Frederic Melton
Blue cheese is a beloved delicacy worldwide, with varieties like Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton topping the charts for many enthusiasts. However, the world's greatest blue cheese, Rogue River Blue, is in danger. This award-winning cheese, produced by Rogue Creamery in Oregon, is a limited-edition, seasonal delicacy with a unique production process and exceptional flavour. Despite its acclaim and impact on the industry, Rogue River Blue faces an uncertain future due to various factors affecting its production and sales. In this discussion, we will delve into the reasons why this renowned cheese is at risk and explore potential solutions to secure its longevity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Blue Cheese is polarizing | Many people dislike blue cheese due to its strong flavor and aroma, which can be off-putting. |
| Blue Cheese Lovers | Those who enjoy blue cheese appreciate its unique flavor and texture, which can range from sweet and fudgy to gritty. |
| Vomiting Factor | The presence of butyric acid, an oily, colorless liquid found in rancid butter and blue cheese, can trigger a vomiting response in some individuals. |
| Supertasters | Certain individuals, known as supertasters, are sensitive to specific flavors like blue cheese due to their heightened sense of taste and smell. |
| Limited Exposure | Some people may have had limited exposure to different types of blue cheese, leading to a negative perception of all blue cheeses. |
| Moldy Blue Cheese | The world-renowned Rogue River Blue cheese, which won the World Cheese Awards, is swaddled in grape leaves soaked in pear liqueur, contributing to its distinct flavor and aroma. |
| Production Process | The production of blue cheese involves culturing suitable spore-rich inocula and fermentation, requiring additional ingredients and processes to achieve its characteristic blue veins and flavor. |
| Historical Consumption | Evidence suggests that blue cheese has been consumed for centuries, with traces found in ancient salt mines in Hallstatt, Austria, dating back to 800-400 BC. |
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What You'll Learn
The mould factor
Blue cheese is made using mould cultures, specifically Penicillium roqueforti, which is added to give blue cheese its distinctive flavour and appearance. The mould breaks down milk fats and reduces fatty acids to form chemical compounds known as ketones, in particular, one called 2-Pentanone.
However, the mould is also what gives blue cheese its unique characteristics and what makes it so beloved by others. The mould cultures break down the milk fats and create the distinctive blue veins that run through the cheese. The mould also contributes to the complex flavours and aromas that make blue cheese so interesting and desirable to many.
Meredith Fitzgerald, a Certified Cheese Professional, says that despite the initial aversion some people have to blue cheese, there is a blue cheese out there for everyone. She recommends starting with a sweeter, milder blue cheese, like Bay Blue, to help people acquire a taste for blue cheese.
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The vomit factor
Blue cheese is a polarizing food, with some people loving it and others hating it. Tonya Schoenfuss, who holds a Ph.D. in dairy science, believes that what she calls the "vomit factor" is an obstacle that some people can't overcome. The butyric acid in blue cheese is an oily, colorless liquid that's also found in rancid butter and is said to taste like vomit. This is especially true for "supertasters" who are sensitive to certain flavours. For example, some people taste soap when eating fresh-cut cilantro, while others can enjoy it.
David Gremmels, president of Rogue Creamery, agrees that blue cheese can be off-putting, with its piquancy, acidity, metallic notes, and texture. However, he and Meredith Fitzgerald, a Certified Cheese Professional, believe that most people who dislike blue cheese may have had limited exposure or a negative initial experience with a strong blue cheese. Fitzgerald says that Bay Blue, a cave-aged blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, is sweet, fudgy, and gritty, and often wins over skeptics.
At the World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy, the award for the Greatest Cheese in the World went to a blue cheese: Rogue River Blue from Oregon's Rogue Creamery. This cheese is swaddled in grape leaves soaked in pear liqueur and made from organic cow's milk. This award-winning cheese intrigued customers and turned some self-proclaimed blue cheese haters into believers.
While blue cheese may be polarizing, it seems that some people who think they dislike it may not have found the right one for them. With so many varieties of blue cheese, from sweet and fudgy to strong and piquant, there may be a blue cheese for everyone.
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Blue cheese is polarising
Meredith Fitzgerald, a Certified Cheese Professional from the American Cheese Society, says, "I think blue cheese is very polarizing... Customers will come up to me and say, 'Oh I don't like blue', and I will always take that as a challenge." She has a point. Blue cheese is definitely one of those foods that people tend to feel strongly about, one way or the other.
