Frederic Melton
Blue cheese is made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. Most blue cheese on the market is made from cow's milk, but it can also be made from sheep's or goat's milk. The mould that grows in the cheese is most commonly from the bacteria Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum. The mould grows during the ageing process, and the cheese is often punctured with a needle to allow air in and encourage the growth of the blue veins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of milk used | Most blue cheeses on the market are made from cow's milk, but there are also sheep's and goat's milk versions. |
| Examples of cow's milk blue cheese | Bayley Hazen Blue, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort, Murray's Cave Aged Reserve Barnstorm Blue, Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue, Gorgonzola Cremificato, Gorgonzola Mountain, von Trapp Farmstead Mad River Blue, Maytag blue cheese |
| Mold used | Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum |
| How the mold is added | The milk is inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti before it is curdled, or the cheese wheels are punctured with a needle to allow air in and let the blue veins develop |
| Taste | Blue cheese varies in flavor from mild to strong, from slightly sweet to salty or sharp |
| Texture | Blue cheese varies in texture from liquid to hard, from drier and crumbly to creamy |
| Color | Blue cheese varies in color from pale to dark |
| Smell | Blue cheese may have a distinctive smell from the mold or from specially cultivated bacteria |
| Salt content | Blue cheese tends to be high in sodium |
| Gluten content | There is controversy over whether blue cheese is gluten-free |
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What You'll Learn
Most blue cheese is made from cow's milk
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds to inoculated milk, creating blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. Most blue cheese on the market is made from cow's milk, but it can also be made from sheep's or goat's milk. The mould in blue cheese is usually Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum, which is added to the milk before it is curdled. This gives the cheese its distinctive blue veins.
There are many varieties of blue cheese, with different consistencies, colours, and strengths. Some are mild, while others have a strong, sharp taste. The type of mould and the way the cheese is made will influence the flavour. For example, Gorgonzola is made with Penicillium glaucum and has a soft, creamy texture, while Stilton is drier and crumbly.
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves, which provided a favourable environment for the growth of harmless moulds. Today, blue cheeses are typically aged in temperature-controlled environments. The process for making blue cheese using pasteurised milk was developed by Iowa State University in 1941. E.H. Maytag began producing a cow's milk blue cheese, which is still made today and aged in underground caves.
Some popular blue cheeses made from cow's milk include Gorgonzola, a soft, creamy Italian cheese; Bayley Hazen Blue, a raw cow's milk blue made in Vermont; and Murray's Stilton, a salty, spicy, fudgy cheese. These cheeses often have protected designations of origin, meaning they can only bear their name if produced in a certain way and location.
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But there are also sheep and goat milk versions
While blue cheese is commonly made with cow's milk, it can also be made with sheep or goat milk. In fact, blue cheese can be made with the milk of any mammal, as long as it contains milk fat. The milk is mixed and pasteurized, and then goes through processes of acidification, coagulation, and curdling.
Sheep's milk cheese, or ewe's milk cheese, is commonly used to make cultured dairy products such as cheese. Ewe's Blue is a semi-soft blue cheese with a tangy flavor and a hint of spice. Its buttery, rich mouthfeel has made it a favorite among cheese enthusiasts.
Goat milk blue cheese, such as the ones offered by Murray's Cheese, can be thick and fudgy or dense and crumbly, with a zippy quality that ranges from mildly earthy to bold and peppery.
Blue cheese gets its distinct blue veining from a mold called Penicillium. Penicillium roqueforti, in particular, is prepared prior to the actual production of blue cheese. This mold is freeze-dried and later activated upon the addition of water. Salt, sugar, or both are added to autoclaved, homogenized milk via a sterile solution. This mixture is then inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti.
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Blue cheese is made with edible moulds
Salt, sugar, or a combination of both, is added to autoclaved, homogenized milk via a sterile solution. This mixture is then inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti. The mould can also be added by puncturing wheels of cheese with a needle to allow air in and let the blue veins develop. This process is often done with Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort, which are considered favoured blue cheeses in many countries.
Blue cheese can also be made by sprinkling mouldy bread onto fresh cheese curds. This method is used to make Roquefort cheese in the small southern French village of Roquefort. The bread is left in the caves for weeks to encourage mould growth, as grains attract mould more quickly than dairy products. The mouldy bread is then dried out and ground up before being sprinkled onto fresh sheep's milk cheese curds.
