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Blue cheese is a generic term for cheese produced with cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and ripened with cultures of the mould penicillium. 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 believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels, which created an environment favourable to the growth of harmless mould.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How is blue cheese made? | Cheese produced with pasteurized cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and ripened with cultures of the mold penicillium. |
| Texture | Crumbly, weepy, soft, creamy, mildly earthy, dry, and hard. |
| Flavor | Mild, strong, slightly sweet, salty, sharp, pungent, tangy, and creamy. |
| Color | Pale, dark, blue, green, gray, or black veins or spots of mold. |
| Smell | Distinctive smell from the mold or from various specially cultivated bacteria such as Brevibacterium linens. |
| Moisture | Under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, blue cheese can have a maximum of 47% moisture. The United States Code of Federal Regulations standard for blue cheese specifies a maximum moisture of 46%. |
| Milk Fat | The Canadian Food Inspection Agency specifies a minimum of 27% milk fat. The United States Code of Federal Regulations standard for blue cheese specifies a minimum milk fat content of 50%. |
| Salt | Salt is allowed to be used as a preservative, but the amount of salt shall not exceed 200 parts per million of milk and milk products used to make the cheese. |
| Bacterial Cultures | The Canadian Food Inspection Agency does not limit the use of bacterial cultures to aid further ripening and flavoring preparations other than cheese flavoring. |
| Gluten | The mold spores for blue cheeses were originally grown on bread and other media that contained gluten. However, research by Dr. Terry Koerner showed that the amount of gluten transferred from the growth media to the cheese was far below the 20 parts per million generally accepted as safe. |
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What You'll Learn
- Blue cheese is made from cow's milk, as well as sheep's and goat's milk
- The blue veins are from mould, specifically Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum
- Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident
- Blue cheese is generally salty and sharp in flavour, with a pungent aroma
- There are many varieties of blue cheese, including Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola
Blue cheese is made from cow's milk, as well as sheep's and goat's milk
Blue cheese is a generic term for any cheese made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. Blue cheese is made from cow's milk, as well as sheep's and goat's milk. The type of milk used, along with the animal's diet and the cheesemaking technique, gives each blue cheese its distinct flavour.
Most blue cheeses on the market are made from cow's milk. One example is the Danish blue cheese Danablu, which is produced on the island of Funen and has a creamy and smooth texture with a slightly sharp and salty flavour. Another is Maytag blue cheese, which is an American version of blue cheese that is aged in underground caves.
Blue cheese can also be made from sheep's milk. Roquefort, one of the oldest blue cheeses, is produced from sheep's milk in the south of France. It is considered a delicacy and is known for its blue veins, moist and crumbly texture, and nuanced flavour.
Blue cheese made from goat's milk is also available, offering a creamy texture with a tangy taste.
The process of making blue cheese typically involves six standard steps, but additional ingredients and processes are required to create its distinctive blue-veined appearance. Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels, creating an environment favourable for the growth of harmless mould.
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The blue veins are from mould, specifically Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The blue veins are from mould, specifically Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum. These moulds grow during the ageing process, creating the distinctive blue or blue-green veins.
Penicillium roqueforti is the mould that is responsible for the blue veins in Roquefort, one of the oldest and most famous blue cheeses. According to legend, Roquefort was discovered when a young boy's bread and ewes' milk cheese was left in a cave for months, allowing the mould to transform the cheese.
Penicillium glaucum is used to inoculate Gorgonzola, another well-known blue cheese. This mould produces the characteristic blue-green veins during the ripening process. Gorgonzola is an Italian cheese made from cows that graze in the pastures of Lombardy and Piedmont.
Other factors also contribute to the flavour and texture of blue cheese, such as the type of milk used (cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk), the animal's diet, and the cheesemaking techniques employed. Blue cheese generally has a salty, sharp flavour and a pungent aroma, with variations ranging from mild to strong and slightly sweet to salty or sharp.
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels, creating an ideal environment for the growth of harmless mould. The concern regarding gluten in blue cheese due to the use of bread for mould spores has been addressed by research showing that the amount of gluten transferred is quite small and safe for gluten-free diets.
