Randy Chandler
Blue cheese is ripened with cultures of the mould Penicillium roqueforti, which gives it its distinctive flavour and texture. The mould breaks down the fats in the cheese, creating free fatty acids (ketones) which give blue cheese its unique piquant flavour and aroma. The mould also breaks down proteins, giving the cheese its extra-creamy texture. Blue cheese is typically aged in temperature-controlled environments, and the ripening period is closely monitored to ensure the cheese does not spoil and develops its optimal flavour and texture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mold | Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium glaucum, Brevibacterium linens |
| Milk Type | Sheep, Cow, Goat, Buffalo |
| Texture | Soft and spreadable, Hard and crumbly, Creamy |
| Flavor | Mild, Salty, Sharp, Tangy, Sweet, Spicy, Savory, Sour, Bitter |
| Aroma | Mild, Sharp, Pungent, Robust |
| Additives | Salt, Sugar, Calf pre-gastric esterase |
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What You'll Learn
- Penicillium roqueforti mould and its enzymes break down fats and proteins, creating free fatty acids and ketones that give blue cheese its flavour and aroma
- The mould also raises the pH of the cheese, affecting its texture and flavour
- The type of milk used (cow, sheep, or goat) and the animal's diet before milking influence the flavour
- Different cheesemaking techniques and ageing processes create distinct flavours
- Salt is added to blue cheese for flavour and preservation
Penicillium roqueforti mould and its enzymes break down fats and proteins, creating free fatty acids and ketones that give blue cheese its flavour and aroma
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds, such as Penicillium roqueforti, to milk, which creates blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. This process gives blue cheese its distinctive flavour, aroma, and appearance.
Penicillium roqueforti is a complex fungus with unique traits that make it perfect for blue cheese production. It can be found in soil, on plants, and in decaying matter. It can also live with little oxygen, tolerate high salt levels, and thrive in low temperatures—all of which are important conditions inside cheese.
The mould produces enzymes that break down fats and proteins in the cheese. This process creates new flavour compounds and changes the cheese's texture. The breakdown of fats, called lipolysis, results in the release of free fatty acids, which are essential for rapid flavour development in blue cheese. These fatty acids give blue cheese its sharp, tangy taste.
The mould also produces proteases, which are enzymes that split proteins into smaller pieces. This leads to a softer, creamier cheese texture over time. The activity of the mould produces strong aromas, and many people describe the smell of blue cheese as musty or earthy.
The interaction between Penicillium roqueforti and other microbes leads to unique flavour profiles in different blue cheese varieties. Cheesemakers can select specific strains of the mould to achieve the desired qualities in their products, with some strains producing stronger flavours or growing more quickly.
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The mould also raises the pH of the cheese, affecting its texture and flavour
The mould in blue cheese, Penicillium roqueforti, is highly proteolytic, meaning it easily breaks down proteins. This is a natural process in any cheese, but blue mould accelerates it. This helps to break down the cheese's texture, making it softer and creamier. The mould also raises the pH of the cheese, affecting its texture and flavour. The mould is also strongly lipolytic, meaning it breaks down fats, giving off free fatty acids (ketones) that give blue cheese its unique piquant flavour and aroma.
The mould is added to the cheese after the curds have been formed into wheels and drained. Piercing the cheese with needles or spikes introduces air, which causes the mould to create blue veining. The piercing method is the main way of making blue cheese, although some cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form, and others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form.
Blue cheese was likely discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels that happened to be favourable environments for harmless moulds. The moulds grow in humid, damp environments with good airflow and plenty of oxygen. The ancient limestone caves, barns and cellars where cheese was often stored would have provided the ideal environment for mould to grow.
The distinct flavour of blue cheese is attributed to the breakdown of fat through a process called lipolysis that leads to the formation of fatty acids. The action of Penicillium roqueforti converts these fatty acids into ketones, which give the cheese its unique smell and flavour. During ripening, free fatty acids increase in amount, contributing to the characteristic flavour of blue cheese due to fat breakdown by Penicillium roqueforti.
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The type of milk used (cow, sheep, or goat) and the animal's diet before milking influence the flavour
The type of milk used and the animal's diet before milking can significantly influence the flavour of blue cheese. Blue cheese is made from varying animal milks, including cow, sheep, or goat milk, and the flavour of the final product is influenced by the animal's diet. For example, pasture grazing results in milk with higher fat and fatty acid content, which affects the texture and perception of the milk and cheese.
The diet of the animal can introduce different compounds and precursors to the milk, which will then carry over to the cheese. For instance, cattle diets low in lipids produce hard milk fat with high levels of the precursors of the blue-cheese-flavoured methyl ketones. On the other hand, diets high in lipids produce the opposite effect. Pasture grazing also introduces phytol, dihydrophytol, phytenes, and phytadienes, which result in a richly coloured milk fat.
The sensory characteristics of milk and cheese are also influenced by the phenolic compounds in an animal's diet. For example, p-cresol is responsible for the "barny" or "cow" flavours in dairy products. The main source of p-cresol in milk and cheese is the rumen metabolism of β-carotene and aromatic acids. β-carotene content is also a possible biomarker for pasture-derived dairy products, indicating that the animal's diet included lush pastures.
