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 varied. 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.

This unusual-looking foreign delicacy appeared on Russian shelves relatively recently. But he has already managed to win the hearts of fans and find his convinced opponents. Some people talk about the extreme usefulness of the product, others claim that eating such cheese is harmful and can cause an exacerbation of certain diseases. Are blue cheeses good or bad? Let's figure it out together.

This useful... mold

Undoubtedly, a high-quality, well-prepared and properly stored product is very useful. Mold, in this case, ennobles it and gives additional healing qualities. The product has a gentle effect on the digestive tract, is completely digested and absorbed by the body. It contains essential acids, a large amount of vitamins and microelements. They say that regular consumption of such cheeses prevents the development of caries.

It's all about the mold. It helps to activate digestion and improve the health of the stomach and intestines. After all, mold contains living bacteria that improve the functioning of these organs and, in addition, protects human skin from sunburn. The fact is that beneficial bacteria activate the production of melanin.

The founders of the production of blue cheese, the French, claim that regular consumption of this healthy product reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Types of cheeses and mold color

In France, and throughout the world, this product is considered a delicacy and does not mean drinking kilograms of it, just as it is not customary to drink champagne in liters. Typically, thin slices of various types of cheese are collected on a plate (cheese plate), beautifully decorated and served as a noble appetizer with dry white wine.

Moreover, the molds that are used in preparing the product differ in color. Depending on this, cheeses have different names. For example, with blue mold - blue varieties. With white mold - white varieties.

One of the famous products of this type is Roquefort, made from sheep's milk. Blue varieties also include the famous Dor Blue, Stilton and Orgonzola.
White varieties that have a delicate taste and a milky moldy crust include Camembert and Brie.

Let's find out the benefits of “blue” and “white” cheeses:

Blue mold

It must be said that blue mold, which is part of the cheese body, is a natural source of the antibiotic penicillin. In small quantities, this substance does not harm health; on the contrary, it can be beneficial. But blue varieties may be contraindicated for people who are intolerant to penicillin and lactose. You should not eat them if you have fungal diseases, for example, thrush, dysbacteriosis.

White mold

Unlike blue mold, white mold is not located inside the cheese body, but outside. White varieties are extremely delicate with a delicate, noble taste. To obtain them, ripening cheese, at the final stage of production, is placed in a special environment where the required temperature and humidity are maintained. The atmosphere of this environment is saturated with white mold spores. As a result, the entire surface of the cheese body is covered with a white, soft coating, reminiscent of fluff.

Under the influence of this fluffy coating, the finished product acquires juiciness, tenderness, a pleasant taste and aroma, very, very reminiscent of mushroom.

Why should you eat blue cheese?

These products are undoubtedly healthy, as they contain large amounts of calcium. Moreover, it is thanks to mold that this element is easily and completely absorbed by the human body. It must also be said that in terms of the amount of protein, these products are superior to fish and eggs combined.

Cheeses contribute to the normal formation and strengthening of muscle tissue, as they contain essential amino acids. In addition, these overseas products are rich in vitamins and rare microelements, in particular phosphorus.

Can they do harm?

They will not cause harm if you adhere to the recommended amount - 50 g of product per day. It is not recommended to consume cheese in large quantities, as it will be difficult for the stomach to digest such an amount of mold. In this regard, abuse of this delicacy can disrupt the balance of intestinal microflora, which, in turn, can lead to the development of dysbacteriosis, intestinal disorder, and flatulence.

In connection with all of the above, we can conclude that blue cheeses are a useful invention of French cheese makers. They can and should be included in your diet. However, even with a great love for cheese, you need to know when to stop and not eat more than the recommended amount of this delicacy per day - 50 g. And besides, pay attention to your health and do not refuse the product if it is contraindicated for you. Be healthy!

True gourmets consider blue cheese to be a delicacy. This is not only tasty, but also an incredibly healthy product if you consume it in reasonable quantities without overusing it. And be sure to follow the rules for storing cheeses at home so that the delicious product does not negatively affect your health.

Benefit

Do not try to make blue cheese yourself from any available “Russian” cheese. A stale product will not do you any good. To create gourmet cheeses, a special cheese mold is used, the spores of which are added to the product during its preparation. This mold differs both in appearance and in its special properties from that which is cultivated on products that have not been touched for a long time.