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Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident
This legend is disputed by some researchers, who argue that blue cheese moulds colonized cheese from within and did not come from food-spoiling moulds on the surface. They suggest that the mould probably came from a plant pathogen of rye, which made its way into the flour and then the baked bread. This theory is supported by the fact that similar Penicillium species are known to infect or decompose plants.
Regardless of its exact origins, blue cheese has become a popular variety of cheese known for its distinctive appearance, strong aroma, and unique flavour profile. It is made using milk from cows, goats, or sheep, with different types of blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort, originating from specific regions.
The process of making blue cheese involves adding Penicillium roqueforti to the milk along with other starter cultures. To create the blue veins, the cheese is pierced with needles or skewers to allow oxygen to reach the inside. The blue mould then matures inside these air tunnels, developing its distinct flavour as it ages.
Blue cheese is typically aged in temperature-controlled environments, with the moisture levels and temperature being crucial to the development of the mould. The final product can vary in flavour from mild to strong, salty to sharp, and slightly sweet, with a range of consistencies from liquid to hard.
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Blue cheese is generally salty and sharp in flavour, with a pungent aroma
Blue cheese is made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and ripened with cultures of the mould penicillium. The type of milk used, the diet of the animal, and the cheesemaking techniques employed all contribute to the distinct flavour of each blue cheese. Blue cheese generally has a salty, sharp flavour and a pungent aroma.
The mould spores for blue cheese were originally grown on bread and other media that contained gluten, leading to concerns about the cheese being off-limits for those on a gluten-free diet. However, research by Dr. Terry Koerner in the early 1990s found that the amount of gluten transferred to the cheese was quite low, with levels far below the generally accepted safe threshold of 20 parts per million.
Blue cheese is characterised by its blue, green, grey, or black veins or spots of mould. The blue mould, typically Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum, grows during ageing, creating fine veins throughout the cheese. The mould cultures and needling contribute significantly to the flavour and texture of the cheese. During ripening, free fatty acids increase in amount, contributing to the characteristic flavour of blue cheese due to fat breakdown by Penicillium roqueforti.
The process of making blue cheese consists of six standard steps, but additional ingredients and processes are required to give it its distinctive properties. Blue cheese is often aged in temperature-controlled environments, such as underground caves, which provide natural temperature and moisture control. The controlled environment encourages the growth of harmless mould, giving blue cheese its characteristic flavour and aroma.
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There are many varieties of blue cheese, including Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds, specifically Penicillium, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The process of making blue cheese usually involves six standard steps, but additional ingredients and processes are required to give it its distinctive properties. Blue cheeses are typically aged in temperature-controlled environments, such as caves, which provide natural temperature and moisture levels that are favourable for the growth of harmless mould.
There are indeed many varieties of blue cheese, including Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola. Roquefort, according to legend, was one of the first blue cheeses. It was discovered when a young boy, eating bread and ewes' milk cheese, left his meal in a cave, only to find it transformed by mould months later. Similarly, Gorgonzola is one of the oldest known blue cheeses, having been created around AD 879, though it only developed its characteristic blue veins in the 11th century. Stilton, on the other hand, is a more recent addition, becoming popular in the early 1700s.
Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola are considered favoured blue cheeses in many countries. These cheeses have a protected designation of origin, meaning they can only bear their respective names if produced in a certain way and in a specific location. For example, Gorgonzola takes its name from the Italian village where it was first made, and it is inoculated with Penicillium glaucum to give it its blue-green veins. Stilton, meanwhile, is inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti and was first sold in the village of Stilton, England, though there is little evidence it was made there.
Other varieties of blue cheese include Danablu and Cambozola, which were created in the 20th century to meet the demand for Roquefort-style cheeses. Blue cheeses with no protected origin name are simply designated as "blue cheese". These cheeses vary in flavour, colour, and consistency, ranging from mild to strong, pale to dark, and liquid to hard, respectively.
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