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Brie, right, is aged longer than Camembert.Tad Seaborn/The Globe and Mail

Brie and Camembert. Perhaps they feel interchangeable – like Pepsi and Coke – the same but different (with loyal fan bases I just ticked off). These two French classics also have their devoted followers, but it's a win-win situation whatever way your taste buds tug. If you have never had a real French brie or Camembert, drop everything and seek them out. Think rich, impossible silky textures and flavours of sweet butter, nuts, mushrooms, a slight smoky note and a finish that is savoury and full-bodied.

Many of us may not realize what we're missing. The names "brie" and "Camembert" are not protected, thus they can be used in association with any similar looking product. Brie especially has become a generic term for any soft-ripened "mild" round wheel covered with a downy white rind (just fine for sandwiches but not very exciting otherwise).

Below is a quick tutorial to straighten out any brie-Camembert confusion (and make you an annoying know-it-all at your next cocktail party).

Origin: Brie originated in the Île-de France region whose capital is Paris. his area was once known as Brie. Camembert is named after a village in the Normandy region of northwestern France.

Authentic AOC-protected Brie and Camembert are identified by the specific French region in which they are made – look for Brie de Meaux (or the harder to find Brie de Melun ) and Camembert de Normandie to be considered legit.

History: Brie is the older cheese as it dates back to the eighth century. Camembert arrived on the scene in 1791; legend says that a villager named Marie Harel was taught the recipe by a priest from Brie whom she was hiding from political prosecution.

Appearance: Both cheeses have the white bloomy rind and you will often see brown, reddish mottled colours on the exterior. The interiors are pale to a rich yellow. The main difference is the size – Bries are bigger, up to 3kg, while Camemberts are made in smaller 250g moulds.

Technique: Both AOC-protected cheeses are made from "lait cru" or raw cow's milk (Brie de Meaux can also be made with pasteurized milk). They are both made by strictly controlled (but similar) processes including extremely gentle treatment of the curd to keep as much moisture in the cheese as possible. All the milk comes from local herds.

Brie is aged about a minimum 4 weeks while Camembert ripens a minimum 21 days.

Flavour: The flavours are on par, though some people consider Camembert to be stronger. The cheese is best when the paste is soft and bulging, but not runny. If the paste is oozing and smells of ammonia, the cheese is past its prime.

Both are outstanding on a cheese board, or either one alone makes the perfect meal when spread on a warm baguette. Depending on use, you'll probably never buy a whole brie, but a smaller Camembert can be presented intact for entertaining or makes a beautiful hostess . Also remember – if you buy a whole Camembert it will continue to ripen if you are not eating it immediately while a cut wedge of Brie is what you see is what you get. I love both but in my world – if I had to choose a "last bite" it would be the tip of a creamy, long wedge of brie.

Sue Riedl blogs about cheese and other edibles at cheeseandtoast.com.

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