Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Camembert and Brie?
Basically, it’s the region in France where they come from. It’s also the size of the cheese as Brie is a bigger wheel, while Camembert is a small wheel. The recipe is the same for both cheeses! The story on how these cheeses ended up in different regions goes back to the French Revolution…
It is said that a priest who was a cheese maker in a monastery in Brie, fled the area for some reason or another. He was given shelter in a farmhouse in Normandy. As payment for his lodgings, he helped with the chores and shared his knowledge, teaching the farmer’s wife the art of cheese making. The cheese became so popular with the surrounding farmers that her daughter eventually set up shop in the nearby village of Camembert. Apparently one day, Napoleon III was in town and tried the cheese and commented that he ‘did love a good Camembert’ hence, the cheese was named.
Creating your own silky, smooth camembert or a slightly, salty fetta in your own home needn’t be overly complex. Artisan cheesemaker, Lyndall Dykes, will be conducting two, one-day, 100 per cent hands-on cheese making workshops in Armidale on June 6 and 7, 2012.
Lyndall will take the mystery out of cheese making. She says that, if milkmaids can make cheese on mountain plateaus,then we can, too. In a one-day workshop participants will learn how to make camembert, fetta, ricotta, mascarpone, quark (cream cheese) and Greek style yoghurt. Making your own cheese at home is not only very rewarding, it’s also great to know what goes into the food we consume as well as being extremely cost effective, and the bragging rights are huge. Workshops include all recipes, morning tea, a cheese inspired lunch served with a north coast wine and a gift bag of cheeses to take home. The workshops are being run in school hours.
Making your own cheese at home is a great way to start on the path to sustainability.
For more info contact the Lyndall on 6656 2335 / 0458 562 135 or visit
www.thecheesemakingworkshop.com.au
