Gorgonzola cheese is an Italian relative of the famous French Roquefort. They are united not only by their approximately equal age (they are considered the oldest moldy cheeses), but also by the romantic legends of their birth. Let's plunge into the majestic world of blue cheeses and get to know the noble Gorgonzola.

The date of birth of Gorgonzola is so far from our days that there are many disputes about the place and time of origin of the cheese. In this regard, its history is enmeshed in many conjectures.

According to some sources, Gorgonzola cheese was first obtained in 879 in the town of the same name near Milan (Milano). According to others, the birthplace of cheese is the town of Valsassina, which for several centuries was a famous place for cheese making due to the presence of natural caves with an average air temperature of 6-12 degrees.

Legend has it that the young man in love left his evening job of making cheese before finishing, to spend time with his lady-in-heart. In the morning, hoping to hide his mistake, he mixed the curd mass, obtained in the evening, with fresh milk. A few weeks later, the young man noticed blue streaks on the finished cheese, and after tasting it, he realized that he had made a discovery.

Stephen Jenkins, in his book Cheese Primer, suggests that the young man was preparing another Italian cheese (Stracchino) when he received the gorgonzola. In fact, the first name of the real Gorgonzola sounded like "starkkino from Gorgonzola", and later "starkkino green". And it was produced in the fall, when the cows were returning from mountain pastures.

The spread of gorgonzola making began in two areas (Lombardia) and (Piemonte) and was slower than other varieties. It was originally made in the cities of Pavia and Novara, later joined by (Como) and.

The beginning of the twentieth century is the starting point for the spread of gorgonzola. There are acts on the export of more than 10 thousand tons to Germany, Great Britain and France. At the same time, the British preferred the soft, slightly spicy white gorgonzola, and the French and German residents ordered tart double-curd cheese with many blue veins.

After the end of the Second World War, a recipe for obtaining gorgonzola was developed by the "one curl" method. The new technique has become cheaper, more hygienic and of higher quality.

Cheese factories spread throughout the Po valley. But in the 1970s, small factories were closed due to lack of funds. In 1955-1977, regions were legally defined that had the right to produce Gorgonzola cheese.

There are currently only 30 cheese factories producing the original Gorgonzola. About 45% of the cheese is made in Novara, 22% in Pavia, 15% in Milan.

Manufacturing technology

By law, real gorgonzola is produced only in two provinces of Italy: Lombardy ((Bergamo), Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Milan, Monza, Pavia, Varese) and Piedmont (Novara, Vercelli ), Cuneo, Verbania, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Casale Monferrato region). Milk obtained only in these regions is used for its production.

Gorgonzola production is a modern automated process. Whole cow's or goat's milk is salted and curdled by adding liquid rennet at a temperature of 28-36 degrees, while spores of the mold penicillium glaucum or penicillium roqueforti are introduced into the raw material. After that, the curdled curd is placed in special cylindrical containers lined with natural fabric. To completely remove excess serum, the molds are periodically turned over.

After removing the liquid, the heads of the cheese are rubbed with sea salt to form the final gorgonzola flavor and sent to warm rooms with controlled humidity. After a week, check the taste and texture of the cheese. If everything matches the quality, then the heads of the cheese are pierced with the help of special equipment to create air channels that promote the growth of fungal colonies. For further ripening, gorgonzola is sent to a cooler room, where mold begins to grow rapidly.

Ripening of soft gorgonzola lasts at least 50 days, spicy - from 4 months. The hallmark of genuine Gorgonzola is the wrapping foil marked with the letter “g”.

How and with what they eat

Gorgonzola is a straw-white soft cheese with greenish splashes. It has a creamy soft taste with a specific characteristic aroma. The cheese comes in two varieties:

• Gorgonzola Dolce - young soft cheese with a pasty consistency streaked with blue mold. The taste is sweet, soft with a delicate nutty note;
• Gorgonzola Piccante - denser and more crumbly cheese with more streaks of mold than soft cheese. Spicy, deep taste with enhanced aroma.