Beneficial properties of gourmet blue cheeses:

• increasing the ability to absorb calcium due to the inhibitory ability of mold;
• reducing the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation;
• supplying the body with proteins;
• creating a favorable environment within the gastrointestinal system for the development of beneficial bacteria;
• prevention of dysbacteriosis;
• thinning the blood and improving its flow;
• acceleration of the natural regeneration process for external and internal wounds;
• improvement of general hormonal levels due to saturation of the body (and especially the adrenal glands) with vitamin B5;
• lifting mood, reducing fatigue, preventing the development of depression;
• preventing sleep problems caused by fatigue.

Moldy cheese has the ability to supply the body with a huge amount of vitamins and microelements that it needs.

Harm

But the body can be harmed if the product is consumed excessively. The maximum recommended amount of product per adult per day is 50 grams, regardless of the variety. If abused, there may be negative consequences from use, including:

• suppression of the body’s own intestinal microflora and, as a consequence, dysbacteriosis;
• possible allergic reaction to penicillin;
• infectious listeriosis, which can pass without obvious symptoms, but has a negative impact and is clearly manifested in pregnant women.

You should not risk your health and, by overeating cheese, wait for intestinal problems to occur, an allergic reaction to appear, and a pregnant woman to have a miscarriage due to problems with the immune system.

Contraindications

Contraindications to the use of blue cheeses include:

• allergy to penicillin;
• pregnancy in women;
• diseases and disorders of the intestines, gastrointestinal tract;
• children's age up to approximately 7 years;
• presence of liver diseases.

In case of intestinal diseases, you can find out whether you will be able to enjoy the delicious product in the future, when the microflora is restored and the exacerbation subsides (if any). If you are pregnant or have allergies, you should avoid the product completely.

Types of blue cheeses

There are two main types of product: white cheese and blue cheese. The white one grows along the top, and the blue one ends up inside. The types are already distinguished into individual varieties. Varieties with blue mold include:

• Dor Blue.
• Roquefort.
• Stilton.
• Gorgonzola.

Dor Blue (also Dorblu) came to us from Germany. This is often the name given to any type of blue cheese, which is a mistake. This variety is crumbly, but at the same time quite dense. Richest in calcium and vitamin PP.

Roquefort is made exclusively from sheep's milk. Connoisseurs believe that only cheeses produced in the province of Rouergue, which is located in France, can be called this way. But in fact, the whole variety is called Roquefort, regardless of where it was prepared. It is the most common among moldy cheeses.

Stilton is made from cow's milk; the variety came to us from England. The texture is semi-soft and crumbles. In England, Stilton is usually consumed during the Christmas holidays.

Gorgonzola comes from Italy and is characterized by a slight tangy flavor. It is soft, ripens fairly quickly (but should also be eaten quickly), and is a frequent guest in Italian culinary recipes.

White spores are planted in varieties:

• Camembert.

Brie comes from France and is considered one of the most famous and valued around the world. The consistency is soft, the color is pale. Fresh tastes soft, but as it ages, it acquires light spicy notes. The variety is universal, can be served at a festive table, or can be consumed on an everyday basis.

Camembert also came from France. Fresh cheese has a slight mushroom flavor. The structure is soft, but covered with a hard crust. The cheese wheel should also be firm when cutting. It is stored very poorly and does not last long.

Under natural conditions, neither one nor the other mold germinates. There are similar types, but for cheeses it is created artificially.

Composition (vitamins and microelements)

The composition of the cheese will mainly depend on its variety. Approximate chemical composition of blue varieties:

Calorie content per 100 grams was 340 kcal. The maximum daily dose per person is 50 grams. It is not recommended to exceed it, regardless of the variety, its freshness and quality.

Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women

Pregnant women should not use this product. It can provoke a bacterial disease, due to which the immune system is impaired. As a result, a miscarriage may occur. Breastfeeding mothers are advised to check with their doctor whether small amounts of the product are acceptable for consumption.

Storage

Storing moldy cheeses at home is a delicate job. It should be borne in mind that if the storage temperature is inappropriate, the mold will begin to actively devour the cheese itself. The average storage temperature ranges from 4-6 degrees. But the Brie variety breaks this rule; it can be kept at temperatures even down to -20 degrees; it will not change its qualities.

You need to keep the product wrapped in film or foil, because otherwise mold from it can spread to other products stored in the refrigerator. And the product actively absorbs foreign odors. If you keep it open, it will absorb all the aromas of the food, which will negatively affect its taste. You won't be able to enjoy this product even if you want to.

