Frederic Melton
Maytag Blue Cheese is a variety of blue cheese produced by the Maytag Dairy Farms just outside Newton, Iowa. It is made from fresh Holstein milk and has a creamy, buttery texture with a slightly salty tang. Blue cheese is typically made using mould derived from the Penicillium bacteria, which is grown on bread—which contains gluten. This has led to questions about whether blue cheese is gluten-free. While most blue cheeses today are gluten-free, some are still made using traditional methods, which involve the use of bread mould.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Maytag Blue Cheese is made from Holstein milk
Maytag Blue Cheese is made from the milk of Holstein cattle. The cheese has been handcrafted since 1941 on the Maytag Dairy Farms, located just outside Newton, Iowa. The milk for the cheese initially came from a herd of Holstein cattle that was established by Elmer Henry Maytag, a son of the Maytag founder.
Maytag Blue Cheese is one of the first American original blue cheeses. It is a creamy, buttery blue with a slightly salty tang and a dense, crumbly texture. It is ripened in hillside caves over 6 months, during which it develops its unique texture and semi-sharp flavor.
The process of making Maytag Blue Cheese begins with homogenizing the milk. The cream is separated from the milk, homogenized, and then added back into the now skim milk, typically at a specific temperature and pressure range. This allows for proper fat hydrolysis, which affects the flavor of the cheese. There is a ripening period prior to adding rennet (a mixture of enzymes that coagulates milk into curds and whey) to the cheese.
The process produces cheese with a more uniform color, flavor, and texture than previous processes, resulting in a consistent product. The blue color of the cheese comes from the mold derived from the Penicillium bacteria. Traditionally, this mold was grown on bread, which contains gluten. As a result, some people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease may avoid blue cheeses altogether.
However, today, most blue cheeses, including Maytag Blue Cheese, are gluten-free. This is because the molds are now typically developed in a laboratory setting with a chemical substrate free of gluten. While Maytag Blue Cheese is made from gluten-free processes, it is always important for those with gluten intolerance or allergies to check with the company or look for gluten statements on their websites to ensure the product is safe for consumption.
Blue Cheese and B12: A Nutritional Powerhouse?
You may want to see also
The cheese is handcrafted and produced in small batches
Maytag Blue Cheese is a handcrafted cheese produced in small batches. It was first created in 1941 just outside Newton, Iowa, on a farm called Maytag by Frederick Louis Maytag II and Robert Maytag, grandsons of the founder of the Maytag appliance company, Frederick Louis Maytag I. The milk for the cheese initially came from a herd of Holstein cattle established by Elmer Henry Maytag, a son of the Maytag founder.
The process of making Maytag Blue Cheese is carefully executed to ensure the best quality cheese reaches the consumers. The milk used for the cheese is homogenized, with the cream separated from the milk and then added back into the skim milk at a specific temperature and pressure range. This step is crucial for achieving proper fat hydrolysis, which impacts the flavour of the cheese. The cheese then undergoes a ripening period before adding rennet, a mixture of enzymes that coagulates the milk into curds and whey.
The cheesemakers at Maytag Dairy Farms take pride in their craft, and their attention to detail results in a consistent product with a uniform colour, flavour, and texture. The blue cheese is ripened in hillside caves for over six months, during which it develops its distinctive dense, crumbly texture and semi-sharp flavour. The lengthy ripening process ensures that every bite of Maytag Blue Cheese melts in the mouth, releasing a slightly tangy flavour with a lemony finish.
While the traditional method of making blue cheese involved using bread mould, which could introduce gluten, most modern cheesemakers, including Maytag Dairy Farms, have transitioned to using laboratory-grown moulds. This shift ensures that their blue cheese is gluten-free, making it accessible to a wider audience, including those with gluten intolerances or allergies.
In summary, Maytag Blue Cheese is a handcrafted, small-batch cheese produced with attention to detail and a focus on quality. The cheesemakers' dedication to their craft has resulted in a consistent, award-winning product that has become a beloved American gourmet cheese, enjoyed by blue cheese enthusiasts across the country.
Blu Cheese and Tyramine: What's the Connection?
You may want to see also
Blue cheese is made using mould derived from the Penicillium bacteria
Once the pH rises due to the loss of lactic acid, the enzymes in the moulds become more active and can continue to ferment the cheese. The mould grows along the surface of the curd-air interface, creating the blue veins and the distinct aroma of blue cheese. To prepare the inoculum, a freeze-dried culture of Penicillium roqueforti is washed from a pure culture agar plate and then frozen. Through freeze-drying, water is evaporated from the frozen state without transitioning through the liquid state. This process retains the value of the culture, and it is reactivated when water is added.
