Blue cheese is an exquisite ingredient in many culinary masterpieces. Each piece intrigues with its complex taste, attracts with its elegant crust and delicate flesh. Which type of product will more delicately ennoble a salad, sauce or dessert: Roquefort with emerald veins, fluffy Camembert or fragrant pastel orange Livar...

Depending on the type of penicillin, manufacturing technology and cheese ripening conditions, snow-white, bluish-green or reddish-orange mold appears. The noble culture affects the texture of the product, its culinary characteristics, and gives it a characteristic taste and aroma. A seemingly beautiful slice is often repelled by its unusual pungent smell, pungency and spiciness. How can you avoid spoiling your food with a specific product? It's time to study the properties of each variety. – a topic for a separate article.

Delicacies with white mold

The cheese is intriguing with its snow-white and shaggy rind, sometimes with reddish threads. Mold thrives in special basements where the required humidity and temperature are maintained. Penicillin is thrown into water, and the resulting solution is sprinkled onto the pressed cheese mass. An elite and expensive product ripens for about 8 weeks: first, a dense shell is formed, and then a delicate center with a creamy, nutty or fruity flavor is formed.

Brie - favorite of French kings

The cheese is usually made from cow's milk, but sometimes goat's or sheep's milk is used, and Provençal herbs are added to some varieties. Brie can also be ripened at home before the first slice is cut. When purchasing, you should take a closer look at the appearance, because the delicacy has a short shelf life. A grayish tint of the pulp, a spotted crust and a pronounced ammonia smell indicate an overripe product - this will only cause harm and no benefit.

The velvety, famous cheese attracts with its nutty aroma and pleasant soft creamy taste with notes of mushrooms and fruits. Soft and melting flesh is hidden under the shaggy shell. Young brie has a slight sweetness, while mature brie has a sharp and bright aroma. The flavor of the delicacy is revealed only at room temperature, so you should not eat it chilled.

Brie de Meaux is sold in a box with a small layer of straw. Under the thin crust lies a yellowish, creamy and buttery pulp that practically does not spread. The cheese is famous for its rich aroma and pronounced sweetish-nutty flavor.

Brie de Melun has a more yellow and dense center than the first variety. It captivates with its bright aroma with notes of mold, cellar and hay, and captivates with its strong and refreshing taste. The French throw velvety pieces into the filling for baked goods, especially delicious with rustic bread after lunch.

Black brie (Brie Noir) stands out from the subgroup with a very pronounced aroma, rich notes and a long aftertaste, as it matures in special conditions throughout the year. It is covered with a gray-black, as if dusty, crust, which is slightly peeled off with the blunt side of a knife. Previously, it did not go on sale, as it was considered a cheese-makers' lunch: a couple of mugs of cheese were left in reserve for food. With each passing month, the taste range of black brie becomes brighter and more specific.

What is velvet cheese served with:

• brie goes well with melon, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, arugula and other lettuce leaves, apples (especially green ones), dark balsamic vinegar;
• it is added to batter, fondue, cottage cheese casseroles, pies, not to mention soups and main courses;
• the French bake croissants with a delicate melting cheese filling;
• puff pastry with apricots and brie is a unique delicacy;
• the pieces are breaded in fine breadcrumbs, fried in a frying pan (deep-fried), and served only hot with a heap of greens, fruits, and vegetables.

Camembert - a legend of Normandy

The delicacy visually resembles brie, and for good reason. The story goes that in gratitude for her salvation, one monk told a Norman girl the secret of making the popular French white mold cheese, and Napoleon named the unusual delicacy in honor of the village of Camembert.

Unlike its ancestor, the plush cheese is made smaller: weighing 300 grams and with a circle radius of 11 cm. It has fattier and denser flesh of a yellowish tint. There are pleasant notes of milk, earth, cellar and mold, fruit, mushroom, grass and nuts. As it ripens, its exquisite taste becomes salty and expressive. The texture in the center is soft, elastic at the edges, and excessive hardness and unpleasant bitterness are signs of an overripe product.

Real Norman Camembert (AC) is made only from cow's milk and is sold in a box made of thin veneer. Genuine cheese has a salty and slightly peppery taste, without a hint of sweetness. A special technology does not allow the product to be prepared before September and after May, but counterfeits are often found in the markets.

Amazing dishes are prepared with Camembert:

• baked in the oven with raisins and herbs, served with sweet and sour berry sauces;
• It is recommended to serve not with wine, but with Calvados and cider;
• cheese is combined with pears, apples, berries, homemade bread;
• the product is cut in half, soaked in liqueur or fortified wine, breaded and deep-fried, served with lingonberry sauce;
• It is correct to eat Camembert not immediately after refrigeration; it is better to postpone it for 15 minutes.

