One day, a young shepherd, who went to graze sheep on the slope of Mount Combalu, which is not far from the village of Roquefort, sat down in a cave to eat bread and sheep's cheese to strengthen his strength. The meal was interrupted by an unexpected event (because the appearance of a beauty, according to the laws of the genre, is always unexpected), and the shepherd rushed to catch up with the lovely stranger, completely forgetting about eating. The story is silent about the girl's further fate - but the shepherd, returning to the same cave a few months later, was surprised to find that the cheese he had left was covered with bluish molds and acquired a completely new, unfamiliar taste. Thus was it revealed to the world roquefort cheese.

A word in defense of blue cheese

In fact, of course, everything was not at all as this beautiful legend says. Apparently, blue cheese was really discovered by chance, but mankind knows it much earlier: the ancient writer Pliny the Elder described the rich taste of such cheese in 79 AD, and this despite the fact that Roquefort in its present form appeared already in the second millennium AD, not earlier than 1070.

As we can see, blue cheeses have a rich history and, despite the title, do not need any protection. Like many world famous wines, the best varieties moldy cheeses have names controlled by origin - in other words, the name "Roquefort" can only be worn by cheese that has matured in the caves of Rouergue, just where our shepherd threw his lunch. The place in the caves, whatever one may say, is limited, so a real Roquefort is worth several times more expensive than its counterparts, which can only boast of the same mold, but not their origin.

Speaking of mold. The mold responsible for the production of roquefort (and other cheeses) is called Penicillium roqueforti and is one of the most important factors that make the moldy cheeses taste like that - spicy and slightly salty. Smell is also her dispute, and it is precisely because of this smell, which is harsh and pleasant not for everyone, that many treat moldy cheeses with suspicion. Well, let it be, we will get more, especially since despite the initially seeming monotony, the taste of each type of blue cheese is very, very specific. Such a specificity is achieved, in addition to the usual factors such as types of milk or humidity and temperature at which the cheese ripens, also by the process of introducing mold spores into the curd mass. Is it really that important, you ask? ..

Roquefort, Gorgonzola and others

Has, and some other. Take, for example, Roquefort: in the old days, cheese makers began production by leaving bread in a cave, which lay there for six to eight months (remember the shepherd?) And served as a nutrient base for the development of mold. Mold is now produced in modern laboratories, and then sprayed over the cheese, in which many holes are made to better spread the mold fungi. The characteristic roquefort taste, spicy, slightly nutty, appears after the mold has worked well in it for several weeks.

Gorgonzola is another world famous blue cheese that is produced in Italy, in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions. Despite the fact that Gorgonzola and Roquefort are relatives, manufacturing process they differ. First, the Italians, unlike the French, use cow's milk for cheese production, not sheep's milk. Secondly, the mold here acts on a couple with bacteria - Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, and the mold itself is different, Penicillium glaucum (however, recently Italians have begun to use the already familiar Penicillium roqueforti). Bacteria and mold are mixed with curd mass, and already during the ripening process, metal rods are inserted into the cheese - for better ventilation, which is necessary for the growth of mold. The final taste and consistency of the product is determined by the ripening time - usually two to four months. By the way, it is believed that Gorgonzola is almost 200 years older than Roquefort (although they say that until the 11th century it was regular cheese, without any mold). Because of this, the exact origin of the cheese has not been established - and in addition to the small town of Gorgonzola, which is near Milan, several other settlements are fighting for the right to be called the birthplace of the famous cheese.

Another famous blue cheese - stilton - comes from England, from Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and kept for at least 9 weeks. Ready cheese differs in many small passages, "dug" by mold from the core of a cylindrical cheese head to its edges, and must meet a number of requirements to be called a stilton. Next to Roquefort and Gorgonzola, it is quite young - for the first time the Stilton appeared "only" in the 18th century. But everything is known by comparison - after all, Danablu cheese (Danish blue) began to be produced at all in the last, XX century, as an inexpensive alternative to Roquefort. Bavaria Blue is another such alternative from the 20th century, this time intended to replace Gorgonzola. Now this cheese is called "cambozola", because manufacturers have managed to combine the taste of camembert and gorgonzola in one product.

