Heirloom Thursday: Cambozola

As promised it's been an absolutely hectic week, but I have time to squeeze in a quick post.  I've also had some time to eat, fortunately, and that includes an occasional favorite, cambozola.  I first spotted this cheese when I started living on my own in San Diego, in 1999.  I knew I loved brie, and I knew I loved blue cheese, so why not put them together?  (P.S. this is an "heirloom" because I've written about brie and blue cheese before...)

History: The name cambozola is NOT a combination of camembert and gorgonzola, the camb- is from the Roman settlement Cambodunum, an early cheesemaking mecca.  A similar cheese has actually been around since 1900, but wasn't produced commercially until 1980.  It is manufactured solely by Champignon, a German company located in southernmost Bavaria. 

Worldwide Production: I don't know, but you can find this in most supermarkets these days, actually.

How it's Made: This soft cheese is made with cow's milk in much the same way that any brie-type cheese is made, with the added inoculation of Penicillium roquefortium leading to the blue cheesiness in the middle.

Health Information: How many triple creme cheeses can really be good for you?  Oh well...

Relevant Blog: Lemon and Cheese - a recipe for spinach and cambozola pasta.

Bottom Line: If you like brie and you like blue cheese, trust me, you've got to try cambozola!

References:
1. Wikipedia
2. Champignon website (in English)
3. Image from the Champignon website