Buche de Chevre - exquisite piquancy

The cheese is made in Russia using French technology. It contains Spanish noble mold and milk from exotic Nubian goats. It looks like a large roll, covered with a thick layer of snow-white crust. It has a delicately pungent taste that intertwines with nutty notes near the velvety shell and a creamy flavor closer to the middle.

Buche de Chevre is eaten as a snack with sweet tea, made into hot sandwiches or added to salads. It is combined with mint, berries, grapes, asparagus, mixed salad, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and wine sauces. The product is cleaned of mold, breaded in almond flakes and fried in vegetable oil. Hot Buche de Chevre is served separately, decorated with raspberries and blueberries, or complements cold dishes.

Blue cheeses are royalty

Cheese with emerald veins has a piquant, slightly spicy and rich flavor profile. Mold (usually Penicillium roqueforti or glaucum) is injected using fine needles or added along with rennet. To prepare Roquefort using traditional technology, the crop is first grown on rye bread. Metal tubes must be inserted into the cheese pulp, since mold cannot develop without air. During the ripening process (3 months), the crust is thoroughly washed with a sponge, which also has a positive effect on the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Roquefort - the aristocratic cheese of France

The cheese matures under special conditions: low temperatures, high humidity and good ventilation. It is made exclusively from sheep's milk, which gives the product a complex and sharp taste with a nutty undertone. The pulp is white with beautiful greenish cells, firm and slightly crumbly.

Roquefort quickly deteriorates due to sudden temperature changes. It is not advisable to leave it on the table for more than 5 minutes; it is better to immediately cut off a piece for slicing and place the rest in the refrigerator. Cheese at room temperature should not be placed with a refrigerated product.

Roquefort is crushed and stuffed into vol-au-vents, prepared into soufflés, pies and sauces, served with pasta and all kinds of salads. It goes well with apples, grapes, citruses, and bean salad.

Gorgonzola (or Gorgonzola) - the pride of Italy

Noble Italian cheese is made from cow's milk (traditionally from morning and evening milking), which makes the product quite sharp, moderately fatty, with dense pulp. However, another gorgonzola with a milder taste, which is made from one milk yield, goes on sale. Its crust is a little rough, hard, reddish-orange in color with a whitish coating. The body of the cheese is yellowish-white or beige, especially near the shell, and puncture marks are visible. Emerald blue mold spreads throughout the area, creating interesting patterns. The cheese is fatty and soft, and may crumble slightly when slicing.

Popular varieties of Gorgonzola are called “dolce” and “picante”. The first one has a sweetish and delicate taste. The second is sharper, spicy and deep with a bright aroma, therefore it is more often used for cooking. The cheese matures for 2-4 months and is stored for no more than 30 days. It is not difficult to find out whether cheese has spoiled - an expired product develops a very strong unpleasant odor, the flesh becomes richly yellow, begins to harden and breaks down badly. A sticky, opaque liquid appears on the crust.

Any dish can be prepared from Gorgonzola, depending on its flavor palette:

• potato salad with crispy bacon rashers;
• cream sauce for roast veal;
• complement soufflés, pies, mousses, bruschettas, canapés;
• it is good with dark or white chocolate, citruses, watermelon, peaches;
• gives a peculiar aftertaste of game birds (hazel grouse and ducks);
• pizza and pasta will become more refined with a small amount.

Try it – the taste is divine!

Variety of savory blue cheeses

French bleu d'Auvergne has a pleasant oily, spicy and tart aftertaste with fruity notes, and amazes with the delicate aroma of mushrooms. Its flesh is loose, sticky, moist, dotted with marbled stains of blue-green mold. He is considered one of the best in his family. The crust is rough and dense, powdered with gray or orange bacterial culture. Cooks add Bleu d'Auvergne to flour products, pizzas, cheese soufflés, and pancakes. They prepare salads with croutons (be sure to grease the bread with butter), and they like to combine them with walnuts.

Danish Donablu is a salty and spicy cheese with a pronounced refreshing sourness. It has a sticky crust, beautiful flesh with dark blue veins and carelessly scattered cells. The center is creamy and soft, with moderate fat content. The product is perfectly sliced, which allows you to decorate the dish more beautifully than with Gorgonzola or Roquefort. It is difficult to choose a wine for it; it is better to combine it with gin or Danish aquavit (a strong tincture of spices and herbs).

No less refined is the German “Dor Blue”, the manufacturing features of which have been considered a trade secret of “Caeserai Champignon Hofmeister” for more than a century. The same company produces one of the varieties of Dor Blue cheese - Grand Blue.

