Camembert is one of Normandy's most well-known cheeses.
Normandy, located in Northern France, is a region known for its dairy products, fresh seafood and apples. Primarily agricultural, Normandy is home to 350 miles of coastline and a number of small historical towns. The cheeses produced in this region are popular throughout the world.
Camembert
Camembert, a small village in Normandy, is renowned for its cheese making. The town's cheese first gained popularity during World War II, when it was added to the ration's of French soldiers, according to the website francerevisited. Camembert is crumbly when it first ripens, with a layer of white mold across the top. It develops its characteristic softness and sharp taste in two to three weeks. Though the texture of the cheese is rich, the taste varies, including flavors that can range from salty to nutty.
Neufchâtel
Neufchâtel, a town located in upper Normandy, makes one of the older French cheeses. People have made cheese around the town since the 11th century. The cheese is ripened with mold, soft and has a crumbly texture. Neufchâtel has a white rind similar to Camembert, but tastes saltier and sharper, notes neufchâtel.com. The cheese often is heart-shaped, but is produced in other shapes as well. It reaches full maturity in about 10 weeks.
Livarot
Livarot cheese is named after a village of the same name located close to the village of Camembert. Though both places produce round cow cheeses, Livarot is denser, stronger and has a sticky texture, according to the francerevisited website. The taste can be biting, and the odor strong, but Livarot is one of the oldest cheeses in Normandy, and milder versions are of little interest to its fans. It carries the nickname Le Colonel due to the three strips of paper, similar to a colonel's stripes, that surround it.
Pont-l'Evêque
Pont-l'Evêque, a washed rind cheese, has an unknown history. It was originally sold as Angelot, as were most Norman cheeses, and was honored in a poem by H lie le Cordier, according to Fromages De Normandie. Produced in the Pont-l'Evêque countryside, the cheese is sweet, milder than Livarot and Camembert, but has a pronounced smell.
Tags: cheeses Normandy
