CAMEMBERT CHEESE

classic cow's-milk cheese of Normandy, named for a village in that region; its characteristic creamy, ivory-coloured interior and downy white surface, resembling that of Brie, result from the Penicillium camemberti mold with which the curd is treated. Camembert curd is customarily shaped in disks of 4.5 inches (11 cm) in width and 1.5 inches (4 cm) in thickness; by the action of the mold, it ripens within six to eight weeks. The flavour varies from mild to strong as the cheese ripens. Camembert is exported worldwide and imitated in many countries, though the prototype from Normandy, which dates to the late 17th century, remains unparalleled. The cheeses from farms near Vimoutiers are especially prized.