Brand is Le Châtelain

“Description

Camembert Le Chatelain is produced in Normandy, where Camembert was first created in 1791. Closest in flavor to the Original Recipe, it is succulent, ripe, rich and creamy. Only gently pasteurized at moderate temperatures, Camembert Le Châtelain retains most of the authentic flavors and qualities of the raw-milk cheese you can buy only in France.”

Just get it out of the refrigerator on the day you plan to serve/eat it. It will soften at room temperature. In the fridge, Camembert and Brie will stay firm.

I can't speak to the brand or packaging, but in general, it's likely to take 2-3 months to ripen in the fridge, and 1-4 weeks sitting out. Depending on your fridge, that is.

Do a search and you'll find the answer. It can be ripened a touch in the fridge, you'll find instructions. Don't get your expectations up too high, that's a so-so brand. As is most French Camembert sold in the US, unfortunately.

Warming to room temperature before serving isn't the same as ripening it more and warming it doesn't improve the flavor.

Mmm, I love Camembert!

About your brand:

https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-library/camembert-le-chatelain

https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-library/camembert-le-chatelain

Camembert Le Châtelain is an excellent example of this cheese, with a recipe that is true to the original. It is succulent, ripe, rich, and creamy. Only gently pasteurized at moderate temperatures, Camembert Le Châtelain retains most of the authentic flavors and qualities of the raw-milk cheese you can buy only in France. Succulent and creamy when ripe. Excellent with champagne or dry white wines.

Camembert cheese in the US is a black sheep in the Camembert world. This cheese is normally made with raw milk and that contributes to its flavor. Raw milk cheese is not permitted in the US and so what's available here must be made from pasteurized milk. This throws off the flavor considerably. People unfamiliar with French cheese and in particular Camembert in France wouldn't know the difference but it's substantial.

Le Chatelain is a huge cheese producer whose stuff I consider very average. Like its sibling from the same company Président brand, another huge brand of mass market volume. Compare chicken from Tyson or Foster Farms to that from a smaller scale, local and family owned chicken producer. That's the difference.

I think I've mentioned before, I've found one Camembert here that I think is quite good and it's branded as Hervé Mons. Available only at Whole Foods. Mons is an small affineur who worked with a cheese producer to develop a special approach for Camembert to get the best out of pasteurized milk. It's made specifically for the US market.

Some think presenting a link found from doing a search suggests their knowledge of a topic. Of course that's far from being the case and it's often the opposite. But I can do that too.

One of the introductory comments in this linked page is:

" I stopped buying Camembert and Tomme de Savoie. The French Camembert sold in the U.S. always tasted lifeless to me. ".

Planet Cheese — The Magic Touch of Hervé Mons — Janet Fletcher

I don't seem to be able to add a new comment so here are some other thoughts to what has come later

For my friend olychick, you of course can buy raw milk cheese her. The thing is, it can't be imported if not aged more than 60 days. Camembert is normall not aged that long

Islays's second post below has some words about the flavor differences of the cheese made with pasteurized milk. The AOC Camembert designation requires the use of raw milk.

Petalique, the "lifeless" comment you attributed to me was a quote from the link mentioned just above here - Planet Cheese.

More BS I buy raw milk cheese all the time.

I buy soft cheeses ahead of when I'll need them and let them ripen. The range I gave above was from personal experience. There are some very good pasteurized milk cheeses, and there certainly are raw milk cheeses available. They're clearly marked either way. State laws and interstate sales laws may differ but imports have different rules and are available in California, too. I'm not a lawyer, however and won't attempt to say more on the subject. The thing about raw milk cheeses is that they're required to be aged for two months at temperature, so some may already be too ripe and squishy to easily transport when they're ready to be sold. But I know nothing of cheese transportation. I suppose if the importers brought in a whole container, they could age the box for the 60 days at the righ temperature (above 35F), if that's what they're also required to do, and then have a much shorter travel to the point of sale. Even a refrigerated cheese will ripen.

