Camembert vs Brie

[pgr555]

This may sound like a "newbie" question, but can people tell me the difference between Camembert and Brie? I have a dairy allergy and can't eat them and am getting different input - problem is whether I can sub cam for brie in a baked brie with carmelized onion stuffing and apple/cinnamon topping (have made it with brie many times & it is a huge hit).
Thanks
pgr

[saranagon]

Brie and Camembert are both types of soft white cheese. Originally, Brie was made in an area south-east of Paris where the cattle grazed on stony river beds.
Camembert was originally made hundreds of miles to the west, near the coast in Normandy, where a different breed of cattle grazed on lush green pastures.
In addition, Brie and Camembert were made in different sizes:
Brie a large flat wheel,
Camembert a small high cylinder.
Both the raw ingredients and the differing surface areas resulted in the different tastes between the cheeses.
Personally, Brie is MUCH better than Camembert. The taste and the odor or Camembert are MUCH stronger!

[oldschool1982]

I'll take a stab at it for ya.

Although I've never been a fan of the en crout method since I prefer it simply with some good crusty French bread, fruit like apples or Champagne grapes, toasted almonds, some whole unsalted butter and a nice bottle of Chardonnay or Ale....

IMHPO, There should be no problem substituting the Camembert for the Brie. Done it many times at the request of my guests. It's always been my experience that the Camembert has just a slightly stronger flavor in the cheese and the rind than the Brie. Allbeit they are from different French provences (each cheese is appropriately named) they are very similar in production procedure. Yet since they are from different provences gives them slightly differnt characteristics based on the climate/animal/technique variations. I'm no cheese expert but we certainly do consume a our share of it.

[Harpua]

Went to France for a month, tasted all kinds of delicious, amazing cheese; however, the whole time, I craved a really good English Cheddar (not the neon orange stuff).

I also have a hard time distinguishing brie from camembert

[Anneke]

Method -wise, both are the same cheese but with different terroir and different size as stated above. In my opinion, what makes the quality different is the fact that Camembert ripens more evenly because it is a smaller size. This is why Camemberts are typically much better than the bries we get in North America. In addition, buying an entire uncut wheel is always better than buying a wedge of cheese (most of us cannot buy an entire 3kg wheel of Brie) because a cheese starts to die when it's cut and wraped in a different medium; in other words it starts getting off-flavours.

The ingredients are exactly the same, as are the cultures used. If you are going to be cooking this cheese, it really won't make much of a difference, and I doubt you'd be using a PDO raw milk Camembert or Brie for this anyway...

[shroomgirl]

funny story....bought a tiny round of "special" calvados soaked camembert from a cheese monger friend....about $18 for maybe 5 oz. Got into the car, toodling down the road opened the cheese and whoooof.....tried a bit, then did a U turn took it back to the store and told them the cheese was bad.

Apparently not.

Got a Montgomery cheddar and was happy.

Ken Muno, Goatsbeard Farm outside of Columbia Mo makes killer chevre. Some in a Camembert form....I like his mistakes the best.....gooey on the outside alittle harder on the inside. His aged, rind washed cheeses are improving all the time. Fresh Chevre is the best, hands down....
Gonna pick up 4# at the farmer's market this afternoon and serve it at the farmer dinner tonight with probably rehydrated sour Mich Cherries and rosemary Mo. pecans.

[Breton Beats]

I think the only problem you will have about substituting Cam for Brie will depend on who's paying. Cam is usually more expensive. In the states it is hard to tell the difference because of certain laws and import troubles most of the Cam and Brie we get here are pretty mild. So if you are doing this for a restaurant I would stick with the Brie. In France though Cam is seen as being a lot more pungent and developed. Brie is seen as an easy cheese to eat.

My partner is French and won't touch Brie as he feels it isn't worth the import price or hassel.

I would also stick with Brie if you plan to go en croute with honey and sh** er shallots etc..... My personal opinion is that is horrible way to treat cheese, but I also recognize that lots of people like it (it's a huge seller), however choose a cheese that where the deeper nuance won't be lost. Save cam for crusty baguettes and some candied walnuts on the side.

Happy Holidays!