Bloom
The soft white or grey coat of mould that grows on the surface of Brie, Camembert and many goat cheeses.
Also: fleur, white bloom, mould coat
Bloom is the felt-like coat of mould on the outside of a soft cheese. On Brie and Camembert it is mainly Penicillium camemberti, sometimes with the wrinkled, yeast-like Geotrichum candidum; on goat cheeses it may be grey, blue or ivory. The bloom is sown into the milk or sprayed on the young cheese, and appears as a white fuzz after about a week in a humid cellar. As it grows it breaks down the paste beneath, making it softer and richer from the outside in. A healthy bloom is even and clean-smelling of mushrooms; patches of other colours or a strong ammonia smell suggest the cheese is old or was stored badly. The bloom is edible.