What do they eat with?

As mentioned above, blue cheese has a pronounced taste, which means that it should be served with the same drinks, for example, with strong, tannin wines. Blue cheese is usually aged before serving until room temperature, and is served with crispbread or crackers and fruit, the sweetness of which complements its saltiness and spice. In addition, there are traditional ways for different regions to enjoy blue cheese - for example, the British often serve stilton with celery and washed down with port, and also add to soups, the Danes love to eat their cheese with bread or biscuits, and gorgonzola is often added to risotto. polenta, sauce for or for Quattro formaggi pizza. Finally, blue cheese looks great in and serves as the base for the blue cheese sauce that is served with. And this, mind you, is only the ubiquitous uses of blue cheese! I wonder how you eat it? ..

Many of us know that blue cheese is considered a delicacy. What is so unusual about this cheese? It turns out that real cheese with mold produced only in France.

In other countries, they also do something similar, but the most the best cheeses - exactly French production.

Blue cheese and its legend

Interestingly, there is a beautiful, romantic legend about blue cheese. One day a young boy, a shepherd, on the slope of Mount Combalu (near the village of Roquefort) sat down to have a snack with cheese and bread. At this time a beauty was passing by. The young man wanted to meet the girl and rushed after her, but her trace was gone.

Returning a few days later to the cave, he saw an abandoned cheese covered with mold. The young man tried it and was pleasantly surprised: he got the cheese completely new taste... So, according to legend, roquefort cheese appeared, one of the most famous blue cheeses.

Where is blue cheese made?

It is clear that these are just legends. But in fact, blue cheeses have a rich history. Roquefort cheese is produced in the caves of the Rouergue province, France.If you find cheese from another manufacturer on store shelves, then this is something other than an ordinary fake.

The fact is that Roquefort cheese is produced in relatively small batches. there is not so much space in the caves, and its cost is several times higher than its analogues. It is not at all necessary that such cheeses will be less tasty than real Roquefort.

Is mold in cheese bad?

Many unknowingly claim that the mold used in manufacturing is harmful to health. This is not true. Mold Penicillium roqueforti is absolutely harmless the human body, just sounds similar to penicillin. It is one of the most important factors that give the cheese an original, incomparable taste.

Types of blue cheeses

In addition to Roquefort, there are also varieties of blue cheese such as stilton, gorgonzola and others.

Blue cheese - Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola, like Roquefort, is one of the most known varieties blue cheese. Italy is considered his homeland (or rather, the Piedmont and Lombardy regions). These two cheeses are very different in taste because Italians use sheep's milk for the production of cheese.

In addition, manufacturers also use different kinds mold.If in roquefort it is Penicillium roqueforti, then in Gorgonzola it is Penicillium glaucum and two species of bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. As the cheese ripens, metal rods are inserted into the mass to ensure good ventilation. The ripening time of Gorgonzola is about four months. It is known that the Gorgonzola variety is more than 200 years older than Roquefort.

The Gorgonzola has a copy, which is called Bavaria Blue.

Blue cheese - Stilton

Stilton cheese is native to England, from the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. This type of cheese is made only from pasteurized cow's milk. It is kept for at least 9 weeks.

There are 2 types of English stilton - blue (the most popular) and less known - white stilton... Unlike other cheeses, in the total mass of cheese there are many seemingly moves made by mold.

In order to get the proud name steatlon, the cheese must meet a whole range of requirements. In a real stealthone cheese, there must be specific blue veins coming from the center.

Stilton cheese is considered the youngest (in comparison with the two previous varieties we are describing) it appeared relatively recently - in the 18th century.

Blue cheese - Danablu

There is also a younger cheese - danablu, which appeared already in the twentieth century. He came to replace the expensive rockfort.

Because blue cheese has a rather sharp taste and is usually served with tannin wines. Some gourmets and cheese connoisseurs tend to argue that moldy cheese is incompatible with wine, with the exception of some white wines.

