A group of French cheese enthusiasts known as the ‘Confrérie des chevaliers du camembert’ are campaigning to have the famous Norman cheese included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
The Confrérie des Chevaliers du Camembert (Brotherhood of Camembert Knights), based in Vimoutiers in the Orne département, have submitted an application to have this cheese included in the list of traditional skills and practices recognised by the UN agency.
“We do this above all to protect it and protect its expertise, because Camembert is a true cultural heritage.
“It is certainly one of the most complicated cheeses to make; it looks simple, but it isn’t,” explained Dominique Vignat, head of the brotherhood, to French media during the Competition for the best real Camembert earlier this year.
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First of all, the brotherhood needs to persuade France’s culture ministry of their claim, since only countries can nominate items to UNESCO for inclusion on the list. Then it would join many hopeful candidates vying for this global label.
If the application succeeds, the Camembert would be the first French cheese to be recognised by the UNESCO. It would join other world famous gastronomic heritage, such as the Neapolitan Pizza or Couscous.
Protecting the real Camembert
The Camembert was created during the late 18th century, around the time of the French Revolution, by Marie Harel, a Norman woman who lived in a village near the town of Camembert.
The Brotherhood was founded two centuries later, in 1985, to promote Normandy’s gastronomy, notably the Véritable Camembert de Normandie (The Real Camembert of Normandy).
The name of the Camembert cheese is not protected. This means that many brands in France and around the world use it without complying with the very strict specifications of the Protected Designation of Origin (AOP).
But to be considered ‘real’ Camembert with the AOP mark, there are many rules to follow. For example, it’s made with cow milk, and the herds have to be composed of at least 50 per cent Norman cows.
The real ones are called Camembert de Normandie and are round, in wooden boxes at the supermarket.
If you’re buying square-shaped Camembert, it’s likely not made to the traditional recipe. There are currently only 461 milk producers and 4 farmhouse producers that qualify to make real Camembert.
In French the circular chart depicting percentages – known in English as a ‘pie chart’ is a camembert.
Dining and Cooking