Camembert and brie are creamy, earthy, soft French kinds of cheese that are excellent additions to charcuterie and cheese boards. These fragrant cheeses are delicious, spread over a slice of baguette or cracker, especially in combination with a good glass of wine. Even though they have a lot in common, some distinct differences set them apart.
What do Brie and Camembert have in common
They have quite a lot in common. Brie and camembert are often served in similar ways, look alike and originate from a similar recipe. Both are French soft cheeses made out of cow's milk and have an edible bloomy rind. They are delicious as they are but also wonderful baked, fried or slightly melted in dishes such as French potato gratin. Both are popular on the cheese boards and are great companions to red and white wine.
The difference Between Brie and Camembert
Even though Brie and Camembert have a lot in common, there are several key differences between camembert and brie cheese. Generally, brie has a softer and creamier texture while camembert has a firmer texture. While both kinds of cheeses originated in France, Brie hails from Ile-de-France, and is believed to have been around longer than Camembert, even though there’s no official record confirming this theory. Camembert on the other hand originates from Normandy, located in the northwest of France.
Brie and Camembert flavour profiles
The flavour profiles of Brie and Camembert are quite similar and the variations in taste are subtle. Both Brie and Camembert are typically described as tasting nutty, earthy, fruity, grassy and mushroomy. Brie is milder with a creamy, buttery taste, while Camembert has a deeper, more earthy and intense flavour and aroma.
Size
Size is one area where these two kinds of the cheese stand apart. Camembert is sold as a whole wheel while Brie is often sold by the slice, a wedge of the larger wheel. Traditionally, a wheel of Brie is much larger than a wheel of Camembert, even though Brie nowadays offers baby wheels as well.
Brie has added cream
It's no secret that Brie is slightly more creamy than Camembert. This is because the cream is added to Brie during production, giving it a higher milk fat content, and a creamier texture. Camembert does not have any added cream, which makes it stronger in taste and gives it a firmer texture.
The lactic starter
Camembert is soft and creamy with an earthy, mushroom flavour and has a stronger flavour than Brie. The lactic starter that is added to the cheeses sets their sharpness apart. For brie, the lactic starter is added at the beginning of the cheesemaking process, resulting in a mild flavour. For Camembert the lactic starter is added to the cheese five times during the cheesemaking process, resulting in a stronger flavoured cheese.
Pairing Brie and Camembert with wine
These fragrant cheeses are delicious, especially in combination with a good glass of wine and an excellent addition to any charcuterie and for many a must-have on the cheese board. Both kinds of cheese are equally great with white and red wine and even sparkling wines. Many of us choose to combine the cheese board with French wines and well-known grapes from this area. More adventurous people choose a wine with fruity and slightly acidic notes, for example, the grapes pinot noir or chardonnay. Of course, you can't go wrong with a glass of French wine, but many types of wine are equally good to pair.
Pairing white wine with Brie and Camembert
The fruitiness and acidity of the Pinot Gris grape combined with the saltiness of the cheeses is an excellent taste experience. Brie and Camembert are also superb with a glass of good crisp champagne. More flavorful white mould cheeses such as Brie de Meaux match well with a white wine with more of a rich grape flavour and floral notes, as well as a full-bodied white wine with savoury notes.
Pairing red wine white Brie and Camembert
Generally, fruity red wines with lots of berry notes, such as Pinot Noir from New Zealand or Chile, are a common, and well-suitable choice for a Brie and Camembert. If the cheese is of the more mature type such as Brie de Meaux, a stronger wine is required. Try a fresh and fruity red wine, (but not tannic Merlot) or a slightly fuller Beaujolais.
Good condiments for Camembert and Brie
Bothe Camembert and Brie are great as they are, sliced on baguettes or with crackers. Their mild creaminess in combination with sharper bloomy rind makes them great with sweet flavours. The earthiness and sweetness are mirrored with flavours like nuts and honey, a match made in heaven, or combined sweet flavours such as figs and blueberries with salty crackers. If served baked, Camembert and Brie brighten up the flavours of the melted cheese with the sweetness of tomato marmalade and herby basil for an earthy freshness.
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