What to eat with blue cheese

Before serving, the blue cheese is warmed to room temperature. It goes especially well with fruits, vegetables, crispbread, crackers, etc. The British eat this cheese with vegetables and fresh herbs, and also add it to soups; Danes - with bread, Italians add it to sauce and pizza.

Blue cheese - great ingredient for salads, with the exception of Roquefort cheese. This elite grade cheese is best eaten as a separate dish.

Is blue cheese good for you? Is there any use in it?

• Yes, if you don't eat it very often and in small portions... It contains phosphorus and calcium, as well as other vitamins, as well as protein and amino acids necessary for humans.
• Many nutritionists claim that moldy cheese also contains beneficial bacteria.that improve bowel function.
• Turkish scientists have made a discovery, it turns out that the composition of the noble mold contains special substances that are able to protect the skin from harmful effects sun rays. The use of blue cheese leads to the fact that substances accumulate in the subcutaneous layer, as a result of which more melanin is produced in the body, which significantly reduces the risk of sunburn.

Blue cheese appeared when people already had rich experience in cheese making.

noble blue mold

Seven thousand years ago, all cheese was absolutely clean, without a single blotch of mold. Then people already perfectly understood that foods covered with a fungal bloom should not be eaten.

There are two slightly similar legends about the origin of the “noble” mold.

Today I will tell you one of them.

In France there is a place called Roquefort, it is also Roquefort. The time of action is about 2000 years ago. The terrain is mountainous with an abundance of caves and open green lawns. Shepherds brought small herds of goats and sheep here to graze. One such young French shepherd, tired of the bleating of rams, of the chirping of birds or of the hot sun, left his “wards” on the lawn, and he himself decided to have a snack with the usual food at that time - water, and bread and cheese. And as soon as he wanted to start his meal, his attention was attracted by a beauty who, for some reason, passed by. What made the shepherd forget about dinner and about the flock: the beauty of the girl, passion or love at first sight, or all together - is already unknown. However, our fellow ran after the girl, leaving the food in the lime cave.

Legend says that he returned back to this place only a month later. In the cave, he found cheese and bread left by him, but covered with a bluish mold. Apparently, the hunger was too strong to allow throwing away even a spoiled product. The cheese with bluish streaks of mold was eaten, but the shepherd was so pleased with its salty and spicy taste that he shared his story with the inhabitants of his village, who, having learned from the mouth of the shepherd about cheese with amazing taste, began to leave cooked cheeses and bread in caves, which were many in this area. This is how the roquefort blue cheese appeared, named after this place Roquefort, fragrant, salty, with a nutty taste - one of the most famous cheeses in the world.

At the beginning of the 15th century french king Charles VI gave the inhabitants of the village of Roquefort a monopoly on the production of the cheese of the same name in the local limestone caves. The technology has hardly changed since that time. Each head of cheese made from sheep milk, pierced through with long needles so that mold spores can enter. A stable high humidity and low temperatures provide rapid growth of mushrooms.

Another popular product produced by mold is the French wine Château d'Yquem. For its production, the grapes are struck with "noble rot" - the fungus Bodritis Cinerea, due to which the skin of the berry loses its tightness, the fruit itself wrinkles, but the content becomes more concentrated. Chateau d'Iquem, the favorite wine of the Russian aristocracy of the 19th century, is today one of the most expensive wines in the world.

By the way, the most expensive bottle of wine in the world is Chateau d'Yquem 1787 years, worth $ 100,000.

Good evening.

In the post-Soviet space, moldy cheese remains a misunderstood product. We are used to throwing away what is covered with a multi-colored shaggy film, proceeding from our own safety. Therefore, the purchase would seem to have already spoiled the food, but the fabulous money leads us to a state of slight bewilderment. Until we can get used to the idea of \u200b\u200bcolorful cheese, European countries are consuming tons of it and it seems that they have not yet suffered a decline in population.

Who is really right and is it worth spending money on an expensive overseas snack?

Why cheese is useful

Nature decided to complicate human life and most useful products made it unattractive. Time natural selection passed, and certified scientists annually write for us whole lists of useful and harmful products... Blue cheese was also on the list of healthy foods. Blue cheese is recognized as a masterpiece of cheese making and a colossal healthy food product, which does not fit at all with its specific smell and frankly unsightly appearance.