Delicacies with red mold - a gourmet's dream

Red-rind cheeses differ from other dairy delicacies in their unique preparation technology. Noble crops are not added to the mass; they themselves are formed during the ripening process in cold cellars with humidity up to 98%. The crust is periodically cleaned with brushes, washed with brine or alcoholic beverages (wine, cider, Calvados), due to which the mold changes color and gives the cheese a pronounced and not always pleasant aroma. The flesh is usually tender and creamy, sometimes with a fragile center. The delicacy acquires interesting colors: yellowish, reddish-brown, sometimes with a reddish tint and a white coating of mold.

French cheeses with washed rinds

In the old days, Livaro replaced meat products for the population. It has a rich, spicy, piquant taste and specific smell. Mature cheese has an unusual aftertaste with a hint of dried meat. The consistency of the pulp is homogeneous, dense, fine-grained, slightly elastic, moderately fatty. The shell is bright, golden-brown and glossy with a white coating. Distinctive features of livaro: the sides of the cheese are wrapped around 5 strips of reed or paper so that it does not settle during the ripening process. Its crust is washed with brine, into which annatto food coloring is thrown. Real Livaro AC is produced exclusively in Pays d'Auge (Normandy province). The delicacy is especially good for hot dishes, salads and desserts.

Reblochon began to be prepared in the distant Middle Ages, mainly after the arrival of tax collectors. To reduce milk yield during inspections, cows were milked in a special way. After the uninvited guests left, the process was repeated, and fattier and richer raw materials were obtained for making cheese. This type of milk was called “rebloche”. The crust of the delicacy is thin, yellowish or pale orange in color, and covered with white mold pollen. The pulp is elastic, pliable, and has a creamy consistency. The aroma is reminiscent of pastures and flower fields with a pleasant hint of a damp cellar. Reblochon attracts with its bright salty, nutty and creamy flavor with fruity notes. On rustic cheese pucks there is a green circle, on factory-made ones there is a red one. The latter differs from the traditional product: milk from three different breeds is not used, and there is no specific herbal aroma.

Epoisse fascinates with its contrast: a sharp, strong aroma and delicate creamy taste. During the ripening process, the rind is washed with brine and wine diluted with water. It turns out slightly ribbed, red-brown in color with a bright red tint. The pulp is pliable and has a delicate consistency. The taste is quite complex, sweetish-salty, with pronounced creamy and mineral tones. The aroma resembles the specific taste of grape vodka. Young cheeses have a brittle and hard center with a fruity aroma, but as they ripen it becomes softer and the smell becomes acrid and pungent. For desserts, salads and snacks, only an adult product is used.

Munster-Jerome is an original delicacy. Its crust is slightly uneven, moist and glossy, yellow-orange in color with a reddish tint. The cheese pulp is homogeneous, creamy, but quite dense and elastic. The sweetish taste of the young product becomes sharper every day, and more pronounced spicy notes appear. To enhance the specific aroma, cumin is sometimes added, and caraway seeds make the product more piquant. Münster occupies a special place in Alsatian cuisine. They are sprinkled on potato dishes or added to salads, served with Alsatian beer or wine.

Taleggio - Italian luxury

The cheese attracts with its aromatic orange rind with a thin white coating (the authentic product must have a stamp on it). The consistency is delicate, creamy, but elastic, and spreads slightly at room temperature. The pulp is attractive with a beautiful ivory color. The taste is pleasant, slightly sweet with a gentle sourness and a fruity aftertaste. The product is not spicy even as it ripens, it only becomes richer. The taste and aroma contain subtle notes of damp cellars, sometimes truffles. Taleggio is traditionally prepared in the summer, exclusively from the milk of cows tired after grazing. It’s a pity that it is produced for export all year round, which greatly affects the taste. Taleggio goes well with spaghetti and is included in many salads, sauces and hot dishes.

Cheeses with red rind are a real gourmet treat. However, you should not buy if there is a strong ammonia smell, the casing is excessively wet and sticky, and the wrapper is firmly attached to the product. The delicacy should not burn the tongue or throat, despite its specific spiciness.

Properly selected aristocratic cheese will add piquant notes and a bright aftertaste to an ordinary dish. Even a small piece of the delicacy will highlight the flavor of other components in an original way.

At the end of the video on how to tell if blue cheese is fresh or not:

This type of cheese appeared on the shelves of our stores relatively recently. However, blue cheese has already gained passionate fans and ardent critics. In this article we will talk about the benefits and possible negative effects of this product.

But before you join the gourmets and purchase a piece of the delicacy for tasting, you need to take a responsible approach to the issue and figure out what types of blue cheeses there are, what type to start getting acquainted with them with, what to use them with, and even. Otherwise, the product may not only cause antipathy, but also provoke health problems.

Let's try to answer these questions, and also understand the benefits and harms of this overseas delicacy.

Plate of blue cheeses

It’s possible that on even the largest plate there are all varieties of this cheese and won’t fit, so let’s go through the most famous varieties.

White mold. This is the smallest group, but it contains the famous Brie and Camembert. These varieties are covered with a characteristic white coating, which forms in special cellars, the walls of which are covered with fungi of the genus Penicillum.

