When the word cheese is mentioned, most of us immediately think of France. We can't help it; it's a knee-jerk reaction. As excellent as are the hundreds of cheeses that originate from all corners of the globe, France is always the first country the comes to mind when discussing cheese making.

Our French Cheese Assortment captures a good bit of French cheese culture with the four cheeses listed below.

• Chevre by Couturier: This classic French goat cheese is quite fresh and spreadable. Formed in the shape of a log, enjoy this cheese on salads, as a snack, or with fruit for dessert. (4 oz.)
• Camembert: This famous soft-ripened cheese from Normandie has a creamy interior beneath a fluffy (and edible) white rind. Similar to Brie, but with a slightly fuller flavor. (8.8 oz.)
• Abbaye de Belloc: We're happy to bring you this raw sheep's milk cheese from the Pays Basque region of Aquitaine (French Pyrenees). Its milk comes from red-nosed Manech ewes raised on farms adjacent to the Abbaye de Notre Dame de Belloc. (8 oz.)
• Gruyère de Comté: Created by local villagers in alpine dairies called "Fruiteries", its milk comes only from Montbeliarde and Tachete de L'est cows. Each 70+ pound wheel of raw-milk Comté is aged for at least six months, resulting in a sweet and nutty masterpiece. (8 oz.)

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

Our Platinum Collection is a selection of four of the world's most exquisite cheeses. Sure to impress even the most knowledgeable cheese connoisseur, it makes a great gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
Included are:

• Boschetto al Tartufo Bianchetto: A sweet, tender and mild cheese from Tuscany made from a careful balance of 90% sheep's milk and 10% cow's milk. Shavings of rare Italian white truffle are blended into the cheese, which is followed by a brief aging period to allow the truffle aroma and flavor to penetrate all through the creamy cheese. This transforms Boschetto into a powerfully addictive delicacy.
• Goat Camembert: This extra creamy goat's milk cheese from France is satiny-smooth with a firm, slightly chewy, edible white crust. Its flavor is all goat - tangy and rustic with hints of lemon and hay.
• Le Marechal: A raw cow's milk Swiss cheese produced in small batches in the town of Corcelles-aux-Payernes. The cheese is rubbed with Herbes de Provence (a blend of thyme, oregano and other country herbs) giving it a beautiful appearance and a wickedly spicy flavor. (8 oz)
• Smokey Blue: Gold Medal winning raw-milk blue cheese from the Rogue Valley Creamery in Oregon. Robust and sweet with a rich buttery finish, gently smoked over hazelnut shells.

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

First made in the late 18th century in northwestern France, Camembert has a delicate salty taste with many underlining nuances. This cheese is Excellent when served with fruit, nuts, a baguette, and a Red Bordeaux or Beaujolais. This cheese is sold in 8 ounce wheels.

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 (the village, not the cheese) 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. 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.

Camembert Le Châtelain is an excellent example, with a recipe that is true to the original. It is succulent, ripe, rich and creamy. Only gently pasteurized at moderate temperatures, Camembert Le Châtelain 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.

Novices beware: this authentic Camembert is aromatic!

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 8.8 oz. form of cheese.
• Best enjoyed within seven days of delivery.

Has typical Camembert characteristics such as white rind and creamy yellow pate. Tends to be a little salty sometimes. This version of Camembert does tend to be stronger than you would expect from a Camembert.

This rich, buttery soft-ripened cheese practically melts in your mouth. Spread a little on slices of warm baguette and serve with a salad or a soup, or just on its own. Or serve it after dinner, along with a few dried apricots or figs and a few toasted walnuts.

Camembert is a soft ripened cheese made with cow's milk. Specialty of Normandy, this is THE French cheese by definition. Camembert dates back to the 18th century. In 1855, folklore states that Napoleon III was presented a piece of that cheese, said to originate from a village called Camembert. He liked it a lot and from that moment Camembert became known by its contemporary name. Camembert is a creamy cheese with a delicate salty taste. It is ideal with a glass of red Bordeaux (from Medoc or Saint Emilion).

Note: cheeses are perishable products. All our cheeses are very carefully packed in thermally insulated hermetic bags containing cold packs, that guarantee their freshness during delivery. For complete peace of mind, we recommend you select a fast delivery method (at least a 2-day delivery) at the check out.

Camembert is one of the most famous French soft cheese. Its rind is covered by white mold with reddish stripes and stains. The texture is creamy yellow, supple and gives slighly to finger pressure. Pairs well with "Saint Emilion" or "Saint Estephe" red wines.

An extra-soft cow's milk cheese from the Pays d'Auge, this Camembert carries the traditional aroma of mushrooms and tastes almost meaty. It has a bloomy, edible rind that becomes pigmented with red, brown, and yellow specks as it ages.

