Camembert--delectably fragrant, creamy-centered, neatly boxed--is
the most popular and most famous French cheese. Originally made by
hand in the Norman countryside, it is now mass-produced
internationally, yet Camembert remains a national symbol for
France, emblematic of its cultural identity. In this witty and
entertaining book, Pierre Boisard investigates the history of
Camembert and its legend. He considers the transformation of
France's cheese-making industry and along the way gives a highly
selective, yet richly detailed history of France--from the
Revolution to the European Union. "Camembert: A National Myth
"weaves together culinary and social history in a fascinating tale
about the changing nature of food with implications for every
modern consumer.
As the legend goes, by coincidence, grand design, or clever
marketing, the birth of Camembert corresponds almost exactly in
time with the birth of the French republic. In this book,
republicans and Bonapartists, revolutionaries and priests are
reconciled over the contents of a little round box, originating a
great myth and a great nation. The story of the cheese's growing
fame features Napoleon, Louis Pasteur, the soldiers of the First
World War, and many others.
Beneath this intriguing story, however, runs a grittier tale about
the history of food production. We learn, for example, how
Camembert became white--a topic that becomes a metaphor for the
sanitation of the countryside--and how Americans discovered the
secrets of its production. As he describes the transformation of
the Camembert industry and the changing quality of the cheese
itself, Boisard reveals what we stand to lose from
industrialization, the hallmark of the past century.
Today, small producers of raw-milk, ladle-molded Camembert are
fighting to keep their tradition alive. Boisard brings us to a new
appreciation of the sensual appeal of a lovely cheese and whets the
appetite for a taste of the authentic product.
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