Red mold. These varieties, including Livarot and Munster, are covered with red mold, which appears on the product during the ripening process, when it is treated with special bacteria.

Greenish-blue mold. Unlike the first two groups of blue cheeses, in this third the mold is contained within the product rather than covering its surface. This state of cheese is achieved through the use of a special cooking technology. Mold is added to the curd mass using special tubes, where it safely brings the cheese to the desired condition. The most famous cheese in this group - Roquefort. Experts say that this cheese can only be real if it has true French origin; any domestically produced analogue is a shameless fake at an incredible price.

How to use it correctly

The question is actually not an idle one, because if you start your acquaintance with the delicacy with the wrong variety, you can easily become disappointed in it. Gourmets recommend starting with Brie, and after getting used to its specific taste, start tasting “blue cheeses” without a strong taste. And last but not least, try Roquefort and Camembert.

You should treat these types of cheese with respect and not turn them into an everyday food product, especially if you don’t indulge your children with blue cheeses. Such cheeses are strictly prohibited for pregnant women. The product is truly specific and abuse of it can only cause harm. By the way, the amount of cheese that you can afford to eat at one time should not exceed 50 grams. A glass of rich-tasting wine and fruit go very well with this cheese.

But before you use it correctly, you need to choose it correctly. Of course, pay attention to the release date and expiration date of the product. When choosing cheese with white mold, smell it: the right cheese smells like penicillin, and may give you hospital associations (at the level of smell).

If you choose a noble blue cheese, consider it carefully. The section should show veins of mold, but the channels through which it was introduced should not be obvious. The cheese should be loose and soft, but not fall apart.

Storage

In order for cheese to retain its usefulness, it must be stored properly. Moreover, the refrigerator is not suitable for this. In the homeland of these cheeses, they even produce special cabinets for storing them. In our case, it is advisable to buy a small amount of cheese “at a time”; purchasing this product, as they say, for future use is not recommended. But if you still haven’t finished eating, then under no circumstances transfer blue cheese to plastic. Let it be stored in its “native” shell, and cover the cut with paper.

The benefits of blue cheese

Does it exist ? This is the question that causes a lot of discussion among beginners. Of course, such cheeses, like any other, are very healthy due to their high calcium content. Moreover, this important element is absorbed in the best possible way thanks to the presence of mold. Noble blue cheeses are rich in protein; even eggs and fish cannot compete with them in this regard.

In addition, these cheeses are rich in amino acids, which are necessary for the formation and strengthening of muscles. An important plus is that the delicacy is rich in vitamins and phosphorus salts. And recent studies have proven that regular consumption of blue cheese improves the formation of melanin, which protects the skin from exposure to sunlight.

What harm can it do?

If you adhere to the recommended norm - no more than 50 grams, then such cheese will definitely not harm a healthy person. But do not forget that mold, which is beneficial in small doses, can be harmful in large quantities, because it will be difficult for the stomach to process it. This means that if abused, even the healthiest person may experience problems associated with disruption of the normal intestinal microflora.

Those people who have chronic gastrointestinal diseases should exercise caution and better refuse the delicacy. It is worth knowing that the fungus contained in mold produces an antibiotic that destroys beneficial bacteria in the intestines. The result is, or at least intestinal upset.

As you can see, there are about as many arguments for blue cheese as there are against. Therefore, focus not only on the size of your wallet, but also on your state of health. “Gourmet” for health, but wisely!

What is blue cheese? The name of this type of product speaks for itself. This is a special type of cheese, to which types of bacteria that are safe for the human body are added during production. This is where mold appears. These are mainly bacteria of the Penicillium species. They have a characteristic specific taste and smell. Most French cheeses are produced using this bacterium. For example, camembert or brie. The color of mold can be white, blue, light blue, green, and so on. It can slightly envelop the cheese head on top or be inside in the form of peculiar veins.

Soft is made from cow's milk. Depending on the region and pastures, the taste of the milk and, therefore, the finished product depends. The exception is blue cheese, whose name is Roquefort. For its production it is used

Conventionally, cheeses can be divided into soft and blue. Most of them include elite varieties. On average, the ripening period is from two to six weeks. Flavors and aroma can be very diverse. It all depends on the cooking method. From the point of view of production technology, soft cheeses are divided into several types. Some are ready to eat immediately after production is completed, while others require a short period of aging. Therefore, blue cheese, the name of the subgroup of which corresponds to the description of its appearance, can be divided into:

1. White cheeses. A thin white crust with a slight coating of mold forms on their surface. Its cultivation is carried out by spraying bacteria with penicillin. As a result, the cheese is obtained with a peculiar piquant taste and smell: a little ammonia, hot pepper or mushroom. The most popular blue cheese, called Camembert, has a characteristic smell of damp soil, mushrooms and moss.

