Pass the Cheese, Please - Camembert

I love me some cheese. Camembert is among the most heavenly, and not because of the creamy flavor, but because of that soft, smooth, caramel-like consistency. The travels this puppy embarks on a tongue are almost illegal. So are my reactions. It's got a Brie-like remeniscense, but features a far better palette, in my humble opinion.

Camembert is a French gem, allegedly discovered in 1791 by a Marie Harel. She housed a priest from Brie, and in exchange for her generosity, was apparently given the "secret" to this crazy-good concoction. Lucky lady. Its popularity, however, was sealed-up-good during WWII, when it was served to the French soldiers. It's good stuff, but worth waging a war over? I'd say not.




Made from unpastuerized cow's milk, Camembert actually has a dry, crumbly consistency when it's super-fresh, but leave this to age for a few weeks, and the runniness takes over. Believe me, you want this. It's been served since the 1890's in these adorable wooden rounds. Not traditionally used in cooking, I suggest you simply get a killer Bourdeaux and some crusty bread, and have a feast. All hail Camembert.