Salt, sugar, or a combination of the two, is added to autoclaved, homogenized milk via a sterile solution, which is then inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti. This solution is incubated for three to four days at 21–25 °C (70–77 °F), and then more salt and/or sugar is added before continuing aerobic incubation for an additional one to two days. Alternatively, sterilized, homogenized milk and reconstituted non-fat solids or whey solids are mixed with sterile salt to create a fermentation medium, to which a spore-rich Penicillium roqueforti culture is added.
The question of whether blue-veined cheeses are gluten-free has been a topic of debate. This is because, historically, the mould used to derive the bacteria was grown on bread, which contains gluten. Therefore, in instances where bread was used to grow the mould, gluten could have found its way into the cheese. However, today, most blue cheeses are gluten-free as the moulds are typically developed in a laboratory setting with a chemical substrate free of gluten. Maytag Blue Cheese, for example, is a blue cheese produced in the United States that is gluten-free.
Blue Cheese Dressing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making It
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The mould is grown on bread, which contains gluten
Maytag Blue Cheese is a popular American blue cheese produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms just outside Newton, Iowa. It was first produced in 1941 by Frederick Louis Maytag II and Robert Maytag, grandsons of the founder of the Maytag appliance company. The cheese is made from fresh, local Holstein milk and is ripened in hillside caves for over six months, during which it develops a dense, crumbly texture and a semi-sharp, tangy flavor.
Now, onto the question of gluten. The concern with blue cheese and gluten arises because, historically, the mold used to make blue cheese was derived from the Penicillium bacteria and grown on bread, which contains gluten. This mold was then injected into the cheese during processing, leading to the creation of blue or green-veined cheeses. As a result, in instances where bread was used to grow the mold, gluten could and did find its way into the cheese.
However, this does not mean that all blue cheeses contain gluten. In recent times, the methods for producing blue cheese have evolved. Most blue cheeses today are developed in a laboratory setting with a chemical substrate that is free of gluten. These modern blue cheeses, therefore, do not contain gluten.
So, does Maytag Blue Cheese contain gluten? The answer is unclear. While most blue cheeses today are gluten-free, there are still some artisanal blue cheeses made according to traditional methods that may contain gluten. Maytag Blue Cheese is a handcrafted cheese produced using traditional curing methods since 1941. It is possible that their production process has remained unchanged and still utilizes the mold grown on bread. However, without a clear gluten statement from the company, it is challenging to determine if Maytag Blue Cheese contains gluten.
If you are concerned about gluten in Maytag Blue Cheese or any other blue cheese, the best course of action is to contact the company directly. They will be able to provide definitive information about their production processes and the presence or absence of gluten in their products.
Blue Cheese: Unpasteurized or Not?
You may want to see also
Most blue cheeses today are gluten-free
Maytag Blue Cheese is a popular American blue cheese produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms just outside Newton, Iowa. It was first created in 1941 by Frederick Louis Maytag II and Robert Maytag, grandsons of the founder of the Maytag appliance company. The cheese is made from fresh, local Holstein milk and is ripened in hillside caves for over six months, during which it develops a dense, crumbly texture and a semi-sharp, tangy flavor.
Blue cheese is typically made using mold derived from the Penicillium bacteria, which is traditionally grown on bread—and bread contains gluten. Therefore, in the past, blue cheese was often made using gluten. However, today, most blue cheeses are gluten-free. This is because, rather than using bread mold, cheesemakers can now buy liquid blue mold that is made in a laboratory setting with a chemical substrate free of gluten.
While Maytag Blue Cheese does not explicitly state whether or not it is gluten-free, most blue cheeses today are gluten-free. This is good news for those who love blue cheese but need to avoid gluten due to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or a wheat allergy.
If you are unsure about whether a particular brand of blue cheese is gluten-free, it is best to check with the company that makes it, as they will be able to provide a definitive answer. It is also important to read labels and ingredient lists carefully and to ask questions when dining out or purchasing pre-made foods containing blue cheese, as gluten can be a hidden ingredient.
Buffalo Chicken Dip: Blue Cheese or Not?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Maytag Blue Cheese is made from fresh, Holstein milk from local Iowa farms. The process of making Maytag Blue Cheese involves homogenizing the milk, separating the cream, and adding it back to the skim milk. While the cheese is gluten-free, some people with gluten intolerance may still react to it.
Some blue cheeses are made using mold derived from the Penicillium bacteria, which is traditionally grown on bread. Today, most blue cheeses are gluten-free as the molds are developed in a laboratory setting with a chemical substrate free of gluten.
Check the company's website for a gluten statement. If there isn't one, contact the company directly to ask.
Yes, most blue cheeses today are gluten-free. Some examples include Pt. Reyes, Lighthouse Blue Cheese Salad Dressing, and True Blue Cheese by Brianna's.
Maytag Blue Cheese can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It can be crumbled into salads, sprinkled on crackers, or melted on a burger. It pairs well with a glass of ale or lager.
