Brie and Camembert. 225 



cured, is of a rather soft texture, and the whole 

 mass is permeated with the molds, imparting a 

 characteristic flavor to the cheese. 



Brie. — Another soft French cheese. The milk is 

 put into small, circular vessels and the rennet added. 

 The curd is allowed to remain until it has become 

 sufficiently firm to be removed from the whey in one 

 piece. It is then carefully taken up and put in 

 such a position that the whey may drain from it. 

 It is turned frequently and carefully until sufficient 

 whey has drained away so that the cheeses will 

 maintain their form. They are then lightly salted 

 and put awa}^ to cure. During the curing process 

 molds develop on the outside, but the fermenta- 

 tions that go on upon the inside of the cheese 

 result in the breaking down of the casein into a 

 creamy mass of a strong, piquant flavor. The molds 

 upon the outside give to the cheese a strong odor 

 of decomposition. 



In very many cases. Brie cneese is put upon the 

 market in a very much more immature form, so that 

 it has a firm, though somewhat soft texture. If 

 allowed to become fully ripe, though, it breaks down 

 into a semi -liquid mass similar to Camembert. 



Camembert. — Camembert cheese is a soft cheese 

 of French manufacture 3 to 4 inches in diameter 

 and X to % inches thick. When fully ripe, the 

 cheese is coated with a heavy growth of red or 

 reddish brown mold, and the interior breaks down 

 into a soft, plastic semi-liquid mass, of pungent odor 

 and piquant flavor. In the manufacture of Camem- 

 o 