Brie cheese should be consumed within a maximum of 2 weeks, Italian Gorgonzola will not last longer than 5 days, Camembert can be enjoyed up to 5 weeks, and Roquefort up to 4 weeks.

How to choose

Moldy cheeses are rightfully considered elite and are quite expensive in stores. It is better to buy them in premium-oriented stores. Because there is a high probability that an elite product has been lying in the nearest budget supermarket for a very long time, becoming covered with not at all elite mold. And proper storage of such products must be organized.

When choosing, pay attention to the following factors:

• Mold on factory-made cheese is distributed evenly, while on home-made cheese its inclusions are found in different places: somewhere more, somewhere less. You can notice this in blue cheeses.
• If you see that there is more mold on the product than cheese, then you should not take it. This means that it has been sitting for too long; the mold has absorbed most of the cheese.
• If you want to purchase a product with white mold, make sure it is really white. A yellowish tint indicates that it is already old. When completely fresh, it will smell like mushrooms, barely audible. If you are old, this smell disappears.

If you have the opportunity to try, be sure to take it. But only if you already have experience in tasting expensive moldy cheeses. It will be easier to determine the freshness and tenderness of the taste with white cheeses, because sometimes even the color of mold cannot be properly understood in the store due to the lighting conditions.

What goes with it?

The combination of cheese with other products will depend on its variety. The exquisite taste of the product is revealed only better in the following combinations:

• Fruits, sweet desserts and honey go well with Camembert. Good quality sparkling wines are suitable as a drink.
• Honey and sweet fruits also pair with the salty Roquefort. But vegetables and peppers can also go well with it. Taken as an appetizer with port wines, other fortified wines, Cahors.
• Shrimp, almonds, and pineapples are combined with the Brie variety. You can also eat it with honey or fruit jam, dipping it in it. This cheese can also serve as an ingredient for creamy cheese soups or as a filling element in puff pastries.
• For Dor Blue, it is best to take a plate with various nuts or grapes and snack on pieces of fresh white bread. Seafood dishes are also suitable for eating with this type of moldy cheese. As an appetizer, it is used with red wines, perfectly complementing them with its salty taste.
• Gorgonzola goes well with fresh bread or potatoes. They will not block its taste, they will not interrupt its smell. As an appetizer, Gorgonzola can be paired with the strongest red wines and even elite beers.

Keep in mind that only high-quality foods and drinks will help to reveal the taste of moldy cheese. Trying to combine an exquisite variety with a cheap, low-quality wine is not worth it. It is better to consume it separately than to supplement it with inappropriate products that are not able to reveal the aroma and delicate taste. Gourmets recommend starting to get acquainted with cheeses with the Brie variety, which has a rather sharp taste. You still need to get used to it before continuing your journey into the world of taste pleasures.

Not every moldy product is considered edible. Blue cheese is not just an edible product, but a healthy one. Gourmets appreciated the unique, incomparable taste of Roquefort, Dor Blue, Bavarian blue cheese and Cambozola.

The benefits of cheese aristocrats will manifest themselves with moderate consumption.

The benefits of blue cheese

Not every mold that covers cheese is edible. Do not compare Roquefort and blue cheese that has been sitting in the refrigerator, the benefits of which are questionable. To prepare blue cheese, special types of cheese mold are used, which differ from poisonous ones in appearance, smell and properties.

To obtain Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Dor Blue, spores of Penicillium roqueforti, or blue mold, are added to the cheese substrate. On the surface of Camembert and Brie, a white, delicate fluff of the fungi Penicillium camemberti or white mold grows, which is not found anywhere in nature and appeared in the process of human activity due to repeated artificial selection.

It is impossible to obtain cheese with white mold under natural conditions without the deliberate introduction of white fungal spores. The same applies to blue cheeses. Although some strains of blue mold are found on tree species, only domesticated and evolved spores are used to make blue mold cheese.

Reduces the negative effects of ultraviolet rays

Cheese sprouted with noble mold contains substances that stimulate the production of melanin in human skin. These natural dark pigments prevent ultraviolet rays from penetrating the dermis of the skin, preventing sunburn.

Enriches the body with proteins

A piece of moldy cheese will provide the body with more protein than the same piece of meat or fish. Protein is involved in building muscle tissue in the body.