Gourmets love blue cheese for a reason. Let's leave the history of creation, taste, storage for last and talk about the benefits for the human body. Scientists identify only 3 important categories: mold, vitamin composition and a kind of milk.

Why cheese mold (Penicillium) is considered noble

There are 2 main types of mold used for cheese making: Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium glaucum. By injection, they enter the cheese, develop and, importantly, enrich the product with useful nutrients, and do not turn it into food waste.

Noble mold reduces the risk of heart attacks, kills pathogenic microflora, promotes healing and improves intestinal functionality. Blue cheese belongs to the category of foods that are good for the heart. It is Penicillium that has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the organ and creates additional protection against infections.

As confirmation useful properties blue cheese scientists use the "French paradox". What is it? France has the lowest rate of heart attacks in the world. This is a proven fact, which is explained by 2 ineradicable food preferences of the French: blue cheese and red wine. The products have an anti-inflammatory effect, cleanse the arteries / joints, which helps to avoid heart attacks and arthritis at an advanced age.

Noble mold helps to slow down the aging of the body.

French women are distinguished not only by their special romantic nature, but also by their longevity. The whole world speaks about the beautiful aging of local women: no problems with the skin, cellulite or huge furrows on the face, into which wrinkles are intertwined. Of course, there is no need to rely on only one blue cheese. The way of life, ecology, presence / absence of stress plays a role in beautiful aging, physical activity and rational eating habits.

Vitamin and nutritional composition of the product

The concentration of vitamins and beneficial nutrients in blue cheese is high. After one cheese platter the body will be filled with retinol (vitamin A), calciferol (vitamin D), cobalamin (vitamin B12), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca). Why is the presence of these substances in the body important?

Let's dwell on 4 main substances. Vitamin D, popularly referred to as the "solar" vitamin, strengthens the musculoskeletal system, muscle corset, teeth and immunity. Calciferol reduces the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, according to a study by The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) supports our nervous system... It is this component that is responsible for relaxation, relaxation and tranquility.

For potassium (K), The Institute of Medicine recommends 4,700 milligrams of the nutrient daily. 30 grams of blue cheese contains 27 milligrams of potassium.

The nutrient is responsible for the functionality of metabolism, maintenance of water balance in cells and tissues. The substance regulates energy metabolism and helps a person to maintain efficiency throughout the day.

Calcium (Ca) improves memory and stimulates brain cells. The nutrient fights severe headaches, migraines, and according to French studies, it can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by more than 50%. Another study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the substance is capable of burning subcutaneous fat. During the experiment, 2 groups of girls were tested. Some ate on special diet high in calcium, others have consumed the nutrient in minimum quantity... The girls from the first group managed to burn 20 times more subcutaneous fat than the representatives of the second.

Goat / cow / sheep milk in cheeses

Nutritionists have long sounded the alarm about the dangers of cow's milk. Humanity found salvation in plant species milk (almond, coconut, hemp), but there is no need to completely abandon animal fat. Sheep and goat's milk is much safer than cow's milk: they contain less lactose, hormones and antibiotics.

For the preparation of some types of cheese (Roquefort, Tanguy), sheep or goat milk is used, which plays into the hands of adepts healthy eating... According to a study by the American Dairy Goat Association, goat milk has the lowest levels of saturated fat and bad cholesterol. Moreover, the product is a real storehouse of vitamins A, D, calcium and iron. Nutrients are easily and efficiently absorbed the human body. Goat milk recognized as hypoallergenic.

Hazardous properties of the product

The benefits of blue cheese can easily turn into harm if abused or misused. Do not forget that cheese is the most nutritious and salty product... Almost 70% it consists of fat, the remaining 30% are various impurities, additives and accompanying ingredients.

100 grams of blue cheese contains an average of 340 kcal.

Considering that the average adult's diet is 2000 kcal, the number is quite impressive. The product can lead not only to banal overeating, but also to:

• obesity;
• violation of food metabolism;
• violation of eating habits;
• an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.

