Patrick Oconnell
Gorgonzola is a pungent blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is believed to have originated in Italy in the 9th century and is now made in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. The cheese is made by combining whole pasteurized cow's milk with penicillium roqueforti cultures, enzymes, rennet and salt. The milk begins to curdle immediately, and within 20 minutes, the curds are gently cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round moulds. The cheese is then aged for around three to four months.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Type of cow's milk | Whole, unskimmed, pasteurized |
| Additives | Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium glaucum, spores, enzymes, rennet, salt |
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What You'll Learn
Gorgonzola is made from cow's milk
Gorgonzola is available in two primary variations: Dolce, which has a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, and Piccante, which has a more pungent flavour and a firm, crumbly texture. Both can be quite salty, with a "bite" from their blue veining.
Gorgonzola is made by combining whole pasteurised cow's milk with penicillium roqueforti cultures, enzymes, rennet and salt. The milk begins to curdle immediately, and within 20 minutes, the curds are gently cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round moulds. The wheels are turned several times, then rested overnight before being salted. At this point, each wheel weighs about 40 pounds, but they'll get lighter during the ageing process. It takes around 50 days of ageing for the cheese to be certified as Gorgonzola.
Gorgonzola has a soft, crumbly texture and a flavour that ranges from buttery and creamy to nutty and sharp, depending on how long it's aged. Its colour ranges from white to pale yellow, and it is marbled with the blue to blue-green mould that is its unique signature. Because the milk isn't heated, and the cheese itself isn't pressed, gorgonzola retains plenty of moisture.
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It is a blue cheese
Gorgonzola is a blue cheese made from cow's milk. It is made in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, in the northern part of the country. It is believed to have been created in the 9th century.
Gorgonzola is made from whole, unskimmed, pasteurised cow's milk, to which starter microbes and spores of the mould *Penicillium roqueforti* or *Penicillium glaucum* are added. The milk is then curdled, and the curds are cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round moulds. The wheels are turned several times, then rested overnight before being salted. The cheese is then aged for around three to four months.
Gorgonzola has a soft, crumbly texture and a flavour that ranges from buttery and creamy to nutty and sharp, depending on how long it is aged. Its colour ranges from white to pale yellow, and it is marbled with blue to blue-green mould. The mould is what gives the cheese its distinctive blue to blue-green marbling. Because the milk isn't heated, and the cheese itself isn't pressed, gorgonzola retains plenty of moisture.
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It is made in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy
Gorgonzola is a pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is made in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, in the north of the country. It is believed to have originated in the 9th century.
Gorgonzola is made by combining whole pasteurised cow's milk with penicillium roqueforti cultures, enzymes, rennet and salt. The milk curdles immediately, and after 20 minutes, the curds are cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round moulds. The wheels are turned several times, then rested overnight before being salted. Each wheel weighs about 40 pounds at this stage, but they lose weight during the ageing process. Gorgonzola takes around three to four months to make, including the ageing process.
The distinctive blue to blue-green marbling of gorgonzola is produced by the Penicillium roqueforti fungus, which is added to the milk at the start of the cheesemaking process. The cheese has a soft, crumbly texture and a flavour that ranges from buttery and creamy to nutty and sharp, depending on how long it is aged. Its colour ranges from white to pale yellow, and it is marbled with the blue to blue-green mould that is its unique signature. Because the milk isn't heated, and the cheese itself isn't pressed, gorgonzola retains plenty of moisture.
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It has a soft, crumbly texture
Gorgonzola is a pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It has a soft, crumbly texture and a flavour that ranges from buttery and creamy to nutty and sharp, depending on how long it's aged. Its colour ranges from white to pale yellow, and it is marbled with the blue to blue-green mould that is its unique signature. Because the milk isn't heated, and the cheese itself isn't pressed, gorgonzola retains plenty of moisture.
Gorgonzola is made by combining whole pasteurised cow's milk with penicillium roqueforti cultures, enzymes, rennet and salt. The milk begins to curdle immediately, and within 20 minutes, the curds are gently cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round moulds. The wheels are turned several times, then rested overnight before being salted. At this point, each wheel weighs about 40 pounds, but they'll get lighter during the ageing process. It takes around 50 days of ageing for the cheese to be certified as Gorgonzola.
Gorgonzola is available in two primary variations: Dolce, with a more delicate flavour and buttery consistency, and Piccante, with a more pungent flavour and firm, crumbly texture. Either can be quite salty, with a "bite" from their blue veining.
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It is available in two primary variations: Dolce and Piccante
Gorgonzola is a pungent Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk. It is available in two primary variations: Dolce and Piccante. Dolce has a more delicate flavour and a buttery consistency, while Piccante has a more pungent flavour and a firm, crumbly texture. Both variations can be quite salty, with a "bite" from their blue veining.
Dolce Gorgonzola is made from whole pasteurised cow's milk, which is combined with penicillium roqueforti cultures, enzymes, rennet and salt. The milk begins to curdle immediately, and within 20 minutes, the curds are gently cut into small pieces. The whey is drained, and the curds are transferred into round moulds. The wheels are turned several times, then rested overnight before being salted. At this point, each wheel weighs about 40 pounds, but they'll get lighter during the ageing process. It takes around 50 days of ageing for the cheese to be certified as Gorgonzola.
Piccante Gorgonzola is made in a similar way, but with a few key differences. First, the milk is not heated, and the cheese itself is not pressed. This allows the Piccante variation to retain plenty of moisture, resulting in a softer, crumbly texture. Second, the curds are pricked with a metal skewer to ensure the marbling appears throughout the final product. This gives Piccante Gorgonzola its distinctive blue to blue-green marbling, produced by the Penicillium roqueforti fungus.
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Frequently asked questions
Gorgonzola is made from cow's milk.
Gorgonzola is made from whole, unskimmed, pasteurised cow's milk.
Penicillium roqueforti fungus is added to the milk at the start of the cheesemaking process to give gorgonzola its distinctive blue-green marbling.
Gorgonzola takes around three to four months to make, which involves curdling the milk, cutting the curd, and preparing for ageing.
