Blue Cheese Origins: Understanding The Base Cheese

Blue cheese is made from cheese with added cultures of edible moulds, which create its distinctive blue-green veins. The mould is usually Penicillium roqueforti, which is added to the milk or the curd. The cheese is then punctured with needles to allow oxygen to reach the inside, and the mould develops inside the air tunnels. Blue cheese can be made from different types of milk, including cow, goat and sheep, and can vary in flavour from mild to strong, colour from pale to dark, and consistency from liquid to hard.

Blue cheese is made from mould called Penicillium roqueforti

The mould is believed to have been discovered by accident when a young boy, eating bread and ewes' milk cheese, left his meal in a cave after seeing a beautiful girl in the distance. When he returned months later, the mould (Penicillium roqueforti) had transformed his cheese into Roquefort, one of the first blue cheeses. Today, most blue mould cheeses are made by adding the mould culture to the cheese milk.

Once the Penicillium has been added to the cheese, it is punctured with a needle to allow air in and let the blue ribbons develop. The blue mould then matures inside the air tunnels, creating the distinctive blue veins and developing flavour as it ages. Most mould-containing cheeses take three to six months to mature. In blue cheese, this happens from the inside out.

Blue cheese can be made from different types of milk, including cows', goats' and sheep's milk, and each will have a distinctive flavour. The popular French blue cheese made from sheep's milk is called Roquefort. Italian Gorgonzola is made from cow's milk, while British Stilton is also made from cow's milk and has a creamy texture.

Blue cheeses may be soft and creamy or crumbly in texture, with a characteristically sharp, piquant flavour. They are often quite salty but should not be overly so, nor bitter. Well-known blue cheeses include Bleu de Bresse and Bleu d'Auvergne (France), Danablu (Denmark), Blue Cheshire (England), and several produced in the United States, such as Maytag Blue.

Blue cheese is made from different types of milk

The French blue cheese, Roquefort, is made from sheep's milk and is known for its sharp and tangy nuances. It is one of the oldest blue cheeses, with a history dating back to the 7th century. Legend has it that a shepherd boy left his bread and ewe's milk cheese in a cave, only to discover months later that it had been infested with penicillium roqueforti, a mould that was growing in the cave. This mould is now refined and used for almost all blue cheeses.

Another classic, the Italian Gorgonzola, is made from cow's milk and is known for its white and blue marbling. It is also one of the oldest blue cheeses, having been created around 879 AD.

The British Stilton is also made from cow's milk and has a creamy texture. It is a relatively new addition, becoming popular in the early 1700s.

The American Maytag Blue, created by a German immigrant in the mid-1800s, is a popular salad topper due to its salty bite and crumbly texture.

Blue veins are created by piercing the cheese with needles

Blue cheese is made from a variety of cheeses, including cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk. To make blue cheese, a packet of Penicillium Roqueforti is added to the milk. However, the milk remains white after the addition of the mould. It is only after the cheese curds have been formed into wheels that needles are inserted, creating small openings for air to penetrate and support the growth of the Penicillium Roqueforti cultures. This process encourages the formation of blue veins in the cheese.

The introduction of air allows the mould to create blue veining. Thin needles or skewers are used to pierce the cheese, creating air tunnels in which the blue mould matures and develops flavour as it ages. The mould grows along the surface of the curd-air interface, requiring oxygen to create the blue veins. The size of the curds also determines the texture of the resulting cheese. Smaller curds create a thicker and harder cheese, while larger curds result in a softer and creamier texture.

The blue veins in blue cheese are formed by piercing the cheese with needles to allow oxygen to reach the inside. This technique is crucial to the development of the characteristic flavour and aroma of blue cheese. The piercing of the cheese wheels creates air tunnels that allow for the growth of the Penicillium Roqueforti mould, which is responsible for the blue-green veins. The mould requires oxygen to grow and produce the distinctive colour and flavour of blue cheese.

The process of piercing the cheese wheels to create blue veins is a delicate one. Needles or skewers are inserted carefully to create the small openings necessary for the growth of the mould. The size and spacing of the punctures can vary depending on the desired level of veining and the specific type of blue cheese being produced. The timing of the piercing also plays a role, as it is done at a specific stage of the cheese-making process to ensure the optimal development of flavour and texture.

The creation of blue veins in blue cheese through piercing with needles is a crucial step in the production of this distinctive cheese. By introducing oxygen to the interior of the cheese wheels, the desired mould growth and flavour development occur. The size and placement of the punctures, as well as the timing of the piercing, are all carefully considered to create the unique characteristics of blue cheese, including its colour, texture, and flavour.

Blue cheese was discovered by accident

Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident. According to one legend, a young boy abandoned his meal of bread and ewes' milk cheese in a cave when he spotted a beautiful girl in the distance. When he returned months later, the mould (Penicillium roqueforti) had transformed the cheese into Roquefort. Another legend tells of a distracted shepherd who forgot his lunch of bread and cheese in a cave outside the village of Roquefort in France. When he returned a few months later, the cheese had become infested with the same mould, which was growing in the cave.

Today, almost all blue cheeses are made by adding the refined Penicillium roqueforti mould culture to the cheese milk. The mould can also be mixed with the curds. Once the Penicillium has been added, the cheese wheels are punctured with a needle to allow air into the cheese and for the blue ribbons to develop. The blue mould then matures inside the air tunnels, developing flavour as it ages. Most mould-containing cheeses take three to six months to mature, and in blue cheese, this happens from the inside out.

Blue cheese can be made from different types of milk, including cows', goats' and sheep's milk, and each will have a distinctive flavour. The popular French blue cheese, Roquefort, is made from sheep's milk. Italian Gorgonzola is made from cows' milk, as is British Stilton, which is known for its creaminess. Maytag Blue, an American version, is made from cows' milk too and is often used as a salad topper.

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 may have a distinctive smell, either from the mould or from various specially cultivated bacteria such as Brevibacterium linens.

Blue cheese is aged in temperature-controlled environments

During the ripening process, the blue cheese loaves are punctured to create small openings that allow air to penetrate and support the growth of the aerobic Penicillium roqueforti cultures, which are responsible for the blue veins in the cheese. The mould grows along the surface of the curd-air interface, creating the distinctive blue veins.

The total ketone content is constantly monitored during the ripening process, as the distinctive flavour and aroma of blue cheese are a result of methyl ketones, which are a metabolic product of Penicillium roqueforti. The longer the cheese is aged, the more pronounced the blue veins and the stronger the flavour will become.

Different types of blue cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton, have specific ageing requirements. For example, Roquefort and some types of Gorgonzola are ripened in caves, where the stable, moist atmosphere imparts a unique character to the cheeses.

The ageing process is a critical step in blue cheese production, as it not only affects the flavour and texture of the cheese but also ensures that any potential toxins produced by the mould are reduced to safe levels.

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