Chocolate is also a classic pairing for blue cheese, which you can read a little more about here. Close search. Shop Cheese Subscriptions Shop Cheesemakers. What is Blue Cheese? The Vast World of Blue Cheese Often associated with one characteristic blue flavor, blue cheese comes in all types of textures and variations of flavor.
Origins of Blue Cheese The blue mold found in is blue cheese is often penicillium roqueforti, a fungus whose name originates from the town of Roquefort, where Roquefort cheese is produced. Factors That Effect Ripening In cheese, the blue mold only starts to grow when exposed to oxygen, which explains the signature spearing of holes through blue cheese wheels before they are aged in open air in a cave. Proper Humidity Once cut, blue cheese holds a delicate paste that requires high humidity levels to retain its signature characteristics.
Dry Environment Blue cheese wedges, when stored in a drier environment, will become more crumbly- thus making them more spicy with blue mold flavor over time.
How to Serve Blue Cheese It is always recommended to let your cheese come to room temperature before you enjoy it. Pairing Food and Wine with Blue Cheese Blue cheese is an experience unto itself on a cheese board, and is complimented by juicy fruits and prosciutto.
First Name. Last Name. The cheese is then left to mature for three to six months, giving the Penicillium time to grow inside. After it has worked its magic, the cheese is creamier and fuller in flavor. The life-saving one is Penicillium chrysogenum, while the two most common varieties of Penicillium for blue cheeses are Penicillium roqueforti named after the French town of Roquefort where cheese of the same name is made and Penicillium glaucum.
Extra moldy cheese has come a long way since its early spontaneous spores and cave-aging days. Different styles are now made with milk from sheep, cows, and goats in nearly all of the great cheesemaking countries, including France , Italy , England , and the US. These are the five best to try. Photo: D. In the past, many women on the farm made Blue Vinny vinney is an old English word for mold , and often got the mold in the cheese through some unsavory methods like dirty horse harnesses and slug slime.
Thankfully, the methods used today are far more hygienic. The only current producer is Woodbridge Farm , which makes an award-winning cheese with a rich and creamy flavor.
Stilton : A cheese that came from the east of England sometime during the 17th century, Stilton was developed over time into the semi-hard blue cheese it is today.
The first known recipe dates back to The blue mold appears to have happened by accident. Gorgonzola : This cheese is produced near Milan , Italy, and is one of the oldest blue cheeses. Legend has it that a young man went off in pursuit of his lover and forgot to drain his cheese curds.
The next day, he mixed the curds and tried to save them, but the resulting cheese had the blue-green veins of mold after aging. One thing led to another and he and others ate the cheese anyway. Now gorgonzola is one of the better-known cheeses of Italy and the world.
Photo: Barbara Dudzinska. Along with Penicillium roqueforti spores, the cheese is aged with a sweet white Vouvray wine. Blue brain comes from Switzerland and gets its name because it looks like, well, a brain covered in a thick layer of blue mold.
It was created by a family in Bern using milk from indigenous Swiss cows. The family formed balls of cheese and left them to mature in a cave like they did many times before, as the story goes, but they forgot about this particular batch while it was aging. Certain types of mold produce compounds called mycotoxins, which are considered toxic to humans 1. During the cheesemaking process, Penicillium is added after the curds have been drained and rolled into wheels.
Penicillium is responsible for the distinct taste and smell of blue cheese, along with its signature blue and green veins and spots 4. Unlike other types of mold, Penicillium does not produce toxins and is safe to consume. You can also freeze blue cheese to help extend its shelf life even further. Although freezing blue cheese may slightly alter its texture and appearance, it remains safe indefinitely when frozen. If wrapped and refrigerated, blue cheese can last 3—4 weeks.
Frozen blue cheese can last indefinitely, although freezing it may slightly alter its texture and appearance. If you notice any signs of spoilage on your blue cheese, you should discard it immediately. In particular, fuzzy white, green, pink, or grey spots growing on the surface of blue cheese may indicate that it has gone bad. Consuming spoiled blue cheese can cause food poisoning, which causes symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps 5 , 6.
Certain types of mold also produce mycotoxins, which are toxic compounds that can suppress immune function, cause digestive distress, and even contribute to cancer 1. Storing blue cheese properly and practicing food safety is the best way to prevent these negative side effects and enjoy blue cheese safely. Blue cheese should be discarded if there are any changes in its appearance or smell.
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