Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Baked Camembert - Say cheese!



I'm getting very excited. 



CLOBBERED BY CAMEMBERT comes out in less than three weeks. And I have to say it's one of my tastiest mysteries yet. 




{Or at least it has been for me. I've been testing Camembert recipes!}






To celebrate, I'm having a Get Cozy with a Mystery contest, in conjunction with my author pal Kate Carlisle [BIBLIOPHILE MYSTERIES]. It'll be live this Thursday, so look for messages in Twitter, Facebook, my newsletter, and in next week's blog right here. You'll see how easy it is to enter. You could win a signed copy of both Kate's and my new books, as well as a Bibliophile mug and a cheese board (great for serving cookies if you want to get real cozy). It will run through February 1st.

In honor of Clobbered by Camembert, I'm doing a series of Camembert dishes for the next few weeks. 


The first is so easy it's scary.  This is baked Camembert. It is an absolutely gorgeous and delicious way to serve the cheese. Warm and savory, it melts in your mouth.

Set on foil
For those of you who didn't get my recent newsletter, here's a little bit of history about Camembert. The cheese is a soft, bloomy-rind cheese created in Normandy, France in the late 18th century. The original was made with unpasteurized milk and, according to the AOC, (governing laws in France) must still be made with unpasteurized milk. In America, it is made with pasteurized milk. 


The two flavors can be completely different. The ripening process is what gives the cheese its flavor. It is similar to Brie, with a rich, creamy center. At first, the cheese was iffy in color. It wasn't until 1970 that white rind became the standard. Camembert is transported in little round boxes. These boxes made it easier for the cheese to travel great distances, particularly to America, where it is extremely popular. It was often given out to the troops in World War I because it traveled so well.



Enjoy!






BAKED SUPER-EASY CAMEMBERT

Cut off the top, discard.
Ingredients:

1 8 oz. Camembert round
salt
pepper
garlic
cayenne
jam (of your choice)










Season



Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350. 
Cut off the top rind of the cheese and sprinkle salt and pepper over the bottom portion of cheese. (Discard top)
Set the cheese on foil.



Bake in the oven until softened and the top turns a golden brown, about 20 minutes. 



The cheese bubbles to a golden brown.







Serve on a platter with crackers or crusty bread. 




This is great with fruit jam. 


The center literally oozes with richness.

















* * *
You can learn more about me, Avery, by clicking this link.

Chat with me on Facebook and Twitter.

And if you haven't done so, sign up for my mailing list
 so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and even more contests!

I'll be signing books at Mysterious Galaxy in Redondo Beach February 7, Murder on the Books in Houston February 11, and another bookstore (TBA) in the San Francisco Bay Area February 18. Check out my event calendar for more info.

 CLOBBERED BY CAMEMBERT, coming out February 7, 2012.


* * * * * * * *
 





12 comments:

  1. Sounds fantastic...as soon as I fix my oven I'll give it a whirl!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, that looks delicious, Avery! Thanks for sharing and congrats on your upcoming release. I can't wait to see what Charlotte is up to in Clobbered by Camembert (love the title, too). ~ Cleo

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks fantastic. Will have to invite people over so I can serve it. Congrats on the release. (Avery - I have a plea out on my blog for a gluten free dessert I have to bring to some neighbors. Any suggestions?)



    Terry
    Terry's Place
    Romance with a Twist--of Mystery

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kat, nice to see you here.

    Cleo, thanks, as always, for your good wishes! [I like the title, too. Fun.]

    Terry, a flour-less chocolate cake is always a winner. Or how about goat cheese truffles? Both are listed in our recipes on the upper left. The truffles are super easy to make. Look under desserts.

    Best to all,

    Avery

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks amazing Avery--what could be better than melted cheese? Nothing! Can't wait for the new book...love Lucy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Avery,
    I'm just now reading "Lost and Fondue" and enjoying it immensely.

    I have to admit that I would be hard pressed to share that round of oozy gooey goodness!! Even the picture is making think I could get out of my sweats and run up to the market right now!!

    Thanks so much...for the books and recipes.

    Nanc

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nanc, it is fun to forgo sweets for cheese! I'm thrilled you are enjoying the book!
    ~Avery

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lucy, thanks! It is like a little fondue in and of itself.
    Cheers!
    ~Avery

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love this cover! I'm thrilled to say that I got a sneak peek at Clobbered by Camembert and it was wonderful. Is anyone else following Charlotte's love life like I am?

    Yum, that cheese looks wonderful, Avery. I wouldn't have thought to add cayenne to jam.

    ~ Krista

    ReplyDelete
  10. Krista, remember how Dave's cookie for the contest had bacon and hot spice. I thought of that for this. Simple and zesty.
    Thx for the sweet mention of the book.
    Hugs, ~Avery

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Avery thanks you for sharing this recipe. Camembert looks so easy and delicious. I love cheese and will have to give this a try. Congratulations on your upcoming release. I am about to start reading Lost and Fondue I better get cracking so I can read the 3rd book.

    Babs

    ReplyDelete
  12. Babs, great to hear from you. I hope you enjoy L&F!!

    ~Avery

    ReplyDelete