Andy Montoya
Blue cheese is made from the milk of various animals, including cows, sheep, goats, and even buffalo. The type of milk used, along with other factors such as the diet of the animals, contributes to the wide variety of flavours and textures found in blue cheeses. The blue veins that characterise this type of cheese are created by piercing the cheese with needles or skewers to allow oxygen to reach the inside, encouraging the growth of mould.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Animal milk used | Cow, goat, sheep, or even buffalo milk |
| Examples | English Stilton, French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola, Shropshire Blue, Danablu, Double-cream blue cheese |
| Flavor | Salty, sharp, creamy, tangy, nutty, mild, sweet |
| Texture | Moist, crumbly, creamy, smooth, hard |
| Color | Pale, dark, blue, green, white |
| Smell | Pungent |
| Bacteria | Brevibacterium linens |
| Mold | Penicillium roqueforti |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese is made from cow, goat, sheep or buffalo milk
Blue cheese is made from cow's, goat's, sheep's, or even buffalo milk. The milk used can be raw or pasteurized, and the diets of the animals whose milk is used can create variables in the cheesemaking process. For example, the flavours will differ depending on whether the animals have been grazing on summer grasses or winter hay, or whether they are in Ireland or Ecuador, in the mountains or by the sea.
The process of making blue cheese involves adding cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. Blue cheeses vary in flavour from mild to strong and from slightly sweet to salty or sharp; in colour from pale to dark; and in consistency from liquid to hard. They often have a distinctive smell, either from the mould or from various specially cultivated bacteria such as Brevibacterium linens.
Some blue cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form, and others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form. Blue cheeses are typically aged in temperature-controlled environments. Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperature and moisture levels, which happened to be favourable environments for varieties of harmless mould.
Roquefort, a French blue cheese, is made from sheep's milk. It originates from the village of Roquefort sur-Soulzon, France, and its flavours come from the use of unpasteurized sheep's milk, inoculation with Penicillium roqueforti, and the special conditions of the natural caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in which they are ripened.
Blue Stilton is a cow's milk cheese produced in the English Midlands. It's a sturdy, cylindrical cheese, beautifully marbled with streaks of blue. It has a slightly moist and crumbly texture with a rich, creamy, nutty, and salty flavour.
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Penicillium roqueforti is the cause of the blue veins
Blue cheese is made from pasteurized cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and ripened with cultures of the mould Penicillium. The mould cultures and needling contribute largely to the flavour and texture of blue cheese. Penicillium roqueforti is a saprophytic fungus that grows in natural environments like forests, soil, wood, and plant parts. It is also commonly found in decaying organic matter. Penicillium roqueforti is one of over 300 accepted species of the Penicillium genus. It is used as a fungal adjunct culture for the production of blue-veined cheeses worldwide. The fungus is responsible for the typical organoleptic properties (visual aspect, colour, texture, and aroma) of the final product. Penicillium roqueforti is sprinkled over the cheese, and the cheese is salted to prevent spoilage. The cheese is then left to age for 60 to 90 days. The blue veins in the cheese are created during the early ageing stage when the cheese is "spiked" with stainless steel rods to let oxygen circulate and encourage the growth of the mould. This process softens the texture and develops the cheese's distinctive blue flavour. The lipolytic activity of Penicillium roqueforti is important in determining the characteristic peppery or piquant flavour associated with blue-veined cheeses. The mould synthesizes an extracellular alkaline lipase (pH optimum 7.5–9.0) and an extracellular acid lipase (pH optimum 6.0–6.5).
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The cheesemaker can affect the outcome of the cheese
Blue cheese is made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk, and is ripened with cultures of the mould Penicillium. The cheesemaking process can be altered by the cheesemaker in several ways, which can ultimately affect the outcome of the cheese.
Firstly, the type of milk used (cow's, sheep's, or goat's) can impact the cheese. In addition, the diet of the animal can also make a difference. For example, Gorgonzola is made from the milk of cows that graze in the pastures of Lombardy and Piedmont.
