Brie vs Camembert – What is the difference?
Iconic cheeses are like flags – a quick glance or mention, and by association the country of origin comes straight to mind. You hear ‘cheddar’ and you think ‘England’, you hear ‘parmigiano’ and you think ‘Italy’, you hear ‘brie’ and you think ‘France’, you hear ‘camembert’ and you think … ‘France’ again. Yes, sometimes one country has more than one universally recognised representative cheese and often these cheeses may look extremely alike to the eye of the beholder.
In the case of brie and camembert, the French might be extremely disgruntled by such heresy. France is a nation of determined regionalism and the identity of cheeses often runs hand in hand with local folklore rich in history and/or myths.
My favourite is the tale of the drunken monk who disclosed the well-guarded secret recipe for making brie while visiting the tiny village of Camembert. That would explain why brie and camembert are so similar in appearance and flavour but dissimilar in origin, shape and composition.
The Origin
Origin is very important as it defines a cheese’s identity. Brie was developed in the Seine-et-Marne region, a pasture-rich basin in the north of France while camembert was initiated in the tiny village of Camembert (maybe the tale of the drunken monk had some truth to it) in the Normandy region.
Both Brie de Meaux and Camembert de Normandie have a protected denomination of origin (PDO) and so their trademark cannot be used elsewhere.
Shape is the second difference: traditionally brie is made in large wheels, weighing around 2.5kg and 30cm in diameter, while camembert cheese rounds are much smaller in weight and diameter, almost similar in shape and weight to a hockey puck. Due to its original size, brie is often cut into triangular wedges for retail practicality. Consumers have been confused by the standardisation of brie produced in small rounds like camembert, almost like the same cheese was packed with different labels.
Brie and camembert should differ in flavour and here is the third difference. Brie is slightly higher in fat content than camembert, giving it a sweeter finish compared to the more ammoniated and hearty camembert. However the same white mould, called penicillium candidum or camemberti, covers the rind of both cheeses and contributes to the development of flavours and body.
