Unlike our other French Camembert, this one comes from Normandy, where Camembert was first created in 1791 by Marie Harel. During the French Revolution, a recalcitrant priest from Brie arrived at the Manor of Beaumoncel, in the village of Camembert, and was hidden there by Marie Harel, a farmer. Following the direction of this priest, she created Camembert cheese. The recipe was a success and her children and grandchildren continued the family tradition. Over time, word spread and Marie’s cheese became famous all over the world._x005F_x000D_ Camembert Cheese Le Chatelain is an excellent example of this cheese, with a recipe that is true to the original. It is succulent, ripe, rich, and creamy. Only gently pasteurized at moderate temperatures, Camembert Cheese Le Chatelain retains most of the authentic flavors and qualities of the raw-milk cheese you can buy only in France. Excellent served with light reds from the Loire Valley or champagne, in Normandy this cheese is paired with an apple liqueur called Calvados. Apples, Camembert and Normandy are inextricably linked. Norman dairy farms are peppered with apple trees that protect the rich soil. In fact, some people claim to be able to taste a hint of apple beneath the creamy suppleness of fresh Camembert.

Gouda, or “How-da” as the locals say, is a Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. If truth be told, it is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of the world’s cheese consumption. Smoked Gouda is a variant of this famous cheese wherein it is smoked in ancient brick ovens over flaming hickory chip embers. Sensational with beer, this hard cheese has an edible, brown rind and a creamy, yellow interior. It can also perfectly complement tasty snacks like fruits, nuts and dark chocolate. It forms a good combination of sandwiches and burgers.