Your Brie, My Camembert
by Rawad J. Bou Malhab
To Ursula, my partner in crime!
Brie or Camembert? Nearly made exactly the same way, the only differences these two cheeses carry are the size and “terroire”. And of course a different “terroire” means different tastings, textures and flavors. For example a Brie de Nangis from the south west of Paris has a very fruity flavor. A Camembert de Normandie has a slight aroma of mushrooms and mold. YUMO! (I am very sorry Picon, but you need to grow up just a little).
Both cheeses are charachterized by a velvety white rind and a creamy center, however the milk used to make the cheese determines the colour of the interior; as for the exterior, factory made varieties tend to have a thick rind. In contrast, artisan examples grow a thinner white crust.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy a brie or a camembert. My favorite is to have it warm, served on a bed of apricot jam, with a tossed green salad, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of mustard powder & cracked peppercorns. Some people prefer strawberry jam, and that goes with it perfectly as well.
Being a vegetarian I always add flax seeds and textured vegetable protein made out of defatted soy flour. This will add a crispy texture to the palate and carries lots of fibers, iron & magnesium!
Now here is a snap of the camembert I prepared. Since matured dates where available, I have deseeded, diced a couple and tossed it with the salad. A great add-on to the dish.
Since dates were available, I have deseeded, diced and tossed a couple with the salad. A great add-on to the dish!
What is your favorite cheese, let me know below!
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Bou Le Fou 
Definitely Brie and Camembert are among my favorites… and love them with figs and in a salad. Also Parmesan and chèvre… in fact allllll cheeses :-)
:-) Figs are a perfect accompaniment to camembert & brie. I haven’t had a good chèvre for a while now. Since you love all kind of cheeses, soon I will post about my kind of cheese board! Perfect!
Real mature cheddar, which you cannot get in Lebanon. Also, Cheshire cheese, one of England’s oldest cheeses, and is where I come from ( Cheshire), Lancashire cheese, and Red Leicester. Sadly, non available in Lebanon except cheddar, though the cheddar they sell here isn’t the cheddar we know in the UK.
I enjoyed reading this, since you seem to be a dab hand at culinary things. Is it just a snack, though, as it seem small?
Cheers me dear
Thank you Derek for dropping by.
Great insights!
I have tried the Red Leicester, it is flavorful and adds color to the dish.
What a shame! I think in Lebanon we are missing on those cheeses.
One of my favorite cheese from the UK is the Stilton Blue.
I have once tried a yellow soft and creamy “blue” cheese in Newcastle but I cant seem to recall the name. It was divine.
This can be an excellent snack and you can enjoy it with a glass of a full bodied of ur favorite red.
For a larger portion you need to double or triple the quantities of cheese and greens accordingly.
It is great to enjoy with friends as it doesn’t take much time to prepare!
Great weekend Derek!
Argh! Stilton – yes a favourite indeed. I am loving this Gourmand blog and indeed, I may try some of these recipes out. I am going to begin to make traditional English cuisine too, as despite the whole world knocking British food, we do have some great dishes. You just wouldn’t see them in cafes for example. I am particularly into northern English food, since that’s where I hail from. I am loving the ‘pea’ blog as peas are huge up north in terms of cusine – pie and peas, mushy peas, pease pudding and so on. Thanks Rawad.
Thank you Derek for following the latest in Gourmand and I am glad you like it. I think English cuisine has lots to offer. I rarely see any proper English food in cafes as well, although it is delicious and heartwarming!
Classic: ham (white ham or torchon) and lots of melting brie on Ciabatta bread
Sounds delicious Nino! The brie-er the better :D