Gorgonzola is a "living" product that never ends with maturation. Therefore, it is recommended to buy it in such quantity that can be consumed in a few days. Picante is stored for a longer time than Dolce.

Before use, you need to get the cheese out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes in advance. During this time, it will acquire the necessary consistency and reveal all its taste.

Both types of Gorgonzola are great for both simple and complex recipes. Soft cheese creates a light aftertaste, piquante gives the dishes a pronounced aroma of gorgonzola. Dolce cheese, due to its pasty consistency, is often used for sandwiches.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter, add 60 g of gorgonzola cheese, finely chopped green onions, grated clove of garlic and a pinch of black pepper. Serve with meat. Minimum components, maximum taste!

Calorie content, chemical composition and beneficial properties

Gorgonzola is a cheese made without additives or preservatives. Thanks to the strictly controlled production and pasteurization of milk, the safety of the cheese and the preservation of its taste are guaranteed.

The nutritional value of 100 g of cheese is 314 kcal, which contain:

• Carbohydrates about g;
• Proteins 18 g;
• Fat 27 g;
• Salt 1.6 g;
• Calcium 530 mg;
• Phosphorus 280 mg.

1. Gorgonzola is an excellent nutritional supplement for athletes. During cheese making and ripening, milk proteins break down into free amino acids, which are easily absorbed and used by the body to synthesize its proteins.
2. Scientists' discovered peptides in gorgonzola are antithrombotic factor, regulate the work of the gastrointestinal tract, perform an immunostimulating function, normalize blood pressure.
3. Calcium, which is part of the cheese, has a high bioavailability, that is, it is quickly absorbed by the body. This is very important for children during the period of intensive growth, as well as for the elderly to prevent the development of osteoporosis.
4. During the preparation of cheese, lactic acid bacteria digest lactose. Therefore, properly aged gorgonzola contains only traces of this substance. Due to this, cheese is well tolerated by people with lactose digestion problems.
5. Due to the pasty consistency, there is an opinion that gorgonzola is a product with high fat content. This is absolutely not the case. Comparison of the values ​​shows that the level of fat in gorgonzola is absolutely comparable to that of other cheeses, which are perceived as lighter by consumers.
6. The presence of colonies of mold microorganisms leads to the formation of free fatty acids such as lauric, palmitic, stearic, oleic. They play an important role in the suppression of pathogenic microorganisms and help to increase the shelf life of cheese.

Of course, gorgonzola is not a cure, but this Italian cheese will surely fit perfectly into a balanced, healthy diet.

Price for 1 kg of gorgonzola in Italy and in Russia

Currently, the total production of original cheese is over 48,000 tons per year. The retail turnover exceeds 500 million euros.

Since cheese has a limited shelf life, it goes on sale mainly in small packages.

In Italy, on average, this cheese can be bought in the range from 6 to 9 euros for 250 g (24-36 euros per 1 kg). It is now officially impossible to buy gorgonzola on the shelves of domestic stores, but Internet sites are actively distributing in Moscow genuine (as indicated by the seller) gorgonzola worth 350-500 rubles per 100 g (3500-5000 rubles per kg).

Acquaintance with gorgonzola has come to an end. While vacationing in Italy, do not pass by the moldy blue-blooded cheese. And let the mold in life be only on cheese and only noble!

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Gorgonzola (Gorgonzola, Gorgonzola, Italian. Gorgonzola) is one of the most famous Italian blue dessert cheeses, characterized by a characteristic sharp taste.

Its smell can be called rather rough, nutty, but not bright. Gorgonzola has a creamy, soft, pasty texture and has a distinctly sweet flavor on the palate.

The name comes from the small settlement of Gorgonzola near Milan. And the birthplace of cheese is Lombardy, the main cheese production is concentrated in the vicinity of Milan, Novara, Como, Pavia. Gorgonzola cheese has been known since the Middle Ages.

The history of the appearance of this cheese is accidental. The predecessor of gorgonzola was stracchino cheese (translated from Italian - "tired"). The herds descending from the mountains grazed in the vicinity of the village, and the locals made soft fat cheese from the milk of cows tired from the long journey.

