt 1.55 g
Sodium 580 mg

Microbiological Criteria

Listeria: none in 25 g No preservatives or color additives.
Salmonella: none in 25 g Guaranteed GMO-free, in accordance
Enterobacteria: < 10 ufc/ml with current legislation