2. Blue cheeses. Maturation occurs from within. Therefore, a coating of blue mold forms on the surface. Blue cheese (the name of the most common type is Roquefort) is aged in a deep cellar. The richness of taste depends on the ripening period. The white or pale yellow mass, permeated with veins of green-blue mold, reminiscent of marble, has a sharp spicy taste and mushroom aroma. The manufacturing technology is quite simple, but very labor-intensive. Milk curdling occurs at a temperature of 30 degrees, the cheese mass is suspended in a gauze bag so that the whey drains naturally. After two weeks, the cheese is pierced with needles containing mold and salted. It turns out that the veins are evenly distributed throughout the entire mass.

Also, cheeses are additionally divided into two subgroups: with natural and washed edges. In the latter, mold grows along the edge and develops from red bacteria. The rind of this type of cheese is brownish. These cheeses are mainly produced in Burgundy. The raw material for varieties with natural edges is goat or sheep milk. These are very high-calorie cheeses, so consumption in your diet should be limited to 50 grams per day.

Blue cheese with mold has been known for many years; it has been used since ancient times. Many people deny themselves the pleasure of eating such a product because they believe that it will harm their health, although the opposite is true. The category of blue mold cheeses includes products that have a specific green with a blue tint to the color of the cheese mass (see photo).

During production, mold of the genus Penicillium is most often used. Cheese is produced similarly to other options: first, milk is curdled by introducing starter, and then cheese heads are formed. Then, using special needles, mold is introduced into the mass. Then the heads are sent for maturation, during which mold spreads.

The most famous representatives of blue cheeses with mold are: Roquefort, Dor Blue and Gorgonzola.

If this is your first time trying a similar product, then start with soft Brie cheese and only after that switch to Roquefort, as you need to get used to its smell and specific taste.

Types of blue cheeses

There are many types of blue mold cheeses. In these varieties, the mold is located inside the cheese, and not outside. The taste of a dairy product depends on the ingredients used, the production method and the degree of ripening.

The following varieties of blue mold cheeses are widely known:

1. Bergader. Produced in Upper Bavaria. Cheese made from pasteurized milk, semi-hard consistency, with a creamy-sweet flavor. The taste of mold is pungent and slightly salty. Bergader cheese is recommended to be added to sauces, hot dishes, meat and fish delicacies, served with vegetables, lasagna, and spread on fresh and fried slices of bread. You can also snack on cheese with port wine and fortified red wine.
2. Blue de Langruty. Made in Switzerland. Belongs to varieties of cheese with a semi-hard consistency. The cheese has a creamy flavor, is slightly spicy, and has a spicy aroma. You can eat it as a snack with jam or honey.
3. BlueDelis. The dairy product matures in a cool room for about eight weeks. The result is a cheese with a soft structure, salty taste and spicy aftertaste. In cooking, it is often used to make salads, blue cheese sauce and pizza. Suitable for use with steak, beer, wine, honey, grapes, nuts and jam.
4. Gorgonzola. Made in Italy from whole goat or cow milk (sometimes the two types of milk are mixed). The texture of the cheese can be soft and crumbly. Gorgonzola requires at least four months to ripen. If the cheese is aged longer, the consistency becomes firmer. Soft cheese matures for fifty days, while spicy cheese takes up to four months to make. Gorgonzola goes well with walnuts, fruits and vegetables. Sauces and souffles have an incomparable taste and aroma if you add this product to them.
5. Grand Blue. Pasteurized cow's milk is used to make cheese. A product with a creamy taste and soft consistency.
6. Dor blue. Produced in Germany. The cheese is not of a very hard consistency, the surface is covered with a white crust, and veins of blue mold are visible inside. The product tastes slightly oily, salty, and slightly bitter. The cheese is aged in cellars for about five months. Dor blue is sometimes called “blue gold” because it is in demand in many countries around the world. In cooking it is used to prepare a variety of appetizers, cold or hot dishes, and sauces. Suitable for serving with red wine.
7. Castello. This cheese is produced in Denmark. To prepare it, cow's milk is mixed with cream, and then the milk mixture is pasteurized. The cheese is creamy, with a salty, spicy and mushroom flavor. Ripens in ten weeks. Pairs well with semi-sweet white wine. Great to eat with fruits such as apples and pears. Castello cheese can be added to salads and fish cakes.
8. Kuban Blues. It is characterized by a rather bright taste of hazelnuts with a delicate and piquant aftertaste. The cheese belongs to the semi-hard varieties. Fans of this product recommend eating it with jam, honey, pear, currants, mango, strawberries and grapes.
9. Mastarablu. Made in Armenia. To create cheese, they take milk, table salt and mold brought from France. Ripens in sixty days.
10. Mont Blue. Salty cheese with hazelnut flavor. It is recommended to eat with a slice of white bread, and also combine with fresh vegetables, nuts, avocado and red wine.
11. Roquefort. Produced in France from goat milk. The product matures for several months (from three to ten) and only in the Roquefort-sur-Soulzon cave, since it is there that there are special bacteria that are used to make this cheese. To speed up the growth of mold, slices of rye bread are left in the cave. Roquefort has a very spicy but pleasant taste. The surface of the cheese is white, and inside there are streaks of blue mold.
12. Rocforti. Belongs to hard cheese varieties. Made from cow's milk, animal enzyme, table salt, bacterial starter and mold. The aroma of the cheese is close to the smell of sour milk and yeast. The taste of the product is creamy, slightly spicy. The taste of mold is practically not felt.
13. Chizzy. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk, quite salty, the top of the cheese is covered with green mold, and the inside is blue. Pairs well with red wine and fruit.

