Roquefort. Cheese That Needs No Introduction!
Roquefort is, without doubt, the most famous and widespread blue cheese in the world. The secret of its production is still kept secret, so the real Roquefort can only be made in one place – south of the Massif Central in the area of the historical province of Rouergue. Read the following article to know about all the peculiarities of this cheese.
Roquefort cheese
In the province of Rouergue, whose population has been breeding sheep for centuries, the amazing technology of maturation of sheep cheese in limestone grottoes was born, as a result of which a noble mold forms inside the cheese. The top of the Roquefort is covered with a white, always slightly damp, and shiny crust. Inside there is an oily pulp with blue mold, which forms small cavities. Handmade cheese can be distinguished by the uneven distribution of mold inside.
Taste and aroma
Roquefort is distinguished by its pronounced unique taste, reminiscent of the taste of hazelnuts. The aroma emanating from Roquefort is a complex bouquet based on the smells of sheep’s milk and limestone grotto. The cheese has a characteristic taste and aroma due to the presence of the Penicillium roqueforti mold, which can be found in the Roquefort caves. Traditionally, cheesemakers left bread there for 6-8 weeks in order for mold to grow on it. The bread was then dried and ground into crumbs to form a powder that was used to make blue cheese. But this has been done before. Mold can now be grown in the laboratory as well.
How is it being made?
The technology of making Roquefort at the first stages is traditional for all cheeses: souring milk, separating the cheese mass, cutting the cheese mass, arranging it into shapes, salting. The calorie content of Roquefort cheese is 337 kcal per 100 g of product. The main feature of Roquefort is its maturation, which should take place in a limestone grotto on oak shelves with good ventilation.
For cutting the Roquefort, a special device was invented, which is called “roquefortaise” (la roquefortaise). Such a device makes it possible not to disturb the structure of the delicate mold inside the cheese, which can be easily crushed with an ordinary, even well-sharpened, knife. In the future, roquefortaise was used to cut any blue-mold cheeses, since they all look like Roquefort.
Positive effects of the cheese
The beneficial effect of this cheese on the human body is associated with the ripening process of the cheese, during which the mold in its composition produces compounds that are responsible for longevity and good health. Partly because the French regularly consumes blue cheese, their life expectancy is significantly higher than that of residents of neighbouring European countries.
Many of the benefits are attributed to the base ingredient, sheep milk, which contains many antioxidants and much less saturated fat and cholesterol than cow’s milk. Sheep milk contains more vitamins A and B group, calcium, and phosphorus. Roquefort cheese is appreciated not only for its medicinal qualities but also for its unique taste and aroma. And although it can be bought at any time of the year, the best cheese is sold from April to October.
Visit the Pong Cheese website and get this royal cheese.
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