Blue cheese was likely discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels, creating an environment favourable to the growth of harmless mould. The mould used in blue cheese, such as Penicillium roqueforti, does not produce toxins and is not dangerous to humans. In fact, the discovery of mould in cheese predates the invention of the refrigerator and was used as a strategy to preserve cheese for longer.
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Blue cheese was likely discovered by accident
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident. It is thought that in ancient times, a drunken cheesemaker left a loaf of bread in a cave, where it grew mould. The mould spores then made their way onto the cheese, resulting in a new type of mouldy cheese. This accident may have occurred because the cheesemaker was distracted by their enjoyment of the bread and forgot about it. Nowadays, blue cheese is not made with mouldy bread. Instead, it is produced in a controlled environment and cured with Penicillium mould cultures.
Penicillium roqueforti is a type of mould responsible for the characteristic flavour and appearance of blue cheese. It breaks down the cheese's proteins and fats, releasing flavour compounds that contribute to its pungency, sharpness, and piquant notes. Blue cheese is made by introducing Penicillium roqueforti to the cheesemaking process through injection or by allowing it to naturally occur during the ageing process.
The process of making blue cheese typically begins with the preparation of a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum, which involves using a freeze-dried culture of the mould. This inoculum is then added to autoclaved, homogenised milk, along with salt, sugar, or both, to create a sterile solution. The mixture is incubated for three to four days at a specific temperature range, after which more salt and/or sugar is added. The process continues with an additional day or two of aerobic incubation. Alternatively, a fermentation medium can be created by mixing sterilised, homogenised milk with reconstituted non-fat or whey solids and sterile salt. This medium is then combined with a spore-rich Penicillium roqueforti culture.
After the inoculation and incubation process, modified milk fat is added to stimulate the release of free fatty acids, which is crucial for the rapid flavour development of blue cheese. This is achieved through lipase action. The next steps include acidification, coagulation, and cutting the curds, followed by ladling them into containers for drainage. The Penicillium roqueforti inoculum is then sprinkled on top of the curds, along with Brevibacterium linens, and they are moulded into cheese loaves. Whey drainage is continued for 10 to 48 hours without applying pressure, but with frequent inversion of the moulds. Salt is added as a preservative and for flavour, and the final step is ripening the cheese through ageing.
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Blue cheese is aged in temperature-controlled environments
Blue cheese is typically aged in temperature-controlled environments, such as caves, to prevent spoilage and ensure optimal flavour and texture. The process of ageing blue cheese involves the gradual breakdown of proteins and fats from the milk, which creates the desired flavour and texture. Temperature plays a crucial role in this process, as warmer temperatures may cause the cheese to age too rapidly or even spoil, especially for high-moisture cheeses. On the other hand, colder temperatures slow down the ageing process, which can be beneficial for certain types of cheese, such as blue cheese and bloomy rinds. This slower, colder ripening period allows microbes to alter the cheese without causing them to grow too quickly.
The optimal maturing temperature for most cheeses is about 50 to 55°F (12 to 15°C). At temperatures above this range, the cheese may age too quickly and risk spoilage. However, for some cheeses, such as large-scale produced cheddar, ageing occurs in vacuum-sealed bags at temperatures of about 35 to 40°F (1.6 to 4.4°C). This variation in temperature can lead to subtle differences in the resulting cheese.
During the ripening period, the temperature and humidity levels are carefully monitored to prevent spoilage and maintain the desired flavour and texture. This controlled environment is crucial for the development of blue cheese's unique characteristics.
The discovery of blue cheese is believed to have occurred by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperature and moisture levels. These conditions were favourable for the growth of harmless moulds, specifically Penicillium roqueforti, which is responsible for the greenish-blue mouldy appearance and distinct smell of blue cheese. The legend of Roquefort, one of the first blue cheeses, involves a young boy who left his bread and ewes' milk cheese in a cave, only to find it transformed by mould months later.
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Frequently asked questions
Most blue cheeses on the market are made from cow's milk, but there are also sheep's and goat's milk versions.
Blue cheese is made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The mould is most commonly from the bacteria Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum.
Blue cheeses vary in flavour from mild to strong and from slightly sweet to salty or sharp.