With a 2,000 kcal daily diet, 25% of calories should be derived from fat and only 7% should be derived from unsaturated fat.

Approach your own nutrition from a scientific point of view. Avoid prohibitions, because the urge to break them will be much stronger than your common sense. Consume high-calorie foods wisely, correctly entering them into the daily KBZHU and remember that health is much more important than a minute gastronomic pleasure.

The history of blue cheese

A legend is associated with the production of blue cheese. A young shepherd tending a flock of sheep near the village of Roquefort. The shepherd was tired of the scorching sun and the duties that had fallen on him, so he decided to rest for a minute in the nearest cave. When he reached the cave, he decided to feast on a piece of black bread and cheese made from sheep's milk. At that moment, when the guy finally decided to eat, a young girl passed by the cave. The beauty of the girl turned out to be more important than dinner and the shepherd ran to get acquainted. The abandoned lunch lay in the cave for an indefinite amount of time. By the time the shepherd returned, the cheese was covered with blue mold. The young man was, perhaps, so annoyed that he did not have time to either have a normal dinner or get to know the girl, spat on everything and ate a moldy piece of cheese. The shepherd was so amazed by the taste that he took up cheese making, gained world fame and forever forgot about the young beauty who ruined his dinner.

Historical fact: Charlemagne fell in love with blue cheese in 774. He called it one of the most exquisite dishes and presented as a gift to the aristocracy. The Countess of Champagne Blanche of Navarre also used cheese as a special gift. She presented the beautifully packed brie to King Philip Augustus. Since then, the product has been called the "cheese of kings".

Cooking "young" blue cheeses shrouded not in legends, but in secrets. For example, Dorblu cheese was made in Germany in the twentieth century, but it original recipe is still kept secret.

Slavic cheese history

If the Europeans were maximally interested in cheese making, then in the Russian territories they did not make either the usual hard or moldy cheese. We loved to use milk as a stand-alone product, simmer it, cook cottage cheese or butter. A special Russian cheese was made from cottage cheese using the so-called "raw" method: it was matured, pressed, very salty and dense. This product has been popular for several centuries and was called "homemade" cheese.

European cheeses came to Russian territories from light hand Peter I. The people continued to eat "homemade cheese", and the nobles feasted on a hard overseas delicacy or called the Dutch to them, so that they would teach people how to cook cheese right in the provinces.

Historical fact: the paradoxical word "cheese dairy" appeared precisely during the period of cheese craze. The word "cheese" comes from the word "raw". The Europeans taught the Russians to boil cheese, so it just logically could no longer be raw.

Nikolai Vereshchagin became the first Russian cheese maker. The product of its production filled all the provinces, replacing the traditional "homemade cheese".

Famous varieties of blue cheese

Door Blue

German cheese based on cow's milk and blue mold. Dor-blue has become the most popular in the post-Soviet space (as evidenced by the rate of consumption of the product). The reason lies in its neutral taste: not spicy, not salty, without bright accents. The dor-blue taste is as soft as possible, creamy and very delicate. Another advantage of door blue is cost. It is relatively inexpensive (unlike most blue cheeses) and can easily be claimed as festive tableand for a regular family dinner.

Bree

Soft, with barely spicy notes, French cheese based on cow's milk and white noble mold. Bree, like many others foodstuffs, got its name from the area in which it was first born. Brie has an incredibly soft inside and a dense, viscous crust. The crust is covered with white mold and has a pronounced ammonia flavor.

Store the brie in the refrigerator under a heavy layer of paper to prevent the ammonia smell of the crust from spreading to the rest of the food.

Roquefort

The most popular blue cheese in France. It is served with white Sauternes wine at the end of the meal, as the final chord of the meal. Traditional Roquefort matures in the south of France in massive stone grottoes. It was there in natural environment a blue mold develops that covers the entire surface of the roquefort - Penicillium roqueforti.

For industrial production Penicillium roqueforti cheese is bred in special form rye bread... If Roquefort matured by classic recipe, then the production of the product would take a colossal time and cheese would be an expensive privilege of the wealthy segments of the population.