Camembert and Brie are the most famous French gourmet cheeses. The very best Camembert is made from raw milk on farms in the original part of Normandy, France, and this type of Camembert is protected by the French appellation controllee. A good cheese has a clean and herby aroma with a good tang of mushrooms. The flavor is creamy and complex with fresh grassy tones. Unless you are addicted to overly strong cheese, avoid those which are so soft that the paste is almost gluey. Camembert is not intended to be so strong that you can smell the ammonia across the room! Check the degree of ripeness by holding the center of the cheese gently between your forefinger and thumb, and press gently. It should yield to the touch but not too much.

Camembert Le Châtelain is made from the finest milk using a recipe specifically developed to ensure the cheese matures gradually to give a perfect, rounded flavor. It is a pasteurized Camembert that offers all the delicious taste of a raw milk cheese. Le Châtelain Camembert has a soft, white, bloomy rind and a luxurious ivory paste. It is a full-flavored cheese: garlicky, mushroomy, and slightly salty, with an underlying flavor of nuts and wood.

Camembert Vermont is a 7-ounce cheese made with slowly pasteurized milk; it has a rind of mixed microflora that develops traditionally and results in an old-style, French flavor. At Blythedale Farm in Cookeville, Vermont they hand-ladle all their cheeses, using only whole milk from their Jersey cows. Their soft cheese Camembert, requires a great deal of 'hands on' care and is considered the most difficult of cheeses to make.

What sets this one apart from all the lackluster Camembert available in the USA? Camembert du Bocage is hand-made in a small dairy in Normandy using gently pasteurized milk, and earns the AOC (Appellation dorigine contrôlée) designation, which is all very nice, but youre choosing a cheese for the flavor. Expect a slightly pungent fromage, with fruity, mushroomy notes in the creamy, oozing paste and a salty tang from the white, bloomy rind. We will substitute similar or comparable items if the cheese is unavailable.

This extra creamy goat's milk cheese from France is satiny-smooth with a firm, slightly chewy, edible white crust. Its flavor is all goat - tangy and rustic with hints of lemon and hay. Flown in exclusively every other week, this item is a true delicacy.

• Made from goat's milk.
• Best enjoyed within seven days of delivery.
• Photo depicts whole 6.4 ounce form of cheese.

An entire wheel of Grand Camembert weighs approximately 4-4.5 pounds and is perfect for a great party. The oval shape does make this Camembert more attractive than a traditional round one. Grand Camembert from Delice de France is a very delicate soft-ripened cheese made with pasteurized milk.

An entire wheel of Grand Camembert weighs approximately 4-4.5 pounds and is perfect for a great party. The oval shape does make this Camembert more attractive than a traditional round one. Grand Camembert from Delice de France is a very delicate soft-ripened cheese made with pasteurized milk and we sell this Grand cheese in a plain and in a version with herbs.

Hudson Valley Camembert is an award winning cheese from the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in New York; Best cheese of America in 2001 and Best of Class in 2002 and 2006 in World Champion Cheese Contest. This uniquely squared Camembert-style cheese, made from mainly East Friesian crossbred sheep is soft ripened, lushly buttery. This small 4 oz. cheese will be a surprising addition to your cheese board and will disappear in no time among your guest.

Ile de France Camembert showcases an extreme creaminess under a beautiful ivory color. Its flavor profile is more intense than Brie, with notes of nutty and mushroom notes. Ile de France Camembert is a beautiful addition to any cheese plate.

Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert is a 2-2.5 pounds wheel Camembert made with sheep and cow's milk. The cheese is named after the companyâTMs owner Nancy Clark who bought the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in 1993. The Company was in the forefront of producing some of the first sheepâTMs milk cheese and yogurt in the US and now they are the largest sheep dairy farm in the US. As sheep milk camembert is not very common, this is a great opportunity to taste this cheese. It is soft and velvety with a delightfully nutty, earthy taste.

Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert is a creamy, soft-ripened cheese made from the milk of the Old Chatham Shepherding Company's herd of 100 East Fresian sheep combined with hormone-free cow's milk from a neighbor's farm. A gold medal recipient at the 2007 World Cheese Awards, Nancy's Camembert is meltingly smooth and buttery with the texture of a triple-crème.

Our Petit Camembert is made with pasteurized cow's milk and has a delicate salty taste and gets creamier over time. Camembert originated in French Normandy, but is nowadays made all over the world. Esprit de Liberté's Camembert is petit because most Camemberts are slightly slightly larger, around 8 ounces and this one is just 5.3 ounces.