Marie Harel, created the original Camembert cheese from raw milk, in Normandy, France, in 1971. Today, however, a very small percentage of producers make cheese from raw milk with the same process as Marie Harel would have used. Those that do produce cheese using this method can legally call their cheese Camembert Normandie under the AOC guidelines. However, the production of Camembert cheese has now transcended the AOC designation. Very good varieties of Camembert cheese made from pasteurized milk can be found in Normandy today. The best of them is the 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 to Camenbert 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 the 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.

Original Camembert has AOC designation only if made from raw milk. However, you will find many Camembert cheeses made from pasteurized milk both in and outside of France. Young Camembert has a milky and sweet taste, while after ripening it becomes strong and fruity.

• Made from cow's milk
• Country of origin: France
• Region: Normandy
• Synonyms: Camembert Le Châtelain
• Type: soft, soft-ripened
• Fat content: 45%
• Texture: creamy, soft-ripened and supple
• Rind: bloomy
• Color: pale yellow

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Other French cheeses:

• hard cheeses: Ardi Gasna, Cantal, Crayeux de Roncq, Crottin de Chavignol, Etorki, Fourme de Montbrison, Fromage a Raclette, Laguiole, Lou Palou, Salers, Sancerre, Tomme Brulee
• semi-hard cheeses: Abbaye de Belloc, Abondance, Babybel, Brebis du Lavort, Cantal, Esbareich, Filetta, Fresh Truffles, Matocq, Mimolette (Boule de Lille), Pas de l'Escalette, Petit Pardou, Tomme de Romans, Tourmalet, Trappe (Veritable), Trou du Cru
• semi-soft cheeses: Abbaye de Citeaux, Abbaye du Mont des Cats, Aisy Cendre, Ambert, Ami du Chambertin, Aromes au Gene de Marc, Bleu Des Causses, Brie de Melun, Brillat-Savarin, Brin, ... show all ... , Brin d'Amour, Calenzana, Chabichou du Poitou, Charolais, Dauphin, Fleur du Maquis, Fresh Truffles, Fromage de Montagne de Savoie, Langres, La Vache Qui Rit, Le Brin, Le Fium Orbo, Livarot, Mamirolle, Maroilles, Mont D'or Lyonnais, Morbier, Morbier Cru de Montagne, Murol, Neufchatel, Ossau Fermier, Pave d'Auge, Port-Salut, Reblochon, Rocamadour, Rollot, Roquefort, Sainte Maure, Saint-Nectaire, Saint-Paulin, Sourire Lozerien, Tamie, Tomme de Chevre, Tommes
• soft cheeses: Affidelice au Chablis, Anneau du Vic-Bilh, Baguette Laonnaise, Banon, Bleu de Laqueuille, Bougon, Boule Du Roves, Boursault, Boursin, Bouyssou, ... show all ... , Brebis du Puyfaucon, Bresse Bleu, Brie, Brie au poivre (Brie with pepper), Brie de Meaux, Briquette de Brebis, Briquette du Forez, Brousse du Rove, Buchette d'Anjou, Butte, Cabecou, Cachaille, Camembert, Caprice des Dieux, Carre de l'Est, Cathelain, Cendre d'Olivet, Chabichou du Poitou, Chabis de Gatine, Chaource, Chevrotin des Aravis, Civray, Coeur de Camembert au Calvados, Coeur de Chevre, Coulommiers, Crottin du Chavignol, Cure Nantais, Delice des Fiouves, Dreux a la Feuille, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Explorateur, Figue, Fin-de-Siecle, Fondant de Brebis, Fontainebleau, Fougerus, Fourme de Haute Loire, Fresh Truffles, Frinault, Fromage Corse, Galette du Paludier, Galette Lyonnaise, Gastanberra, Grand Vatel, Grataron d' Areches, Gratte-Paille, Greuilh, Gris de Lille, Guerbigny, Laruns, La Taupiniere, L'Aveyronnais, L'Ecir de l'Aubrac, Le Lacandou, Lingot Saint Bousquet d'Orb, Lou Pevre, Lyonnais, Macconais, Margotin, Mothais a la Feuille, Munster, Nantais, Niolo, Olivet au Foin, Olivet Bleu, Olivet Cendre, Palet de Babligny, Pate de Fromage, Patefine Fort, Pave de Chirac, Pelardon des Cevennes, Pelardon des Corbieres, Perail de Brebis, Picodon de Chevre, Pithtiviers au Foin, Poivre d'Ane, Pont l'Eveque, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Pourly, P'tit Berrichon, Pyramide, Quatre-Vents, Quercy Petit, Regal de la Dombes, Rigotte, Romans Part Dieu, Rouleau De Beaulieu, Rustinu, Saint Agur, Saint-Marcellin, Selles sur Cher, Soumaintrain, Taupiniere, Tomme des Chouans, Tommes, Touree de L'Aubier, Valencay, Venaco, Vendomois, Vieux Corse, Vignotte
• fresh soft cheeses: Autun, Boulette d'Avesnes, Brocciu, Fromage Frais, Le Roule, Mascares, Pave d'Affinois, Petit-Suisse, Roule