Cooking President Camembert

[Martin_M]

Hi folks,

I love to order camembert when out at my local Beefeater restaurant and I recently found out that it's made by President. As luck would have it, Tesco stock it...and having cooked it in the oven for around 20-25 minutes tonight, I'm sorry to say that it tasted nothing like it does in the restaurant!

It was a little 'gooey' and sticky like it is when I eat out but it had an almost acidic taste and really didn't taste that nice at all. Am I doing something wrong?

I recently bought *rather expensive* camembert from a local market and it tasted to me like ammonia! Now either my taste buds are less than sophisticated or I'm doing something wrong!

All advice welcome :-)

[Type R Tom]

There are plenty of recipes on the internet, I don't stick to a brand, usual just what is on offer. I usually take it out of the fridge well in advance to raise the temperature, then cut this holes with a knife and place shards of garlic and rosemary. If I'm in the mood a drop of honey on top for a sweet / salt flavor works well too. Then cook for about 20 mins at around 190.

[Himself]

I get mine from the local cheese shop and ask for one that's almost out of date, let it get to room temp, add garlic and rosemary (as mentioned) and cook it in a cheese baker for 20-25 mins in the top of the Aga (so bloody hot).

[mattdaniels]

Did you cook it in the wax wrapper? I think that's supposed to be a no-no but I've never had an issue. I bake mine in the box at 180 for 15-20mins after cutting a cross in the top rind. Warm a French stick, have some cranberry sauce to hand, jobs a good'un.

[Vixpy1]

I find about 50% of the ones in the shops are not ripe and the middle is basically like goats cheese, buy one and stick it in the larder for a week

[Martin_M]

Cooked it in the box but didn't slit it guys. I would say the consistency was very similar to that in the pic above (thanks for sharing!) What's the whole ammonia taste though? That can't be normal surely.

[ReaderScars]

Maybe the taste prob lies elsewhere...could your tongue/taste pathway possibly be broken at all, or need recalibrating?

ps, how do you call a french bear? Camembert ('come on, bear')

and

There was an explosion at a cheese factory in France… all that was left was de brie.

and

How do you handle dangerous cheese? Caerphilly

etc

[Bill]

You can feel how ripe a cheese is by prodding it. I remove the wrapper and put it back in the box, prick it with a fork, rub it with a sliced clove of garlic and pour on a little white wine as bake it for 20 minutes.

[Martin_M]

Don't give up your day job sir lol

Are you supposed to eat the rind?

[ReaderScars]

I do; it's optional. Definitely won't end in illness or death. But then I also use about eight cloves of garlic...

[mattdaniels]

ReaderScars said:

Maybe the taste prob lies elsewhere...could your tongue/taste pathway possibly be broken at all, or need recalibrating?

ps, how do you call a french bear? Camembert ('come on, bear')

and

There was an explosion at a cheese factory in France… all that was left was de brie.

and

How do you handle dangerous cheese? Caerphilly

etc

What cheese can you use to disguise a small horse?
Mascarpone

[ReaderScars]

Nothing like a cheesy joke...

[calibrax]

This thread title "Cooking President Camembert" sounds like a weird sequel to "Saving Private Ryan"...

[escargot]

If it tastes like ammonia, it's likely to be over ripe (or perfect, depending on your viewpoint). If you don't like that flavour, probably best going for a young one.

[escargot]

A little bit of white wine poured over the top is worthwhile doing too.

[Martin_M]

Cheers guys.

[The Moose]

I have a ceramic pot to cook it in. Take it out of all the wrapper/box etc, cut the top off and stick some caramelised onions in pop the top back on, bit of oil. Garlic clove if that's your thing and whack it in the oven until you're bored of waiting

[ReaderScars]

calibrax said:

This thread title "Cooking President Camembert" sounds like a weird sequel to "Saving Private Ryan"...

[Foliage]

I used to slice it in half cutting the short side so you end up with 2 thin (ish) slices, stick it on bread and grill it, psh cheese on toast.

[HotJambalaya]

There was that old legend that when the French knew their Camembert was headed to English shores they'd piss all over the rind. Now you're tasting ammonia, coincidence? I think not....