Prevents dysbiosis and fermentation in the intestines

Cheese fungi from the Penicillium family, when entering the intestines, create a favorable environment for the proliferation of beneficial bacteria. They suppress the process of breakdown of undigested foods and eliminate their fermentation and decomposition.

Has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system

People who regularly consume gourmet varieties with mold are less susceptible to heart attacks and strokes. In addition, Penicillium roqueforti thins the blood, which prevents the formation of clots and improves blood flow.

Improves hormonal levels and relieves tension

Cheese mold has an increased content of pantothenic acid, or vitamin, which is responsible for the production of glucocorticoids - hormones produced by the adrenal glands. With a lack of vitamin B5 in the body, fatigue, rapid fatigue, sleep disturbance and depressive disorders develop.

Accelerates wound healing

Penicillium contains the amino acids valine and histidine, the main property of which is to accelerate the restoration of damaged tissues and organs. The body is unable to produce these amino acids on its own.

The dangers of blue cheese

Despite the arguments about the benefits of the product, there are other valid arguments in opposition. Three factors are taken into account: who, when and in what quantities can eat blue cheese. Harm will be caused to the body if you consume more than 50 grams of such cheeses per day. Otherwise, Penicillium fungal spores will suppress the intestinal microflora, causing dysbacteriosis and disturbances in the functioning of the organ.

Any mold contains substances that cause allergies. For fungal diseases and individual intolerance to penicillin, the cheese delicacy will aggravate the situation.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, exclude white and blue cheeses from your diet: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Brie, Dor Blue. The benefits and harms of gourmet varieties are not on the same level, since soft moldy cheese is a habitat for listeria. These bacteria cause infectious diseases. If a healthy person experiences listeriosis without significant symptoms, a pregnant woman will develop a high temperature, fever and vomiting. Due to such a load on the immune system, disastrous consequences can occur: miscarriage, abnormalities in fetal development, premature birth.

Rules for selection and use

To prepare real soft blue cheese, it will take a lot of time and certain conditions. The raw material for real Roquefort is sheep cheese, and the preparation technology is kept secret. Roquefort, made according to an old traditional recipe, can only be found in the French province of Rouergue. This cheese, produced in industrial conditions, is supplied to the world market. The mold inside Roquefort matures on oak shelving in limestone cellars for three to nine months.

Saint-Marcellin cheese will develop an orange-white coating and acquire a refined taste after 6 weeks of aging. Only the employees of Kezerei Chapmignon, a company from the small town of Lauben in Germany, know how the German Blue cheese is prepared. The complex recipe, time and conditions required for the preparation of blue and white cheeses have become the reason for their considerable price and rarity on store shelves.

To choose good quality blue cheese, you need to study the features:

1. Soft blue cheese is delicate in structure, but does not fall apart.
2. Homemade blue cheese with mold differs from factory-made blue cheese in the uniformity of mold growth inside. In domestic bluish inclusions, they are frequent in one place and rare in another.
3. If there is more mold in the cheese body than the cheese itself, then a lot of time has passed since the product was manufactured, and the mold has eaten the cheese mass.
4. Fresh white Camembert and Brie cheeses smell pleasantly of mushrooms, and the aroma is barely perceptible.
5. Young cheeses with white mold are covered with delicate white fluff. A yellowish or orange coating appears on mature and old ones.

In order for Roquefort, Dor Blue, Bavarian blue cheese, Cambozola, Stilton and Brie to fully reveal their taste, you need to know approach to exquisite and rare varieties:

1. The piquant, spicy taste of Camembert with mushroom notes wins in combination with champagne, sweet desserts and fruits. Traditionally it is eaten with jelly, grapes and honey.
2. On a plate with Brie next to it, it is better to place pieces of melon or pineapple, almonds, and white shrimp. Dip tender cheese in honey or apple jam. If you cut off the moldy crust from Brie, it will become an ingredient for soups, sauces and puff pastry fillings.
3. Italian Gorgonzola with a pronounced concentrated taste will be complemented by neutral foods: bread and potatoes. Cheese adds flavor to traditional German dishes, mushroom casseroles, ice cream and pies. Cheese with a specific smell and taste is served as a separate snack with strong red wine, unsweetened white or red wine and beer.
4. Dor Blue goes well with dried fruits, nuts, grapes, and fresh white bread. It is added to pizza, pies, and seafood dishes. As for alcoholic drinks, sweet red wine will go well with the slightly salty taste of Blue.
5. The salty, creamy taste of Roquefort, reminiscent of hazelnuts, will be fully revealed in combination with confiture, honey, and sweet fruits. Vegetables, herbs, peppers and olive oil are good companions for the king of moldy cheeses. As drinks, it is wise to serve Roquefort with Cahors, fortified wines - ports or white dessert wines, for example, Sauternes.