The type of milk used also plays a role in the flavour of blue cheese. For example, Roquefort blue cheese, which originates from the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in France, is made with unpasteurized sheep's milk, contributing to its unique flavour. The process of making blue cheese involves inoculating milk with Penicillium roqueforti to create the blue vein characteristic, and the type of milk used can influence how these cultures develop.
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Different cheesemaking techniques and ageing processes create distinct flavours
Blue cheese is a classification of cheese that includes many different types, each with its own distinct texture, flavour profile, and aroma. The unique flavour of blue cheese is due to the addition of edible mould cultures, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The mould cultures commonly used are Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium glaucum, which are added during the cheese-making process. As the cheese ages, these moulds grow and create the characteristic veins, contributing to the distinct flavour and aroma of blue cheese.
The cheesemaking techniques and ageing processes significantly impact the final flavour of blue cheese. Firstly, the type of milk used can vary, including sheep, cow, goat, or buffalo milk, and each type of milk imparts a unique flavour. For example, Roquefort, a popular French blue cheese, is made with sheep's milk and has a bold and intense flavour profile. On the other hand, British Stilton is made with cow's milk and has a creamy texture.
The amount of piercing or injection of mould spores into the cheese wheels also affects the flavour development. The piercing method introduces air, causing the mould to create blue veining and influencing the overall flavour. Additionally, the ageing or ripening process plays a crucial role in flavour development. Freshly made blue cheese has minimal flavour, and a fermentation period of 60 to 90 days is typically required for the cheese to develop its characteristic flavour. During ripening, free fatty acids increase due to fat breakdown by Penicillium roqueforti, contributing to the unique flavour profile.
The ageing environment is another critical factor in flavour development. Blue cheese is traditionally aged in temperature-controlled environments, replicating the natural caves where blue cheese was first discovered. These environments provide the ideal conditions for the growth of harmless moulds, which contribute to the distinct flavour and aroma of blue cheese. Furthermore, additional treatments during the ageing process can enhance specific flavours. For example, Rogue River Blue, a domestic cheese, is wrapped in grape leaves soaked in pear liqueur, resulting in a unique flavour profile.
The combination of cheesemaking techniques and ageing processes significantly influences the flavour of blue cheese. By varying these factors, cheesemakers can create an array of flavour profiles, ranging from mildly earthy to robustly spicy, sweet, or salty. Each blue cheese variety offers a unique taste experience, making blue cheese a captivating and complex culinary delight.
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Salt is added to blue cheese for flavour and preservation
Blue cheese is a type of cheese characterised by the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The unique flavour of blue cheese is influenced by several factors, including the type of milk used, the specific cheesemaking techniques employed, and the presence of salt.
Salt is added to blue cheese to enhance its flavour and act as a preservative. Salt is crucial in cheese production as it influences various aspects, including shelf life, enzyme activity, flavour, casein hydration, and microbial proliferation during ripening. In blue cheese production, salt is typically added through brine salting or dry salting. During the brine salting process, the cheese is immersed in a brine solution, allowing the salt to penetrate the cheese through diffusion. This method helps control the moisture content and inhibits the growth of unwanted microorganisms. Dry salting, on the other hand, involves applying salt directly to the surface of the cheese, creating a moisture gradient that draws moisture out from the centre.
The amount and type of salt used in blue cheese production can vary, impacting the overall flavour and texture. Excess salt can be added to the surface of the cheese through repeated applications of dry salt, resulting in a saltier flavour. Additionally, different salts, such as potassium chloride (KCl) or calcium lactate, can be used as substitutes for traditional sodium chloride (NaCl) to reduce sodium content while still providing the necessary preservative and flavour-enhancing effects.
The role of salt in blue cheese extends beyond flavour and preservation. Salt also affects the texture of the cheese by influencing the solubility of proteins and the moisture content. At lower concentrations, salt enhances protein hydration, while at higher concentrations, it leads to decreased hydration, resulting in a firmer and stiffer cheese matrix. This textural change is particularly important in cooked cheese products, where salt content plays a significant role in determining the final characteristics of the cheese.
In summary, salt is added to blue cheese to enhance its flavour and act as a preservative. The specific methods of salting, the amount of salt used, and the type of salt contribute to the unique characteristics of each blue cheese variety. The presence of salt in blue cheese not only influences flavour but also plays a crucial role in texture development and extending the shelf life of the product.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is a generic term for cheese produced with pasteurized cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and ripened with cultures of the mold penicillium.
The blue veins of mold that run throughout the cheese give it its signature sharp and salty flavor. The mold breaks down the fats in the cheese, creating free fatty acids (ketones) that give blue cheese its unique piquant flavor and aroma.
Blue veins are formed when cheesemakers pierce the cheese with needles to allow air to penetrate and support the growth of the Penicillium roqueforti cultures.
The three most famous blue cheeses are Stilton, Roquefort, and Gorgonzola. Other types of blue cheese include Black Label, Maytag Blue, and Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue.