Gorgonzola

Blue dessert cheese, which was first produced in the village of the same name. Gorgonzola is different french cheeses: she has a rough smell that is intertwined with bright nutty notes and surprising soft taste with a sweet aftertaste. The texture of the gorgonzola is pasty with soft creamy accents. There are several types of gorgonzola. The most popular of these is dolce. It's amazingly gentle and sweet cheesewhich tastes like cheesecake.

Camembert

A soft blue cheese that is famous for its mushroom flavor and high fat content. Salvador Dali argued that it was the taste of Camembert that inspired him to create a fluid clock for the painting The Persistence of Memory. In the 19th century, the product gained popularity throughout the world. Round wooden boxes were invented especially for Camembert, in which the product was exported to every corner of the planet.

If we talk on the scale of human history, then it should be recognized that blue cheese (dor blue, camembert, brie and others) is a relatively young product. By the time he appeared on the world culinary scene, cheese making was already a fairly developed craft with well-oiled technology, rules, specialists and devices.

7,000 years ago, people used only selected cheese to make cheese, fresh milk... The experience of mankind has suggested that products with mold are not suitable for food. The appearance of cheeses covered with a mold crust, according to some scientists, is a pure coincidence.

One of the versions of how this happened is set out in an old french legend... It happened around 1700 in France, in the town of Roquefort (Roquefort).

This area has always been famous for its picturesque mountainous terrain, an abundance of caves and valleys covered with lush green grass, where to this day large herds of goats and sheep are brought out to graze.

When one of the shepherds got bored with this idyll, he left the flock for a while to dine with his regular foodconsisting of water, bread and cheese in one of the caves.

His modest meal was interrupted by a wonderful sight: beautiful girl, who happened to be in these parts, walked past him. Forgetting about his craft and about dinner, the enchanted young man left after her. Where he wandered, what happened between the shepherd and the beautiful stranger - the legend is silent about this. However, he returned to these lands only a month later.

The cheese and bread he had left in the cave were still there, untouched. However, during this time the bread became moldy, and characteristic bluish streaks appeared on the cheese.

Apparently, the shepherd was so hungry that it did not bother him: he immediately ate the musty cheese, the spicy smell and delicately salty taste of which won him over.

Following the example of the shepherd, the inhabitants of the village of Roquefort also began to leave cheese and bread in the caves, since there were plenty of them in these parts. Fragrant cheese with a bright nutty flavor and unforgettable scent became known all over the world under the name "Roquefort".

Legend # 2

Blue cheese could have appeared under other circumstances. According to another version, the shepherd boy was going to have a snack, found a suitable cave and laid bread and cheese on a large stone inside it. At that moment, something happened in the herd, and the boy left the cave to put things in order.

A few weeks later, he returned to the cave, where he found bread and cheese that he had forgotten, covered with a thin layer of blue mold. Then the boy treated the monks with this cheese, who asked them to tell in more detail about the recipe for preparing the delicacy they liked.

A bit of history and microbiology

A legend is a legend, but the facts tell a different story. There are references to cheese with blue mold in the writings of the historian Pliny (he lived in 79 AD), and in the 15th century the inhabitants of the village of Roquefort were granted a monopoly on the production of the cheese of the same name.

By the end of the 19th century, when microbiology was already forming as a branch of scientific knowledge, a type of mold was identified and classified, which leads to such metamorphoses of the product - this is the so-called "noble" mold Penicillium roqueforti.

Spores of this mold are one of the few that can be eaten. They are added not only to mont blue cheese, but also to other types of cheeses, including:

• italian gorgonzola,
• english stilton,
• german door blue.

And to date, the technology of roquefort preparation has not changed: the cheese is still placed in mountain caves in the vicinity of the village of Roqueform, where, under the influence of the humid climate, it acquires its "trademark" blue mold.

Blue cheese goes well with fruits, nuts and herbs. This is a real find for any buffet table and feast: the spicy nutty flavor of cheese will not leave indifferent any gourmet.

In the catalog of sets and cheese canapes on our website you can find cheese slices and ready-made snacks with blue cheeses. In particular, for a buffet or banquet, you can