According to one of the legends, a certain cheese maker once violated the technology, and in order to hide his mistake, he combined cheese dough that had not passed the necessary processing with fresh milk.

As a result, the cheese ripened interspersed with mold, which immediately conquered connoisseurs with its spicy aroma and peculiar taste.

The cheese is made from cow's milk, which, after curdling, is placed in cylindrical molds lined with cloth.

For better drainage of whey, the formed heads are periodically turned over.

After 10-14 days, they are taken out, rubbed with salt and injected with long needles, injecting spores of the noble mold Penicillium roqueforti. So the spores of the fungus are evenly distributed, and the gorgonzola has characteristic green stripes on the cut.

"Penicillum roqueforti" is a type of noble mold that creates greenish veins on the cheese, subspecies "glaucum" and "weidemannii", a relative of the more famous species "Penicillum notatum" and "chrysogenum", from which penicillin is made.

During the maturation of the cheese, metal rods remain in it, which provide air for the activity of the fungus. The ripening period of the cheese is 2-4 months.

The cheese heads are wrapped in foil in order, on the one hand, to retain moisture, and on the other, to prevent the flow of oxygen in order to avoid excessive growth of mold.

After opening the casing and contact of the cheese with air, the fungus begins to grow, but this is normal and does not affect the quality of the product.

The method of making Italian gorgonzola is also used in the production of German cambozola cheese.

Description and use

There are two varieties of gorgonzola: Gorgonzola Dolce or Cremificato (young, not mature, sweet cheese) - ripens for 2 months, and the denser and more mature Gorgonzola Piccante (denser, aromatic, with a spicy, deep taste) - 4 months.

In the context, both varieties are white or cream in color with inclusions of green-blue mold, which is much more in Gorgonzola Piccante. The cheese has a dense crust with a light red hue.

BJU gorgonzola:

• Protein - 19 g
• Fat - 26 g
• Carbohydrates - 0 g

The pungent, pungent taste of Gorgonzola whets the appetite, which is why it is usually offered as a light snack before lunch or dinner, matching the wine to the type of cheese. Strong red wines are considered the best addition to gorgonzola, but other combinations are often allowed.

Gorgonzola is usually used as an indispensable ingredient and is often used in cooking (in the preparation of soups, salads, pasta sauces, risotto, polenta, etc.).

The taste of cheese is perfectly revealed in combination with fruits, honey, many vegetables, chocolate, but the classic combination is with walnuts and mascarpone cheese.

How to choose and store

1. Always check the indicated expiration date - it usually does not exceed 60 days from the date of manufacture. There are cheeses that can be stored even longer, but it is no longer possible to call them completely natural: emulsifying salts (E452, E341, E339) and preservative E202 have been added to the composition.

2. Cheese "dough" in any case should not be crumbly - this indicates an excess of the shelf life. At low temperatures, the moisture in the cheese freezes, after which the dough becomes crumbly, and the taste is not pronounced. Molds shouldn't make up the bulk of the cheese - if it isn't, the cheese isn't very fresh at best. With these signs, you should refuse to buy a delicacy.

3. The danger of "overripe" cheese with mold persists even when it is stored at home. Firstly, it is undesirable to keep it in the refrigerator - there are too many foreign odors that can affect the taste of the delicacy. It is better to store the product in a cool dark place, wrapped in a cloth dampened with salt water. The term for hard cheeses is 7 days, for soft cheeses - no more than 3 days.

Delicate taste with a spicy note. Mosaic structure. An old and beautiful story of creation. A cheese made from love. It's all about him. Gorgonzola is a famous Italian cheese with a mysterious history of origin, rich taste and immense popularity among lovers of healthy food. For the right to be called the historical homeland of the famous cheese, there are disputes between several cities in Italy. But what matters is not where it is prepared, but how! Gorgonzola will decorate the table not only on a cheese plate, but also in desserts, salads and sauces.

