Camembert

In my house, we adore Camembert and it usually gets gobbled up in one sitting. My kids even have separately wrapped triangles of it for their lunch boxes. To me, Camembert is the epitome of smelly Frenchness, and the fact that my children can’t get enough of it is the proof that they have fully embraced their French food culture.

There’s a disadvantage to the Camembert disappearing so quickly in my kitchen, as it is lovely to taste it over a period of a few days, experiencing the different stages of maturity and texture. Favourite ways I have of serving it to guests are roasted and molten as a starter or swathed in caramel and dried nuts and fruit. These practices are often frowned upon by my French friends - Camembert is, after all, one of the most powerful symbols of French identity. As an adored national emblem it is ferociously protected and not be tampered with! A more acceptable way of serving it is on a cheese board, where it is customary to cut out a triangle of Camembert and set it on top of the cheese. This gives guests an idea of ripeness and helps them decide to sample it or not.