Camembert au lait Cru AOC was first created in 1791 by Marie Harel, a farmer’s wife in the Normandy region of France. The invention of the small wooden box surrounding the cheese allowed the cheese to be exported worldwide, giving it the status it holds today.
The cheese was issued to French troops during World War 1, which firmly planted it into French culture. The Camembert we know today with the pure white rind became standard in the 1970s. Before this, the rind was often bluey grey with brown spots.
There are many varieties of Camembert made around the world, but the AOC Camembert can only be made from raw, unpasteurised milk farmed in Normandy. Camembert au lait Cru was given PDO status in 1992 after the original AOC in 1983.
Camembert au lait Cru AOC is a soft, bloomy cheese that is full of flavours and the typical ripe mushroom aroma. It is a crowd-pleasing cheese that is a joy to eat, converting many to soft cheeses.
Best enjoyed when eaten simply with crusty bread and a glass of red wine or a Normandy cider, baked and eaten fondue-style with crudités and bread; or baked with thyme and garlic, scooped out of its crust and stirred into pasta.
The individual cheese weighs approx. 250g.
