The Origin Of Blue Cheese: A Historical Overview

Blue cheese is a popular variety of cheese known for its distinctive blue-green veins, strong aroma, and bold, salty flavour. It is made by adding spores of the mould Penicillium Roqueforti to cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo milk. The cheese is then pierced or injected with mould to create its signature veining. Blue cheese is believed to have originated in the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, France, where it is said a shepherd accidentally discovered the variety by leaving a half-eaten loaf of bread in a cave for several months.

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Blue cheese is made with pasteurised goat, sheep or cow's milk

Blue cheese is made from pasteurised goat, sheep or cow's milk and is cultured with the mould Penicillium Roqueforti. The mould is added to the milk along with other starter cultures. The cheese gets its distinctive blue-green veins from the Penicillium Roqueforti mould. The mould is often injected into the cheese, or the curds may be loosened to allow air gaps for the mould to grow between them.

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 a favourable environment for harmless moulds to grow. Roquefort blue cheese, for example, originates from the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in France, where a shepherd left a half-eaten loaf of bread in a cave and, upon returning months later, found that mould had grown on the bread and turned his cheese blue.

The flavour of blue cheese is influenced by the type of milk used, the diet of the animal, and the cheesemaking techniques employed. Blue cheeses vary in flavour from mild to strong, and from slightly sweet to salty or sharp. They may have a distinctive smell, either from the mould or from various specially cultivated bacteria such as Brevibacterium linens, which is the same bacteria responsible for body odour.

Blue cheese is often a popular choice for cheeseboards, adding colour, texture and a punchy flavour. Some well-known blue cheeses include Gorgonzola from Italy, Roquefort from France, and Stilton from England.

The blue-green veins are from the mould Penicillium Roqueforti

Blue cheese is made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The blue-green veins are from the mould Penicillium Roqueforti. This mould is added to the milk along with other starter cultures. The mould itself is from one or more strains from the genus Penicillium. However, these are not the same strains that are used in antibiotics.

The mould can be directly injected into the cheese, or the cheese can be pierced so that the mould can grow in between the curds. The piercing method is the main method of making blue cheese. The curds are not tightly packed to allow for air gaps between them, which the mould can also grow in.

The flavour of blue cheese comes in part from lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat. The metabolism of the blue mould further breaks down fatty acids to form ketones, which give blue cheese a richer flavour and aroma. The flavour of the cheese can also be influenced by the diet of the animal the milk comes from, whether they are eating summer grasses or winter hay.

Roquefort blue cheese, which is made from sheep's milk, originates from the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in France. Its flavour comes from the use of unpasteurized sheep's milk, inoculation with Penicillium Roqueforti, and the special conditions of the natural caves in which it is ripened.

The mould is added to the milk or injected into the curds

The mould in blue cheese is typically from one or more strains of the genus Penicillium, specifically Penicillium roqueforti. The mould is added to the milk or injected into the curds, creating blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. Some cheesemakers mix the spores of Penicillium roqueforti with the milk or curd, while others inject the spores into the curds before they form, or after they have formed.

Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels that happened to be favourable environments for harmless varieties of mould. According to folklore, a shepherd in Roquefort, France, invented blue cheese when he left a half-eaten loaf of bread in a cave for several months. Upon returning, he found that mould had formed on the bread, which had also turned the cheese blue.

Today, the process of making blue cheese is carefully controlled and intentional. The piercing method, in which the cheese is pierced and then injected with mould, is commonly used. This technique allows for air gaps between the curds, and after piercing, the mould can grow between them. The mould breaks down fatty acids to form ketones, giving blue cheese its distinct flavour and aroma.

The type of milk and animal diet also play a role in the cheesemaking process. Blue cheese is typically made from cow's milk, but it can also be made from goat, sheep, or even buffalo milk, which may be raw or pasteurized. The diet of the animals, such as summer grasses or winter hay, can also create variables in the cheesemaking process.

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It was discovered by accident when cheese was stored in caves

Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves, which provided natural temperature and moisture control. This environment was conducive to the growth of harmless varieties of mould. According to folklore, a shepherd in Roquefort, France, invented blue cheese in this manner. The story goes that a half-eaten loaf of bread was left in a cave and, upon rediscovery months later, it was found that mould had not only grown on the bread but had also turned the cheese blue.

The mould that forms in blue cheese is from one or more strains of the genus Penicillium. The specific mould that gives blue cheese its characteristic colour is Penicillium roqueforti. This mould is added to the milk or curd, along with other starter cultures, and is the same mould that grows on bread. Other moulds and yeasts are also present in blue cheese, such as Debaryomyces hansenii and its non-sporulating form Candida famata, and Kluyveromyces lactis and its non-sporulating form Candida sphaerica.

Blue cheese is made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, or even buffalo. The type of animal milk and their diet, as well as the cheesemaking techniques used, contribute to the wide variety of blue cheeses available. For example, Roquefort is made from sheep's milk, while Gorgonzola is made from cow's milk.

The process of making blue cheese involves creating air gaps between the curds by not packing them tightly. The curds are then pierced or injected with mould spores, allowing the mould to grow between the curds. This piercing method is the primary technique used in modern cheesemaking to create blue cheese intentionally. The distinct flavour of blue cheese comes not only from the mould but also from the breakdown of fat, known as lipolysis.

The flavour and odour come from the breakdown of fatty acids

The flavour and odour of blue cheese are derived from the breakdown of fatty acids. This process is known as lipolysis, and it occurs when the cheese is pierced, allowing mould to grow between the curds. The mould breaks down the fatty acids to form ketones, which give blue cheese its distinct, richer flavour and aroma.

The type of mould responsible for this process is called Penicillium roqueforti, and it is added to the milk along with other starter cultures. This mould is also what gives blue cheese its characteristic blue-green veins. The particular mixture of methyl ketones, such as 2-heptanone, 2-pentanone, and 2-nonanone, gives each blue cheese its unique flavour and odour.

While the folklore of blue cheese suggests that it was discovered by accident, the modern cheesemaking process is highly controlled and intentional. The piercing method, in which the cheese is pierced to allow mould growth, is the main method used to make blue cheese. This technique is favoured over direct injection of mould spores, which is also sometimes used.

The flavour and odour of blue cheese can also be influenced by the type of milk used, which can be from cows, goats, sheep, or even buffalo. The diet of these animals can also create variables in cheesemaking, depending on whether they are eating summer grasses or winter hay, and their grazing location.

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