The thing about cheese, be it Brie, Camembert or any other, is that it's ready when it's how YOU like it.

It's a perfectly respectable make of cheese. It, will continue to ripen in the fridge, just more slowly than out on the counter.

When you buy one, it will be chilled and we test them by taking the lid off and pressing the middle. You get to learn the 'give' that you like.

My husband would insist that a camembert should have that little line of a chalky white, firm line going through the middle and if that's gone, then it's over-ripe. I prefer it riper than he does....If it has a slight smell of pee, then for me, it's way over.

We always keep it in the fridge, and get it out at the start of dinner so it's got time to warm up a bit. Others never put it in the fridge. It also depends on how much you want your house to smell of cheese LOL

A lot of people don't want to eat cheese from raw milk. Pasturised milk makes very good cheese. Personally, I think the quality of the cheese depends much more on what the cows have been eating, so cheese is very seasonal. Here's a short article - not at all definitive, but gives a nice idea as to the seasons for different cheeses. Get google to translate. https://www.laboitedufromager.com/la-saisonnalite-des-fromages/

This explains it all! LOL

https://www.laboitedufromager.com/difference-entre-un-camembert-laitier-fermier-pasteurise-et-ou-lait-cru/

Difference between a dairy, farm-made, pasteurized, and/or raw milk Camembert

• The Cheesemonger's Box
• 25/01/2021
• The different types of cheese

Camembert is undoubtedly one of the symbols of French gastronomy. A star attraction on cheese boards, it delights gourmets. True Camembert is a soft cheese made from raw cow's milk. But over the years, new versions have emerged, and today you can find Camembert made from dairy, farm-produced, or pasteurized milk. But are all these Camemberts the same? What are the differences in appearance, aroma, and taste?

Raw milk Camembert: the true taste of Camembert

Authentic Camembert de Normandie is made with raw milk from 50% Norman cows . This means milk straight from the udder. The milk undergoes no preservation or processing. It is barely heated to a maximum of 40°C. All the natural bacteria are therefore preserved. This richness in bacteria makes it a cheese that is good for gut health and overall well-being. It is rich in calcium, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Raw milk Camembert is rich in natural lactic ferments. It has a distinctive taste and subtle aroma due to the wide variety of microbes present in the milk. Highly prized by purists, this cheese, over 100 years old, is a source of pride for Normandy and the entire region. Well-known and highly regarded, it has held an AOC designation since 1983 and a PDO designation since 1996.

In terms of appearance, Camembert de Normandie made with raw milk exhibits variations in quality. Handcrafted, it has a unique appearance. Simply put, you will never find two Camemberts made with raw milk that are exactly alike.

Raw milk Camembert can be kept for about 30 days.

Camembert made with pasteurized milk: a cheese produced in Normandy

Camembert made with pasteurized milk is not a cheese from Normandy , but a cheese produced in Normandy. Therefore, it is not protected by a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), despite a campaign by industrial producers of this typical cheese.

Read also : Difference between Camembert and Camembert de Normandie

Unlike Camembert made with raw milk, Camembert made with pasteurized milk can be produced using milk from anywhere (France or abroad). The only requirement is that it must be produced in a facility located in the Normandy region.

Pasteurized milk is milk that has undergone a pasteurization process. Specifically, it has been heated to 72°C for 15 seconds. This process allows Camembert made with pasteurized milk to keep longer (over 30 days), as all the bacteria present in the milk have been eliminated.

Camembert made with pasteurized milk has a uniform flavor due to its high content of artificial lactic ferments. It therefore lacks the distinctive taste of true Camembert from Normandy. However, it is easier to digest and poses fewer health risks, even though it is lower in calcium, vitamins, and minerals. Nevertheless, it remains prohibited for pregnant women, like all other soft cheeses with a bloomy rind.

In terms of appearance, this Camembert has a standardized shape due to its industrial production. All the cheeses look almost identical.