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What is blue cheese? These are special varieties of cheese that are produced with the addition of types of food mold that are safe for the body. As a rule, this is a mold from the genus Penicillium (It has a specific smell and taste, is used in the production of expensive varieties of cheese such as brie, camembert (French camembert) - a type of soft, fatty cheese made from cow's milk). The color of mold can be different: blue, light blue, greenish, white, etc. Mold can only cover the top of the cheese “head” or be inside the cheese mass in the form of spectacular veins. Most noble mold cheeses are made from cow's milk. An exception is the famous Roquefort cheese, which is made from sheep's milk.

Cheeses can be roughly classified into blue cheeses and soft cheeses. For the most part, these cheeses belong to the elite category. Their ripening period is from 2 to 6 weeks. Shades of taste and aroma can be very diverse, depending on the method of preparation. There are several types of soft cheeses. Some go on sale immediately after production, others require short aging and, depending on this, they can be divided into two groups:

1) white cheeses- cheeses on the surface of which a thin white crust forms with a coating of mold, which is specially cultivated by spraying penicillin.
As a result, the cheeses acquire a piquant, unique taste and smell - slightly ammonia, mushroom or hot-pepper. The most popular cheese in this group is Camembert. It has a dense, oily consistency and a characteristic smell of damp earth, moss and mushrooms.

2) blue cheeses- cheeses that ripen from the inside, resulting in a bluish mold on the surface. The famous Roquefort belongs to this group. It is aged in deep cellars, and its taste depends on the length of maturation. The white or faint yellow dough, riddled with streaks of blue-green mold, gives the appearance of marbled coloring. Blue cheeses have a buttery or grainy consistency and have a tangy or salty-spicy flavor and mushroom aroma. They are made using a very simple but labor-intensive technology. Milk for cheeses is curdled at 30 degrees. The cheese mass is not pressed, but suspended in gauze, and the whey drains naturally. After two weeks, the cheese is salted and pierced with long needles containing mold fungi. Thus, blue veins spread throughout the entire volume of the cheese mass.

Soft cheeses can be divided into two more groups:

With washed edges;
. with natural edges.

Edge-washed cheeses have a strong smell of hay, mushrooms, hazelnuts and mold, and their taste ranges from mild to very strong. As a result of regularly washing cheese wheels in brine, wine, beer or whey, ordinary mold does not appear (or appears, but then disappears), and therefore red mold bacteria develop. It stays on the edges so the crust turns a creamy orange or brown color. Cheese dough most often turns out yellow. Burgundy is considered the recognized birthplace of soft cheeses with washed rinds. Typical varieties of this group include Epoisse, Maroi, Aivaro, Munster, Remoudou. Cheeses with natural edges are made from sheep and goat milk. Due to special processing, they have slightly wrinkled edges. Over time, the wrinkles increase and a bluish-gray mold appears. Young cheese has a fresh, fruity taste, but over time it becomes very sharp, with a nutty flavor. Among these cheeses, the most famous are Chabichoux du Poiteau, Sainte-Maur and Crottin de Chavignolles.

Ardi-Gasna

The cheese is made from sheep's milk. The taste depends on the quality of the milk, the condition of the pastures, climate and other factors affecting its ripening. Ardi-Gasna is made high in the Alps, in the hiyasins of shepherds, where it matures in cool cellars for 3 to 6 months. The outside of the cheese is smooth, cast in various shades, from brown to yellow-gray. Its natural edges are crusty, sometimes with a slight gray coating of mold. Inside, its color ranges from light yellow to straw yellow. Has a few eyes. Firm to the touch, but pressed under your fingers. The taste is nutty, fresh, and with good ripening it acquires a pleasant piquancy. Circles of this cheese weigh 3 - 5 kg, their diameter is 20-30 cm.