Secondly, cheesemakers can add salt to the cheese to enhance its flavour and regulate moisture content, which affects the texture. Salt is also used to control bacteria growth and preserve the cheese. The type of salt used is important, with cheesemakers typically using non-iodized salt or cheese salt as iodine can affect the flavour and texture of the cheese.
Thirdly, the process of curd washing can impact the flavour and texture of the cheese. Washed curd cheeses, such as Gouda and Havarti, tend to be more elastic and have a mild flavour. The size of the curds can also vary depending on how finely the cheesemaker cuts them, which can impact the moisture content of the cheese.
Furthermore, the ageing process is crucial to the cheesemaking procedure, influencing the flavour, texture, and aroma of the cheese. Cheesemakers must carefully control and time this process, as even minor changes can significantly affect the final product. The environment in which the cheese is aged, such as temperature-controlled caves, also plays a role in the development of mould and the overall outcome of the cheese.
Additionally, cheesemakers can use various additives to enhance the flavour, texture, and longevity of their cheese. These additives can be introduced at different stages of the cheesemaking process and can include ingredients like food colouring, benzoyl peroxide bleach, and vegetable wax for coating the rind.
Lastly, the cheesemaker's level of expertise and attention to detail can influence the outcome of the cheese. The complex process of cheesemaking involves a range of scientific principles that can be modified to achieve different results. Over time, cheesemakers have refined their techniques and equipment to produce cheeses that meet specific needs and preferences.
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The diets of the animals create variables in cheesemaking
Blue cheese is made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk, and the type of milk used is a factor that contributes to the flavour of the cheese. The diets of the animals that produce the milk can therefore create variables in cheesemaking.
The origins of cheesemaking are unknown, but it is believed to predate recorded history, with the earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking ranging from around 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated. It is thought that cheesemaking was discovered by accident when milk was stored in a container made from the stomach of an animal, with the rennet from the stomach turning the milk into curd and whey.
The diet of the animal is a factor that affects the flavour of the cheese produced from their milk. The molecules and compounds responsible for flavour, taste, and colour are determined by factors such as the presence of carotenoids, which is linked to the environment and the physiological stage of the plant. The smell and aroma of the cheese depend on volatile molecules, some of which come from the grass and others that develop as a result of technological processes and rumen fermentations. The more grass an animal eats, the higher the terpene content will be.
The type of milk used to make blue cheese can vary, and this affects the flavour of the cheese. For example, Roquefort blue cheese is made from unpasteurized sheep's milk, while Blue Stilton is a cow's milk cheese. The diet of the animal producing the milk will therefore have a direct impact on the flavour of the blue cheese produced.
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Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident
The process of making blue cheese involves adding spores of Penicillium roqueforti to either the milk or the curd. The cheese is then pierced with thin needles or skewers to allow oxygen to reach the inside, promoting the growth of the blue mould. This piercing method is the main technique used to make blue cheese, although some people imagine that the cheese is directly injected with blue mould.
Blue cheese generally refers to any cheese made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. Blue cheeses can vary in flavour, colour, and consistency, and they often have a distinctive smell. The type of milk used to make blue cheese can come from cows, sheep, goats, or even buffalo, and the diets of these animals can also affect the cheesemaking process.
One of the most famous blue cheeses is Roquefort, which is made from sheep's milk and originates from the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in France. Other well-known blue cheeses include Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Danablu, each with its own unique characteristics and flavours. Blue cheese is often stored in foil, parchment, or waxed paper in the refrigerator and can be used in a variety of dishes, adding a sharp and creamy dimension to dressings, sauces, soups, and salads.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, and even buffalo.
Some famous blue cheeses are:
- Roquefort: a French blue cheese made from sheep's milk.
- Blue Stilton: an English cheese made from cow's milk.
- Danablu: a Danish cheese made from cow's milk.
- Gorgonzola: an Italian cheese made from cow's milk.
Blue cheese is made by adding spores of the species Penicillium roqueforti to the milk or curd. The cheese is then pierced with thin needles or skewers to let oxygen reach the inside, turning the cheese blue.
Blue cheese has a wide variety of flavours, ranging from mild to sharp, slightly sweet to salty, and creamy to tangy.