We can conclude that all varieties of blue mold cheeses are divided into soft and hard varieties, and also have a specific aroma and taste that will be appreciated only by select gourmets who are by nature connoisseurs of delicate and refined dishes.

How to select and store?

When choosing blue cheese, pay attention to the cut: the cheese channels should not be too obvious and there should be few of them. Despite the rather loose consistency, the product should not crumble.

Store blue cheese in a cool place and always in insulated packaging to prevent mold from spreading to other products.

When choosing authentic blue cheese, keep in mind that all branded cheese wheels must be wrapped in wax paper and sealed in an airtight container.

If you want to buy already sliced ​​blue cheese, you need to choose a product that does not have a lot of white mold on the surface. If such mold is present, it means that the storage conditions of the product were violated.

The aroma of blue cheeses with mold can be completely diverse. However, there should definitely not be an ammonia smell present.

The shelf life of such products also varies. Soft varieties can be stored for no more than seven days after opening the package. Hard varieties of blue cheese are edible for about three weeks. After the expiration date, it is not recommended to eat the product. Some experts advise storing the product in a special cabinet where air will constantly circulate and sunlight will not penetrate. But if there is no such cabinet, mold cheese can be put in the refrigerator. The optimal temperature for storing blue cheese is not below zero and not above five degrees.

Beneficial features

The benefits of blue cheese are due to the presence of beneficial bacteria, as well as minerals and vitamins in it. With regular use of the product in small quantities, digestion and gastrointestinal activity improves.

This cheese contains a large amount of phosphorus and calcium - minerals that are involved in the regeneration and strengthening of bone tissue. Blue cheese also contains various vitamins and other minerals, the beneficial properties of which are necessary to maintain normal life functions.

In addition to the fact that blue cheese has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, the product is also useful to eat in stressful situations as a sedative.

This cheese is indispensable for sleep disorders, normalizing blood pressure and improving vision. Eating blue cheese also helps improve performance.

When using the product, swelling of blood vessels is relieved, resulting in improved functioning of the circulatory system.

Blue cheese also helps increase and strengthen muscle mass.

By consuming mold cheese, you can protect sensitive skin from exposure to sunlight, so as not to cause burns and the appearance of age spots due to the fact that mold contains special substances that ensure the production of melanin.

Use in cooking

In cooking, blue cheese with mold is most often served as an independent snack or on a cheese plate as a dessert. This product pairs perfectly with elite wines.

Blue cheese with mold reveals its taste even more when combined with grapes, pears and other fruits.

Various sauces, snacks and salads are prepared based on this product.

It is important that the product reveals the fullness of its promatic and taste qualities, so before use, first remove it from the refrigerator (a couple of hours before).

“What is the correct way to eat blue cheese?” - It would seem a strange question, since it is already clear how to eat the product. However, cheese experts advise you to first try blue cheese brie in order to fully taste its specific taste and get used to it. And only then begin to taste other varieties of the product with a less harsh aftertaste, gradually moving on to such well-known moldy cheeses as Roquefort and Camembert. The daily intake of the product does not exceed fifty grams.

You should also find out what you can eat blue cheese with. Since the product has a very pungent taste, it is best consumed with wine.

It should be remembered that the cheese must be brought to room temperature before serving. The product combines best with:

• fruits;
• crispbread;
• vegetables;
• cracker.

Sometimes blue mold cheese is added to pizza, hot dishes (soups), salads and sauces.

But blue cheese Roquefort is better to eat without anything.

Cooking at home

Making blue cheese at home is quite a labor-intensive job. All ingredients can be purchased at special cheese-making stores. Before you start making the product, you should remember that in order to get real blue cheese with mold, you need to follow the specified recipe exactly.