History of origin

The Gorgonzola cheese got its nobility and taste thanks to a loving shepherd who, forgetting about his duties, ran on a date to his beloved. The next day, he mixed the unripe cheese mass with fresh milk. And after a few weeks, blue veins began to appear in the head of the cheese, which added not only a specific taste to the cheese, but also an exquisite look.

In his book Cheese Alphabet, Stephen Jenkins suggested that a shepherd might have cooked another famous Strakkino cheese at that time. Strakkino translated from Italian means "tired".

Gorgonzola got its first name thanks to "great-grandfather" and was called "green strackino".
The starting point for the popularity of Gorgonzola cheese was the twentieth century. Exports at that time exceeded the mark of more than 10 thousand tons. And already the whole world was able to feel the taste and usefulness of this product.

At the same time, the British preferred soft, sweetish and slightly spicy gorgonzola, and the French and Germans preferred hard double curd cheese.

The new recipe was developed in the middle of the 20th century. A penicillin fungus was discovered and added to cheese. This method was more affordable and less expensive. And most importantly, hygienic.

Currently, there are 30 cheese dairies that make authentic cheese, adhering to the old recipe.

Manufacturing technique

Over time, recipes and cooking methods have changed and improved. Only the use of exclusively whole cow's milk has remained unchanged.

Milk is salted, rennet is added and curdled at a temperature of 26-27 degrees. Spores of the fungi penicillium roqueforti or penicillium glaucum are added. Since these fungi are aerobes, they need constant access to oxygen. The curd dough is sent to a mold wrapped in natural fabric so that the whey can be completely removed. For full effect, the shapes are sometimes inverted. After completely removing the whey, the cheese heads are covered with sea salt and sent to a warm room. It takes up to 50 days for soft gorgonzola to ripen, spicy - from 3 to 4 months.

There are two types of cheese:

• gorgonzola dolce is a younger cheese, with few streaks of mold, the taste is sweetish, curd, with a subtle nutty note;
• gorgonzola picante is a hard cheese with more pronounced streaks of blue mold, has a spicy taste and enhanced aroma.

The nutritional value

Beneficial features

Gorgonzola has a number of beneficial properties:

1. Scientists have discovered peptides that have an antithrombotic factor. They have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract and normalize blood pressure.
2. Due to the easily digestible proteins that are formed from the breakdown of milk proteins, many athletes add it to their diet.
3. Gorgonzola, like most blue cheeses, is a powerful aphrodisiac.
4. An abundance of calcium, which is quickly absorbed by the body, helps the growth of bones as well as their strengthening. Which is indispensable for children and the elderly.
5. Mold colonies not only add a special flavor, but also enhance the protective functions of the immune system.
6. Vitamins A, PP and group B have a positive effect on the condition of hair, skin and nails, strengthen the nervous system.
7. It has antioxidant properties.

How to choose the "right cheese"

It is not uncommon for manufacturers to neglect the rules for storing food. In order not to be mistaken with the choice, always pay attention to the color of the cheese. Too yellow color indicates improper storage, namely, that the cheese is stuck.

The cheese should be creamy and soft. After clicking, a trace should remain.

How to cook and what to serve

Blue cheese itself is a stand-alone snack that can be served before the main course. It will be an excellent dessert in combination with nuts, dried fruits, honey and chocolate. And gorgonzola sauces will give you new taste sensations. Ideally combined with dessert fortified wines (sherry, Madeira).

It is advisable to get the cheese out of the refrigerator an hour before eating. This will help restore all the taste and smell.

Onion salad with gorgonzola

The salad will be a great appetizer and just a table decoration.

Ingredients:

• lettuce - 1 pc;
• oil (olive or sunflower) - 3 tablespoons;
• lemon juice - 2 tablespoons;
• shallots - 1 pc;
• mustard - 1 teaspoon;
• chives - 1 bunch;
• gorgonzola.

For cooking you need:

Rinse lettuce, dry with paper towel, tear into small pieces. Chop shallots finely, add mustard, lemon juice and butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut the chives into slices 3 - 5 cm long. Add the onion and dressing to the salad. Crumble the cheese and sprinkle it on the dish.

