The family of blues arise from a great ancestry and a wide range of varietal cheeses:
Surprise! They're are all blue cheeses!
To complicate matters, if its French blue cheese, its bleu cheese
Huh?!? What's the difference, says you?
There are many categories of blue cheese, with Gorgonzola being just one type of bleu cheese.
Roqueforts are generally produced from sheeps milk, while Danish cheeses are often from cows milk. They originate from different regions and have various types of penicillium infused into them.
It is likely that you've noted the striking contrast of the veinlike, connective appearance of radiant blues that branch off and penetrate into the creamy white goodness of cheese bliss. What you may not have considered is the methodical scientific process that must take place in order for a cheese to earn its blue stripes.
The process of blue cheesemaking requires that mold cultures of Penicillium be introduced to the cheese. Often an injection process known as needling ensues. Here, the cheese is pierced to allow air to penetrate it internally, once this takes place, it's a marriage made in heaven.
Mold spores, meet oxygen.
Oxygen, this fine mold has been anticipating your arrival.
The two fall madly in love and live happily ever after.
So, its the very reaction of the spores with oxygen which causes the bluey-green veins to form and give blue cheeses its distinct appearance. This controlled spoiling process has become a delicate dance for cheesemakers.
Many factors play into the final product, including the length of aging, its environment, and as you now know, the milk source (sheepy, goaty, moo moos), thereby, making blue cheese a true, little microcosm, and always a moving target.
Go on, be bold. Give blue cheese a chance!
You love the sharp bite of blue cheese, you just don't know it yet.
a blueberry and blue cheese salad...
Think of all the other blues you already adore...
blue suede shoes
blue satin sashes
blue smurfs
baked blueberry pancakes
baked blueberry pancakes
the blues
blue lagoons
old blue eyes
devil with a blue dress, blue dress, blue dress
sing-songy bluebirds
raspberry blue icees
blue moons
blue skies with a sunstar shining high above you
I don't believe I've ever met a blue I didn't like.
Wine Tip:
Red wines don't play well with the strong and salty flavors of blue cheeses. Try pairing blue cheeses with something sweeter, say a Riesling, some dessert wine, or a bit o'port.
Dessert Tip:
Try a bluepiece with pears or peaches
Have a beautiful week you delightful creatures.
The cheese stands alone
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