So, what is it about blue cheese that divides people so much? Well, one theory is that it's the butyric acid. Tonya Schoenfuss, who has a Ph.D. in dairy science, says that "the butyric acid is like vomit." This may be an obstacle that some people, especially those with sensitive palates, just can't get past.
Another theory is that it's an acquired taste. Some people may have had limited exposure to the broad variety of blue cheeses out there, or perhaps their first experience with blue cheese was a particularly strong one. David Gremmels, president of Rogue Creamery, says that "the piquancy can be overwhelming." The acidity, metallic notes, and texture of some blue cheeses might be off-putting to those who are not used to them.
However, Fitzgerald remains hopeful that everyone, except perhaps those with a "closed pallet", can find a blue cheese they love. She recommends starting with a sweet, fudgy, and slightly gritty blue cheese, like Bay Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company.
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Blue cheese is an acquired taste
The process of making blue cheese involves specific steps to achieve its distinctive blue veins and pungent flavour. The mould Penicillium roqueforti, which can be found naturally, is commercially manufactured and added to cow's milk to initiate the culturing and fermentation process. This mould contributes to the breakdown of milk fats, resulting in the formation of chemical compounds called ketones, particularly 2-Pentanone. This compound is likely responsible for the strong flavour and aroma that characterise blue cheese.
The polarising nature of blue cheese is not due to any inherent fault in the cheese itself. Tonya Schoenfuss, a Ph.D. holder in dairy science, attributes it to individual sensitivity to certain flavours. Some people, known as "supertasters," may find the butyric acid in blue cheese unappealing, as it resembles the taste of vomit. However, others may enjoy the complexity that this and other compounds bring to the cheese's flavour profile.
Meredith Fitzgerald, a Certified Cheese Professional, believes that most people who claim to dislike blue cheese have not yet found the right variety for their palate. She recommends challenging these sceptics by offering them a taste of a sweeter, fudgy, and slightly gritty blue cheese, such as Bay Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. Fitzgerald asserts that anyone without a "closed pallet" should be able to discover a blue cheese variety that suits their taste.
The perception of blue cheese as an acquired taste is supported by the fact that some of the world's most renowned cheeses are blue cheeses. At the World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy, Rogue River Blue from Oregon's Rogue Creamery was named the Greatest Cheese in the World. This mouldy blue cheese, swaddled in grape leaves soaked in pear liqueur, captivated the judges and proved that blue cheese can offer a delightful sensory experience when crafted with quality ingredients and attention to detail.
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Blue cheese is a broad category
There are many different types of blue cheese, from the classic Roquefort, which was first made around 800 BC, to newer varieties like Danablu and Cambozola, which were created in the 20th century. Blue cheese is very divisive, with some people loving it and others hating it. Those who dislike it often cite its acidity and texture as off-putting. However, others argue that there is a blue cheese out there for everyone, and that people who dislike it may just need to find the right one for them.
Blue cheese has a very distinct flavour and aroma, which come from the breakdown of milk fats and the metabolism of blue mould, which creates chemical compounds called ketones. One particular ketone, 2-Pentanone, may be responsible for the bad reputation of blue cheese. It is also thought that some people may be genetically predisposed to disliking blue cheese due to their sensitivity to certain flavours.
Despite the polarising nature of blue cheese, it has clearly stood the test of time, and some varieties, like Rogue River Blue, have even won awards for being the best cheese in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is a variety of cheese characterised by blue veins and a strong flavour. The flavour and aroma come from the breakdown of milk fats and the metabolism of blue mould, which produces ketones.
Tonya Schoenfuss, a PhD holder in dairy science, attributes blue cheese's polarising nature to the presence of butyric acid, which is also found in rancid butter and has been likened to vomit.
Some popular blue cheeses include Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Cambozola, and Danish blue cheese.
The world's most expensive blue cheese is Cabrales, a semi-hard cheese from northern Spain. A 2.2-kilogram wheel of Cabrales sold for €30,000 at an auction.
Yes, Rogue River Blue from Oregon's Rogue Creamery was named the World's Greatest Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy. It was the first North American cheese to win this award.