Gorgonzola cheese sauce

Ingredients:

• gorgonzola - 110 g;
• butter - 60 g;
• cream - 230 ml.

Cut the butter and cheese into cubes, knead with a spatula to get a homogeneous mass. Add cream and stir. This sauce goes well with all dishes and becomes a great addition to them.

Product storage

Gorgonzola cheese must be wrapped well, otherwise there is a risk that the mold will spread to other foods. It is better to use cling film or foil for storage. Suitable storage temperature in the region of -4 to 6 degrees. Also, do not cut the cheese in advance, it will begin to dry out.

Contraindications and possible harm

Gorgonzola cheese with noble mold. How it is made, energy value and chemical composition. The benefits and harms of a gourmet product, recipes. The history of the variety.

Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from cow's milk in the territory of Lombardy, in the vicinity of the cities of Como, Milan, Novara. The pulp can be white, yellowish and beige, with streaks of emerald or bluish mold, the consistency is soft, the crust is light brown interspersed with mold cultures. Head shape - cylinder, weight - from 6 to 12 kg. Consumers are offered young and ripe cheese. The first is Gorgonzola Dolce - soft, pasty, sweet, with a nutty undertone, the second - Gorgonzola Piccante - dryish, dense, crumbling when cut off, with a pungent aroma and piquant taste. Certified in 1995. In Italian, the variety is called Gorgonzola, other names are Gorgonzola or Gorgonzola.

How is Gorgonzola cheese made?

In most cases, cow's milk is used as a raw material (goat's or a mixture is allowed), for curdling - rennet, as a starter - a complex of mesophilic cultures and mold Penicillium Roqueforti. At food factories, before making Gorgonzola cheese, milk is pasteurized, enriched and cooled.

When produced at home, a change in the recipe is possible. Collect the evening and morning milk yield, curd separately and combine before cutting the grain, add cream or natural fresh yogurt to the raw materials. The factories refused to double curl.

The contents of the vats are heated to 28-36 ° C, the sourdough and a small amount of mold spores are introduced. They check the kale for a break, lifting it with a sharp knife. If the curd layer easily diverges, and the crack is filled with whey, you can proceed to cutting the cheese grains.

The size of the cubes is 2x2x2 cm. Vigorously stirring, the cheese grains are made to thicken and round. Part of the whey can be removed after settling.

Gorgonzola cheese, like other varieties, is not produced by pressing into molds. The cheese mass is laid out on drainage bags made of tightly woven cotton fabric and, in order to prevent the cheese mass from sticking in the bag, rolled from one corner to another. A third of the grains are set aside, the rest is processed for another 1 hour.

Then they proceed to pressing, without removing the intermediate raw materials from the drainage bag, setting the oppression. Turn over every hour. After separating the whey, break the "cakes" into several pieces and mix, adding mold in portions. The deposited grain is spread along the edges of the mold, and a mass with spores is placed inside. Cover with a layer of clean curd layer.

Oppression at this stage is not required - self-pressing occurs. Within 1 hour, the mold is turned over every 15 minutes, another 3-4 hours - every 40-60 minutes.

The heads are not immersed in the brine. Dry salt treatment takes place in 4 stages. Every day, the surface is rubbed with dry salt and placed in a chamber with a temperature of 10-13 ° C and a humidity of 93-95%. The manipulations are repeated for 4 days.

Then they are engaged in the activation of blue mold. For this, the heads are wrapped in a drainage mesh and put back into the chamber. A week later, punctures are made in the crust, which has already begun to form. This is necessary so that the fungi can "breathe". The distance between the holes must be at least 2 cm.

You can taste young cheese after 50-60 days, mature cheese - not earlier than after 3 months. During this time, the variety acquires a spicy characteristic taste and multiple veins in the delicate pulp.

In food factories, pressed heads are not kneaded like dough, separating cheese grains, but to speed up the cooking process, injections are made with mold spores. Therefore, the green-bluish veins are located almost parallel.