So, you need to pour eight liters of cow’s milk into a saucepan with a volume of about ten liters and heat it in a water bath to a temperature of sixty-two degrees. Afterwards, the milk needs to be cooled to thirty degrees, and then pour 1/4 teaspoon of mesophilic starter and 1/16 teaspoon of blue mold into the liquid, mixing thoroughly from top to bottom. Cover the pan with the contents and do not touch for about thirty minutes.

After half an hour, mix the milk mixture again and add calcium chloride diluted in fifty milliliters of water (you will need 1/4 teaspoon), and again set aside for about ninety minutes. During this period of time, a clot should form, which should be cut vertically and horizontally. The resulting clots must be transferred to a colander covered with a bag. After this, the bag needs to be tied and hung so that the excess liquid drains (this will take about forty minutes).

Then you need to lower the cheese into a deep container, chop it, add salt to taste, stir well and put the weight on top again. During the first 24 hours, the cheese should be turned every six hours. On the second day - every twelve hours. On the third day, the cheese must be transferred to parchment paper so that the product dries at room temperature for twenty-four hours.

After 24 hours, punctures should be made on the surface of the homemade cheese curd at a distance of two centimeters from each other. Place the product in a container and take it to a fairly cool room where the temperature will be within ten degrees Celsius. To fully ripen, the cheese should lie in a container for four weeks.

After twenty-eight days, homemade blue cheese will be ready, and it can be served with slices of white bread, or with cookies, or with red wine. This product can also be added to soup, salad, sauce or pasta.

Harmfulness of blue cheese and contraindications

Blue cheese with mold can cause harm to those who have an individual intolerance to the product, which means its introduction into the diet for allergy sufferers is contraindicated. Do not forget about the high calorie content of the product. Consuming it in large quantities will have a bad effect on your figure.

Description

Blue cheese is one of the types of savory and exotic cheeses. It has all the beneficial properties of cheese, a product known to mankind since ancient times.

Blue cheese has not yet gained widespread popularity and recognition and is a product of true connoisseurs and lovers of blue cheese.

According to legend, blue cheese was discovered by a shepherd. He met a beautiful girl, talked with her for a long time and forgot his lunch, which consisted of cheese, in a cave (calorizer). A few days later he discovered his spoiled lunch, which by that time was covered with mold. Having tried it, the shepherd was pleasantly surprised by the unusual taste of blue cheese. Many years have passed since then, but blue cheese has come into use.

Blue cheese with mold is divided into a group of cheeses with a greenish-blue color of the cheese mass.

Blue cheese is made using Penicillium mold. As well as the mold Penicillium glaucum and Penicillium roqueforti.

In the process of producing blue cheese with mold, a cheese mass is formed from milk and sourdough, then mold is introduced into it using special thin needles.

Known types of blue cheese with mold are Roquefort, Cambozola, Dor Blue, Gorgonzola, Bavarian blue cheese and others.

How to make blue cheese

Most blue cheeses are made from cow's milk. The exception is the famous Roquefort cheese, which is made from sheep's milk.

Milk for blue cheeses should curdle at a temperature of 30 C degrees. After this, the cheese mass is carefully shaken out into a mold lined with cloth and covered with a wooden plate. The cheese wheels are then turned from time to time to ensure better drainage of the whey.

After one or two weeks, the cheese is removed from the mold and periodically turned over so that the whey continues to drain.

To make blue cheese, the curd mass is inoculated with mold spores before ripening. This is done with long needles, or by other means they make air channels inside the cheese mass. Oxygen allows blue mold to develop inside the cheese.

Blue mold can only grow while the cheese is ripening. It needs a special acidity and cannot develop in cheese that is too young and still sour. But mold grows due to nutrients that are not available in the required quantities in already mature cheese.

In order for mold to grow properly, it needs access to air. To do this, the cheeses are pierced with needles so that oxygen enters the cheese through the resulting channels. The breathing mold grows from the center of the head to its surface, creating a beautiful pattern of blue “veins” on the marbled color of the cheese itself. Cheese makers repeat the piercing procedure daily for a week or two.

The cheese is then wrapped in foil to control mold growth. The temperature drops and the fungi create a deep complex structure, as well as a unique aroma and taste. In some cases, this last stage takes up to several months.

Is blue mold harmful?

Many people wonder whether mold in cheeses is dangerous.

Dangerous molds are those that produce mycotoxins and aflatoxins. They can negatively affect our respiratory system, and sometimes even act as carcinogens. But not every mold is capable of this.

Its special species Penicillium Roqueforti and Penicillium Glaucum, which are used in the production of blue cheeses, do not produce substances harmful to health. The combination of acidity, salinity, humidity, temperature and oxygen saturation creates an environment unsuitable for the production of dangerous toxins. Moreover, P.Roqueforti and P.Glaucum have antibacterial properties and help fight pathogens.