Bleu d'Auvergne

This French blue cheese, marked with a special quality mark, is an analogue of Roquefort. Bleu d'Auvergne cheese has been produced since the 19th century in the Santal Mountains from cow's milk from special breeds of cows typical of that area. The cheese matures for three months in a damp cellar. Like any other blue mold cheese, it is riddled with blue-green veins of mold. The cheese mass of Bleu d'Auvergne is moist, sticky and slightly loose, but should not be crumbly. The cheese has a strong pungent aroma and a spicy, not too salty taste.

d" Auvergne

The cheese is made from cow's milk. Ripens in a damp cellar for 3 months. The cheese is covered with blue mold, and its circles are riddled with bluish-gray veins. It has a strong aroma and a spicy, not too salty taste. The cheese dough is moist, sticky and slightly crumbly, but in no way grainy. The weight of the cylinder is 2 - 3 kg, diameter - 10-20 cm. The cheese is marked with the AOC quality mark.

Bleu du Haut-Jura

The cheese is made from cow's milk. It is also found commercially under the name Bleu de Setmoncel or Bleu de Ges. During the manufacturing process, the cheese is filled with blue mold, which gives it its blue color. Ripens for 2 months. Bleu de Ges is best eaten in summer and autumn, and Bleu de Setmoncels is best eaten in autumn and winter. A good cheese has an impeccable crust and has an unclear, slightly bitter taste with a slight hint of mushrooms. The weight of the circle is up to 75 kg, diameter is 36 cm.
The cheese is marked with the AOC quality mark.

The cheese is made from cow's milk. Soft Brie cheese has been known in France for several centuries. For the production of this cheese, exclusively fresh (not pasteurized) milk is used. The milk is fermented with rennet, and after two hours the curd is placed into molds. The cheese remains unloaded for 24 hours. It is then removed from the molds and salt is sprinkled on its surface. Brie matures within 2-4 weeks and develops a characteristic red color on its surface due to the growth of pigment-forming bacteria. Ripening occurs due to the activity of mold enzymes penetrating inside. The consistency of mature cheese can vary from waxy to semi-liquid. The cheese has a pungent taste and ammonia smell. The weight of the circle is 1.2 kg, diameter is 37 cm.

Camembert

The cheese is made from cow's milk. This is one of the most famous soft cheeses. Camembert can be difficult to produce in hot weather, so it is usually made between September and May. Under favorable conditions, mold growth occurs rapidly, and very soon the surface of the white mold turns blue, so that the cheese has a bluish-gray appearance. The cheese is then transferred to another basement room with a temperature of approximately 10 ° C and high humidity. Under these conditions, mold growth slows down significantly, and the mold itself takes on a reddish-brown color. The cheese now becomes viscous and is considered ripe. It should be soft to the touch, but not crumble when cut. A hard center surrounded by a semi-liquid mass near the rinds indicates that the cheese is poorly prepared. A good Camembert should be covered with a velvety white crust, and the “wrinkles” should have a slight pink-red tint. The smell is fresh, perhaps with a mushroom note. The taste is delicate, and in no case should it taste like ammonia. The product is transported in light wooden boxes or packed in straw, six cheeses at a time. They try to sell Camembert as quickly as possible, since it is poorly stored. Because of this, it is often sold unripe. In this case, it can be left to ripen at home. Before use, Camembert is placed in a cool place, but not in the refrigerator. Cut cheese no longer ripens, so it is better to eat it as quickly as possible. Disc weight - 35-45 kg. Marked with the AOC quality mark.

Roquefort

The cheese is made from sheep's milk. It is perhaps the most famous of all blue cheeses. There are a great many imitations of this cheese, the names of which speak for themselves. For example, the Danish Roquefort, which is made from cow's milk. Traditionally, rye bread is used to form mold. In addition, the cheeses are pierced with long needles and sprinkled with dried rye mold. Then Roquefort mold settles in the air channels, which subsequently forms blue-gray streaks. Real Roquefort matures for at least 3 months in limestone caves. In the early stages of ripening, sheep's milk cheese has a strong taste that not everyone likes. However, this flavor either disappears or softens during the subsequent ripening process. The cheese also leaves a peculiar aftertaste. The most successful seasons for making it are winter, spring and early summer. Cylinder weight - 2.5-2.9 kg. The cheese is marked with the AOC quality mark.

And here is A. Dumas’ description of Roquefort cheese. This is a cheese that is produced in the town of Roquefort-en-Rouergue, in Aveyron. It is made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, which is heated, curdled and placed in a mold. After this, each such small mass is surrounded with a strap so that the cheese mass does not spread. Cheeses are dried in basements, where there must be a very strong draft. They are then salted by covering them with a layer of salt and several cheeses are placed on top of each other after they have been salted for three to four days. The cheeses are left to ripen, carefully peeled and washed each time a more or less colored layer appears on the surface. When this colored layer turns red and white, the cheeses are ready to eat. This usually happens after three to four months of the cheese being in the cellar. We recommend Roquefort cheese, which is rightfully considered one of our best cheeses.