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Composition and calorie content of Gorgonzola cheese

The energy value of the variety when produced on farms is slightly higher than that indicated. After all, goat's milk is often added to the composition of the feedstock.

The calorie content of Gorgonzola cheese made on a large food line is 315-330 kcal, of which:

• Proteins - 17-18 g;
• Fat - 26-27 g;
• Carbohydrates -<1 г;
• Inorganic substances - 5 g.

Vitamins per 100 g:

• Retinol - 0.192 mg;
• Beta Carotene - 0.074 mg;
• Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.029 mg;
• Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.382 mg;
• Vitamin B4, choline - 15.4 mg;
• Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 1.729 mg;
• Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.166 mg;
• Vitamin B9, folate - 36 mcg;
• Vitamin B12, cobalamin - 1.22 mcg;
• Vitamin D, calciferol - 0.5 mcg;
• Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol - 0.5 μg;
• Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 0.25 mg;
• Vitamin K, phylloquinone - 2.4 μg;
• Vitamin PP - 1.016 mg.

Macronutrients per 100 g:

• Potassium, K - 256 mg;
• Calcium, Ca - 528 mg;
• Magnesium, Mg - 23 mg;
• Sodium, Na - 1395 mg;
• Phosphorus, P - 387 mg.

Microelements per 100 g:

• Iron, Fe - 0.31 mg;
• Manganese, Mn - 0.009 mg;
• Copper, Cu - 40 μg;
• Selenium, Se - 14.5 μg;
• Zinc, Zn - 2.66 mg.

Fats in Gorgonzola cheese per 100 g:

• Fatty acids - 0.8 g;
• Saturated fatty acids - 18.669 g;
• Monounsaturated fatty acids - 7.8 g;
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids - 0.8 g;
• Cholesterol 75 mg

Amino acids per 100 g:

• Irreplaceable - 10.7 g;
• Replaceable - 12.3 g.

Gorgonzola cheese contains mono- and disaccharides (sugars) - 0.5 g.

When assessing the impact of this variety on the human body, one should take into account not only the vitamin and mineral composition, but also the influence of mold crops.

In addition, the product is made without flavors, preservatives and flavors, hygiene rules are strictly observed. Therefore, it can be safely introduced into any diet - even if it is necessary to control its own weight. True, you will have to limit the amount eaten.

Useful properties of Gorgonzola cheese

Despite the presence of penicillin, which is grown as a pharmaceutical preparation, this fermented milk product has no medicinal effect. However, a beneficial effect on the human body has been proven.

Benefits of Gorgonzola cheese:

1. The easily digestible milk protein in the composition not only helps to replenish the reserve of nutrients, but also creates favorable conditions for increasing the activity of the intestinal flora.
2. Normalizes the intestines, which increases the work of the body's defenses.
3. Reduces blood clotting, stops the formation of blood clots.
4. Regulates blood pressure and heart rate.
5. Amino acids ingested with cheese accelerate organic protein synthesis.
6. Due to the increased bioavailability of calcium in cheese, it increases bone strength and facilitates the production of synovial fluid. Improves the quality of skin, hair and nails.
7. Reduces blood sugar levels.
8. Possesses antimicrobial action.
9. Thanks to its antioxidant properties, it prevents the synthesis of atypical cells of the intestinal mucosa, isolates free radicals circulating in the lumen of the loops, and promotes natural excretion from the body.
10. Improves visual function, stops age-related changes.
11. Stimulates appetite, increases the production of digestive enzymes and bile acids.

A subspecies of the Gorgonzola Piccante variety, aged for more than six months, can be introduced into the diet for lactase deficiency, since casein is almost completely transformed and does not cause digestive disorders if this substance is intolerant in its pure form.

It is believed that this variety is an aphrodisiac for both women and men. Drinking with a glass of wine sets you up for a romantic mood, and a complex of useful substances has an exciting effect.

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Contraindications and harm of Gorgonzola cheese

You should not introduce this variety into the diet if you are intolerant to penicillin, regardless of the symptoms that occur when taking this drug. Even if the reaction is mild and is expressed by redness or minor rashes on the skin with limited localization, use should be discarded. It is not known what effect unrefined molds will have on the body.