Blue mold dramatically accelerates 2 processes: proteolysis (breakdown of proteins) and lipolysis (breakdown of fats). As a result, the cheese acquires a special structure and a strong pungent aroma. The taste of blue cheese cannot be compared with anything else.

Types of blue cheeses

Blue cheese - Roquefort

This is the most famous French blue cheese. Try adding Roquefort to simple, everyday dishes; it will make the taste of familiar green salads, pizza, and pasta reveal itself in a new way. Place the pieces on skewers, interspersing them with pieces of apples, apricots and mangoes. Mix the crumbled cheese with a little butter and make a sauce for the vegetable sticks. Roquefort is also very good in a duet with dry red wine.

How to select and store?

When choosing blue cheese with mold, pay attention to the cut; the cheese channels should not be too visible and there should not be a lot of them. Despite the rather loose consistency, the product should not crumble.

Store blue cheese in insulated packaging to prevent mold from spreading to other foods.

Beneficial features

The benefits of blue cheese come from the presence of beneficial bacteria, as well as minerals and vitamins. With regular use of the product in small quantities, digestion and gastrointestinal activity improves. It also contains a large amount of phosphorus and calcium - minerals that are involved in the regeneration and strengthening of bone tissue. Blue cheese also contains many different vitamins and other minerals that are necessary for normal life.

Use in cooking

Blue cheese is most often served as an appetizer on its own or on a cheese plate as a dessert. This product pairs perfectly with elite wines. Blue cheese reveals its taste even more when combined with grapes, pears and other fruits. Various sauces, snacks and salads are also prepared based on this product.

It is important that the product reveals the fullness of its aroma and taste before use; first remove it from the refrigerator a couple of hours before use.

Harmfulness of blue cheese and contraindications

Blue cheese with mold can be harmful to those who have an individual intolerance to the product. Do not forget about the high calorie content, as if consumed in large quantities it will have a bad effect on your figure.

Blue cheese - Stilton

Stilton is a famous English delicacy. The head of this cheese should be cylindrical in shape, and the blue veins should radiate from the center.

Be sure to try Stilton cheese combined with vegetables. It goes well with celery and adds a brighter, sharper taste to green salads and broccoli puree soup. In England, this cheese is traditionally served with vintage port wine and eaten during Christmas week, used in various national dishes.

Blue cheese - danablue

Danablu was created as an alternative to Roquefort cheese. Try adding danabla to a salad, serving it with fruit (strawberries, peaches) or, as they do in Denmark, with bread or cookies. It's delicious crumbled over greens and drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can substitute it for Roquefort in most recipes.

Blue cheese - Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is one of the first blue cheeses, which began to be produced back in 879 in the suburbs of Milan.
Be sure to try using gorgonzola to make Italian dishes more piquant and rich in taste. Use this cheese in risotto (adding it at the end of cooking) and serve with polenta. Cook pasta with it (gorgonzola usually goes well with short pasta - rigatoni, penne) or crumble it on top of pizza: among others, it is included in the “Four Cheeses”.

Blue cheese - dor blue

Dorblue is an aristocrat from Germany. Try serving dorblu as a snack: cut into slices or cubes and place on crackers. It is good in salads and as part of a cheese plate, combined with nuts and sweet Riesling - this is how they like to eat it in Germany.

Blue cheese calorie content

The calorie content of blue cheese is 363 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition and beneficial properties of blue cheese

Blue cheese is a very healthy dairy product.

The cheese contains vitamins (A, E, D, C, B1, B12, PP) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iodine, potassium, sodium), melanin and milk sugar (calorizator). It also contains amino acids necessary for normal functioning of the body: tryptophan, lysine and methionine, which are not produced by the human body on its own.

How to eat blue cheese

Blue cheese is eaten as a snack and makes an excellent addition to wine.

Use of blue cheese in cooking

Dor Blue is widely used for preparing a wide variety of dishes: cold, hot, appetizers and sauces. You can also eat it with plain toast. This cheese is an excellent appetizer for red wine.

Dor Blue should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed glass container. This is necessary to prevent mold from blue cheese and its pungent odor from spreading to other products.

What to cook with blue cheese - for gourmets

Simply cut it into large slices and serve with dessert wine. Honey, jam, and nut butter go well with it.

Crumble the cheese and throw it into the salad: a good combination with fresh herbs and sweet fruits.

Blue cheese makes excellent creamy sauces.

Stuff fruits (such as pears) or vegetables with it.

This is an excellent filling for lasagna (including eggplant).

Blue cheese goes well with fried or grilled meats: crumble and sprinkle it over beef or lamb, or dissolve in the cooking juices of the meat, add herbs and enjoy a delicious sauce.

Cheese is combined with vegetables, including raw ones. Blue cheese sauce goes great with carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Prepare a savory appetizer for your martini: stuff green olives or black olives with the cheese mixture.

Buffalo chicken wings served with melted blue cheese sauce