Questions about Camembert and Brie

[DeejayDebi]

I have a few general questions about this cheese. I'm a big fan of hard cheeses but I've read so much about these cheese here I bought some awhile back from the grocery store.

1st off. I left it sit out for an hour to soften and it never really did. I like the way some of the pictures here so a kind of soft runny cheese. Is it supposed to be runny or firm?

2nd -  do you eat that rubbery rind? I didn't like it at all so I though maybe you don't eat the rind?

???

[Alex]

Hi Debi

The Camembert should be runny. There are several degrees of runnyness, more or less. I like more. The first pic you can see a soft Camembert at the beginning of affinage, I had to cut it to test and taste. The second shows the one (6 weeks old) I like most, including the smell.

The rind should be eaten, to me, it's tasty as much as the inside. You can also use a piece of rind for the next batch as a Penicillum inoculator. Never tried it out.

[FRANCOIS]

If it's a traditional make, it will ripen over time and become runnier.  If you bought it in the store, you may have bought a stabilized product and it will never get runny.

[Alex]

If it's a traditional make, it will ripen over time and become runnier.  If you bought it in the store, you may have bought a stabilized product and it will never get runny.

Those cheeses were made traditionaly, by me.

[DeejayDebi]

Now I really love the lok of that runny one! That's what tempted me in the first place. I did buy them in the store so who knows how well they were handled? The thing that got me was the rind was like chewing an old tennis shoe! Very rubbery! The cheese inside was like a new soft edam - vene after a few hours at room temperature.

Maybe I bought the wrong brand? I got these ...

[Alex]

Debi,

To get the texture and taste shown in my pics, you'll have to make Camembert by yourself.

[DeejayDebi]

I think you are right Alex. I was just trying it to see if I liked the soft cheeses before making them.

If you want something goood you always have to do it yourself!

[FRANCOIS]

Yes, you bought stabilized product.  It will never get runny.

[DeejayDebi]

It was not real good either. kind of blah!

[riha]

I have bought Président brie and have been pretty happy with it. But then I don't like it super runny. I usually buy brie when the shops sell it on discount when it's about to go past "best before" date. For some reason there is no way to get decent brie (here) without letting it age in the fridge yourself.

Just now having some nice 30%-off-and-almost-ripe stuff.

Debi, perhaps you should head to a marketplace or some place that has dedicated cheese sellers. They will sell you some stuff that is either ripe or can be ripened home. The Good Stuff :)

[DeejayDebi]

Their are a few local cheese makers about 30 minutes away. I need to visit them one day. They have short hours and are closed by the time I get out of work. I will try to remember next weekend.

[FRANCOIS]

Deb,
I wouldn't bother getting brie from any of those farms.  Your closest maker that can turn out a good brie is Peter Dixon at Consider Bardwell in VT.  If I were you (but I'm not), I'd head out to Farmstead in Providence.  They are small but have one of the best famstead cheese selections I have ever seen.  They carry the cheeses I would, if I ran a shop.  They will hook you up with some really good stuff.  While your're there try the Black Forest Ham, it's $30/lb and almost worth it.

[DeejayDebi]

Providence has farms? I always think of Providence as "the big city." I avoid big cities if I can help it. I will have to check this out. It is only about an hour from here.

As for the Black Forest Ham tried re-creating it for a forum member last year. Never heard of it before then. I made it from a loin and it was quite good using a wet brine. Here

I also re-created a really good Lomo Embuchado Here


If you like ham this is my favorite - Capricola Here

[FRANCOIS]

Farmstead is the name of a cheese shop, not a farm.  They have a bistro there too.  Nice guys, they used to buy some of my cheese.  Bring a camera with you to record chees eideas, there are many good ones in their cases.

Real Black Forest ham, like kobi beef, can't be reproduced.  They use a special breed of pig and have a traditional, almost ritualistic way of raising and slaughtering.  The Austrians have an amazing system for it that is passed down from father to son.  I have been on one near the Italian order, they had a special barn just for finsihing pigs and slaughtering them in their pens.  They said if the pig is stressed at all the butcher can tell and won't accept the carcass for ham.

[DeejayDebi]

Wow pretty amazing. Pigs are easily stressed. I found the website. I guess they are closed until September 1st. I will have to see them sometime after that I guess. Looks interesting - thank you.