Harm from Gorgonzola cheese may appear:

• with increased acidity, against the background of exacerbation of gastritis or peptic ulcer;
• with bronchial asthma - mold spores can provoke another attack and cause a relapse;
• with gout - due to the high sodium content, with kidney and liver dysfunction.

This product should not be introduced into the diet of pregnant women, women with lactation, the elderly, persons with a history of diseases that reduce general immunity, and young children. The consequences of using these groups in people cannot be predicted in advance.

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Gorgonzola cheese recipes

The product is delicious on its own. To fully open the “bouquet” and enjoy the aroma, you need to take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to warm it up. Cheese is served as an appetizer and with delicacies, combined with honey, chocolate, various types of nuts and juicy fruits. It is used as an ingredient in sauces, salads, soups and casseroles. This ingredient can be added to any dish instead of Roquefort or Dor Blue.

Gorgonzola Cheese Recipes:

1. Celery soup... It is interesting that it is not cooked in a saucepan, but in a deep frying pan. Melt 2 tbsp. l. butter, fry finely chopped onion - preferably red. When the pieces become soft, add the crushed garlic cloves - 2 pcs. Spread out thyme - whole twigs, 750 g of grated celery root, pieces of large Chinese pears - 2 pcs. Fry for 5 minutes, pour in 1.5 liters of pre-cooked vegetable broth and leave for 20 minutes over low heat. They interrupt everything with a blender, add 150 g of Gorgonzola, wait until the cheese dissolves. This takes 4 minutes. During this time, salt and pepper. You can add herbs before serving.
2. Pear salad... Choose a salad mix according to your own taste. It is better to tear the leaves with your hands - this will make it juicier. They take a ripe pear, but not so that it spreads, cut into thin slices, spreading it on greens. The cheese can be broken into small pieces and positioned at random between the fruits. For refueling, mix 1 tbsp. l. liquid buckwheat honey and balsamic vinegar, 1 dessert spoon of mustard and 2 tbsp. l. olive oil. Heat for 2 minutes in the microwave. Pour the dressing onto a plate, serve until it has cooled.
3. Cheese sauce... Suitable for any hot meat dishes. Whisk in a blender 450 ml of heavy cream, 120 g of butter (you can pre-melt it), 220 g of Gorgonzola. Cool before serving.
4. Cheese polenta... 200 g of fine or medium-sized corn grits are boiled until tender and allowed to cool. Pour in 140 ml of cream, 2 tsp. butter, heated in a water bath or low heat, salt and add white pepper - just a pinch. A sprig of basil and small pieces of cheese are spread on the surface, they are "drowned" a little. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes under the lid. Serve hot.
5. ... Chop 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves and fry in butter so that the pieces become transparent and a rich spicy aroma appears. Pre-cooked vegetable broth is brought to a boil - 1 liter. While it is heating up, add arborio rice, 400 g, to the pan, fry, stirring constantly, until it absorbs all the oil. Pour in a glass of red wine, and when it evaporates, 1 glass of broth each, also gradually evaporating until 250 ml remains. While the liquid is evaporating, they interrupt the boiled beets with a blender, add them to the pan, pour in the rest of the boiling broth, 150 g each of Gorgonzola and Parmesan. Stir for 1 minute and cover. Salt and pepper to taste, you can sprinkle with herbs.

According to one of the legends, the variety appeared thanks to an irresponsible shepherd in love. He ran away on a date, forgetting about the flowing cheese mass, and when he returned, without thinking twice, he added fresh cottage cheese to the raw material, which had already begun to grow moldy, and formed heads.

According to another legend, a drunken monk who was engaged in the manufacture of the Strakkino variety forgot about the curd mass flowing out with whey. He mixed the raw materials, which had already begun to deteriorate, with fresh ones, pressed them, and set the heads to ripen. I cut it open, saw the streaks of mold, but did not refuse tasting. The cheese, which he called the green Strakkino, came to his taste and began to be made specially.

