Synonyms: Camembert Le Châtelain, Camembert de Normandie AOC, Camembert de Normandie PDO
Description: Marie Harel created the original Camembert cheese from raw milk, in Normandy, France, in 1791. Today, however, a few producers make cheese from raw milk with Hagel's method and they can legally call their cheese Camembert de Normandie under the AOC guidelines. Today, good varieties of Camembert cheese made from pasteurised milk can be found in Normandy today. The best of them is Camembert Le Châtelain. The fresh Camembert cheese is bland, hard and crumbly in texture when fresh. As the cheese matures, it forms a smooth, runny interior and a white bloomy rind that is typical of Camembert cheese. It has a rich, buttery flavor. The rind is bloomy white, caused by a white fungus called penicillium candidum. It is meant to be eaten with cheese. This cheese is best paired with a light red wine such as Beaujolais, Chenin Blanc, St Emilion, St Estephe or traditionally a glass of Normandy cider.