Saint-Marcellin

The cheese is made from cow's milk. Ripens in 4-6 weeks. At the end of ripening, its orange rind becomes covered with a slight coating of mold, and the taste becomes slightly nutty and salty. Over time, the cheese dries, acquiring a spicy aroma, but its pulp should not crumble. Disc weight - 80 g.

Gorgonzola

Only two regions of Italy historically associated with the production of Gorgonzola can legally produce cheese and only in the following provinces: Novara, Vercelli, Cuneo, Biella, Verbania and the Monferrato territories in Piedmont and Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Milan, Monza, Pavia and Varese in Lombardy. The milk used in the production of Gorgonzola comes from cows grazing on pastures only in these provinces. Only such cheese can receive DOP status - Protected Designation of Origin.
Gorgonzola is a white cow's milk cheese with green streaks of mold. It is soft, with a creamy, slightly sweet taste. Before use, remove Gorgonzola from the refrigerator for about half an hour. During this time, it takes on the correct consistency and taste. Gorgonzola is aged for 2 months for the sweet type and 3 months for the savory type. To enable consumers to identify genuine cheese, the Consortium provides manufacturers with foil with the letter “g” printed on it. Such foil may only be held by companies authorized by the consortium.

Danablu

Danish cheese made from cow's milk. Its creation was inspired by Danish cheese makers from Roquefort. This cheese is also called Mormora. Pasty, matures for 2-3 months and is more suitable for everyday use.

Wine and cheese are classics of intelligent libations. There are several general rules when serving cheese with wine. It is advisable that the cheese and wine be made in the same country. It is important to remember that the brighter the taste of the cheese, the stronger and more mature the wine should be. Before serving the cheese to the table, you need to keep it on the table at room temperature for some time, only after that the entire flavor palette of the cheese will be revealed.
Camembert and Roquefort are good served as an appetizer before lunch and dinner. Soft round cheeses are usually cut in half, and blue cheeses are cut into cubes. The taste of Camembert is perfectly complemented by young red wines. And the unique taste of Roquefort is emphasized by dry red vintage wine drinks. These types of cheeses are especially popular in France. The success of French soft cheeses is attributed to the mild climate. The production of these cheeses is especially successful on small farms located near large cities or resorts.

And a few words about the cheese plate

A cheese plate is a dish for aesthetes. For it to be “correct” it must contain at least five types of cheese. A cheese plate can be served as a main course or as a dessert. In the first case, the pieces of cheese are larger, and each participant in the meal is entitled to a device. In the second case, the cheese is complemented with fruit and can be served on skewers. Pears go well with Brie and Camembert, grapes go well with Roquefort, cherries and pineapple complement Cheddar and Beaufort, and various nuts go well with all cheeses. Delicate cheeses absorb odors well. So it is important not to combine too aromatic cheeses with each other. As a rule, the freshest cheese is left for six hours. Further clockwise, according to increasing spice. Cheese is eaten in the same order.

Benefits and harms

Blue cheeses are healthy in small quantities. They contain a lot of calcium, an extensive complex of vitamins of both water- and fat-soluble groups, and phosphorus salts. Blue cheese is also a good source of protein, which is rich in essential amino acids. But there is also some danger!
As described above, fungi of the genus penicillium are used to produce blue cheese. Not all fungi of this genus secrete a large amount of antibiotics, but trace amounts of substances that destroy the cell wall of bacteria are contained in all fungi of this genus (fungi need antibiotics in order to suppress the growth of bacteria nearby and fully utilize nutrient substrates).
When blue cheeses are consumed in moderation, small doses of antibiotics in them are completely harmless. But, if you eat blue cheeses every day, antibiotics may well cause a disruption in the composition of the intestinal microflora, especially after gastrointestinal infections and antibiotic therapy.
In addition, fungi that are found in blue cheeses are quite a strong allergen. Therefore, excessive consumption of blue cheeses can lead to allergic rashes and hives. For this number of reasons, doctors do not recommend cheese to pregnant women and nursing mothers. Due to the fact that cheeses are high in calories, nutritionists advise consuming no more than 50 g of blue cheeses per day.