Both legends were formed at the end of the 9th century, but in the first place of residence of the shepherd, the town of Gorgonzola, located near Milan, is indicated, and in the second, the small town of Valsassina was chosen for the residence of the monk. In this area there are caves with a unique natural microclimate - temperature 10-13 ° C and humidity 90-95%. It was these conditions that made them the main areas of cheese making.

Written descriptions of the blue cheese variety date back to the 12th century. The use of different types of raw materials, the piercing of the crust with a wooden knitting needle and, which is very important, double curling was also mentioned. Only in the middle of the twentieth century, the recipe was improved so much that they could refuse to mix different types of raw materials. Production has accelerated, it has become cheaper, and, most importantly, hygiene rules have begun to be followed.

At the same time, Gorgonzola is gaining worldwide popularity. Only for the export of a relative of the noble, about 10 thousand tons were produced. By the end of the 20th century, exports had doubled. Interestingly, preferences were divided, the British preferred young cheese with a pasty pulp, while the French and Germans bought the spicy Gorgonzola Piccante.

Small cheese dairies and farms closed in the 1970s, and now only 30 cheese dairies produce the variety. Milan and Pavia produce 15% of the cheese, 45% in the city of Navarro, and the rest in small towns on the banks of the Po River. Gorgonzola, made on farms, is sold on domestic markets; only heads from large food factories are exported.

When purchasing cheese, you should limit yourself to a piece that is eaten in 3-4 days. This product is considered alive: after exposure to air when cut, molds can increase activity, which will affect the taste and quality of Gorgonzola. If there is too much mold, you can simply get poisoned.

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On the border with Switzerland, the Italian province of Lombardy is well located, which is considered one of the pearls of Italy. The nature of Lombardy is varied. The province is surrounded on one side by picturesque alpine peaks that separate Italy and Switzerland from each other. In the south of the territory of Lombardy there is a plain and numerous crystal clear lakes.

In such an idealistic and beautiful atmosphere of alpine meadows, the people of Lombardy raised sheep, goats and cows to then produce the greatest masterpieces of cheese-making culture. We will talk about one of these masterpieces today.

During the Middle Ages, in the village of Gorgonzola, an enterprising Italian cheesemaker spoiled a whole batch of Strakkino Alpine curd cheese. In order not to incur losses, the cheese maker decided to add some fresh cheese to the spoiled cheese and sell the goods to visiting merchants.

So he did, and after a while all the same merchants came to visit the cheese maker, plus also with his comrades. The cheesemaker decided that the merchants had discovered the deception and wanted to inflict reprisals. However, he was wrong. Everyone liked the new cheese so much that they called it Gorgonzola, and the cheesemaker got rich.

In the suburbs of Milan, there is the town of Gorgonzola, whose inhabitants were the first to make the famous cheese. To prepare Gorgonzola cheese, cheese makers use special Penicilla mushrooms, which are implanted into young heads of cow's cheese.

The mushrooms are implanted in by injection, which allows you to achieve a distinctive pattern on the cheese slice. Also, Gorgonzola cheese has its own mold color - green. The cheese must necessarily ripen, and the ripening period affects the taste of the cheese and, of course, the price. Gorgonzola cheese ripens from 2 to 4 months.

Gorgonzola cheese is divided into two types. The first young cheese, with a sweet taste, Gorgonzola Dolce, the second name is Cremificato. The second cheese is ripe and aged, a gourmet delicacy and a tangible monetary loss for the wallet - Gorgonzola Piccante cheese.

Gorgonzola cheese it is distinguished by its piquant and even pungent taste. It is customary to serve such cheese as an appetizer so that the guests "whetted" their appetite before lunch or dinner properly before the main courses. Blue cheeses are often served as a dessert.

Gorgonzola cheese, which is a must-have ingredient for a cheese plate, was no exception. Gorgonzola cheese goes well with fruits and nuts. Besides as a snack, Gorgonzola cheese is used in the preparation of soups, salads and cheese sauces for real gourmets.