Legend has it that the world has the French Revolution to thank for Camembert. The cheese with hints of caramelized butter and earthy mushrooms dates back to 1791, when a fleeing priest is said to have shared the recipe with a farm woman from Camembert who’d welcomed him into her home.
Will brie and Camembert cheeses go extinct? Here’s what scientists say.
March 9, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. EST
The cheese has since become a staple in France and abroad. McDonald’s — to some French customers’ dismay — once rolled out a burger topped with slices of Camembert, which also inspired artist Salvador Dalí's famous gooey clocks.
But Camembert and its blander-tasting cousin, brie cheese, have in recent weeks been the subjects of headlines and social media posts declaring that the beloved fromages are heading for the grave.
The warnings followed a study by the French National Center for Scientific Research that said the cheeses are on “the verge of extinction” — a death sentence driven by what the scientists said was a fungal crisis.
Does this mean charcuterie boards are doomed to a future sans delightfully stinky cheese? Here’s what scientists told The Washington Post.
