Bretons launch grated camembert

After controversy over ham and mozzarella ‘pan bagnat’ earlier this week, the latest food idea to raise eyebrows is AB Technologies Alimentaires’ camembert rapé, which they launched at a food industry show in Rennes yesterday.

Marketing mananger Françoise Chauvel, who has been offering mini croque-monsieurs to visitors to her trade stand, told regional newspaper Ouest France they decided to do something different because the choice of ready-grated cheeses is normally restricted to comté and emmental.

She said it took six months of research because they had to come up with a way of hardening it so as to grate it, without harming the taste. It has multiple uses, for example on pasta and pizza or in sauces.

“The Normans have pinched the Mont-Saint-Michel, so today we are stealing camembert from them – in a grated version,” she said. (Both regions have historically claimed the famous monument but it is now officially deemed to be in Normandy.)

The cheese is aimed at professionals but the firm is open to the idea of also selling it to the public if there is demand.