Dairy Camembert for longer preservation

Camembert cheese is made from milk collected from different producers, but located in the same geographical area. Milk production is automated for better yield. Then, it is pasteurized or heat-treated.

Dairy Camembert has a milder flavor, but it keeps well and for longer. If you have a small appetite, this Camembert is perfect for you.

This type of Camembert is not sold in supermarkets. You will only find it in local cheese shops and markets.

Farmhouse Camembert for a pronounced taste

As you might expect, farm cheese is made directly by the farmer on their farm (Decree No. 2007-628 of April 27, 2007) using milk exclusively from their own herd, right after milking. The entire production process takes place on the farm itself, from milk collection to aging.

Farmhouse cheese is made using traditional methods, meaning by hand, according to time-honored techniques passed down through generations. The milk used is raw or whole and has undergone no treatment whatsoever (heat treatment, pasteurization, or refrigeration). To obtain a farmhouse Camembert with a pronounced flavor, the time between milking and cheesemaking must be short.

In terms of taste, farm-made Camembert varies from season to season, depending on the cows' diet and the climate. However, it has a typical and authentic flavor.

For your information, farm cheese carries a label designating it as such, except for cheeses purchased directly from the farm.

Also read about Camembert :

• Production and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of Camembert de Normandie
• Why is Camembert white?
• Norman cheeses

mager

Elmer wrote:

“…The French Camembert sold in the U.S. always tasted lifeless to me. "

Ah, and I was thinking it didn’t have complex flavor because the Camembert I’d had hadn’t bee allowed to ripen. That’s why I did not open it and put it in the fridge. So, apparently, I cannot expect much improvement. Too bad. I only want to risk the fat and calories if it’s worth it in terms of good flavor, texture, mouth feel.

Some of the most delicious cheese I’ve eaten was a very ripe and runny Chaource (Lincet) that I happened upon at a Whole Foods 20+ years ago. I bought some subsequently, but it was not anywhere near as ripe and was only ho hum. Why bother? Might as well buy Velveta and leave in on a hot dashboard for a summer.

I do not partake of much cheese, but would like some complexly flavored cheese when I do. I cannot affort to fly to Europe for it. Any stateside recommendations?

Regarding the ”Unpasturized” product. Is there something risky or unwholesome about cheese made from unpasteurized milk?

Petalique, you're right. You need to let the cheese ripen. Try it with the camenbert. Taste it. If it's not as ripe is you'd like it wrap it back up and let it ripen some more. Taste it again in a few days. Once it's fully ripe, judge for yourself. That's soon enough to divest it. I remember I Danish canned camenbert I got when I lived in the middle of nowhere. It was like that. A ho-hum cheese when new. I let it fully ripen and it was good enough to eat!

Thanks, plllog.

I searched for images of ripe and very ripe Camembert and in all the photos it looks quite solid. One page described it as firmer than ripe brie. So I guess this cheese doesn’t get goey unless it is cooked or heated. I just ant a bit on a cracker now any then.

I didn’t realizethe company was a step sibling of Présidente. I bought it at a high end farmers market grocer. La di da.

Found this online:

Well it doesn't get messy, but it does get runny. Eventually. If your kitchen is cold and you want to urge it along, give it a little heat. Like where a ray of sun comes in, or on the fridge or cable box, or similar appliance. But you could just bake it if you want to get it over with.

Camembert does go gooey ime. We keep it out of the fridge to ripen. I prefer it almost runny myself. I don't buy it much here, not because we can't get good ones, but because we have an excellent local soft cheese which we prefer.

petalique, the "lifeless" quote in my comment that you quoted was the opinion of a person who has a website on cheese matters. One person's opinion. It's in the link in that comment- Planet Cheese.

The link in Islay's second comment above describes some reasons for the favor differences from using pasteurized milk. Cheese with the AOC designation of Camembert in France must be made with raw milk.

Camembert