Thursday, March 28, 2024

All you need to know about blue cheese!

What is blue cheese?

Blue cheese is cheese with ‘blue’ fungal veins through it. The first blue cheeses were created by accident: an airborne fungus found its way into cheeses that were ripening in a cave, for example. Today it is all regulated and these fungi almost always come from a lab. These are specific brush fungi (Penicillium), not to be confused with the antibiotic Penicillin.

How is blue cheese made?

Each type of it uses a unique culture (there are many different ones) and that determines the taste. This culture is usually added to the curd when making the cheese. It does not yet grow, because most cheeses have little or no oxygen.

That is why the cheeses are ‘pricked’ to allow the mold culture to grow. Mostly stainless steel pins are used for this, and the shape of those pins is clearly visible, especially in harder varieties such as spicy Gorgonzola.

Types of blue cheese!

The most famous examples of blue cheeses are Roquefort, Blue Stilton and Gorgonzola, but over the years the range of varieties has increased significantly.
Cambozola
For example, you have Cambozola: a blue cheese from Kempten. The cheese does not come from a magic spell, they have used the Roman name of Kempten (Cambodunum) for the name. So Cambozola! Cambozola is a bit of a hybrid cheese. The outside looks like a Brie or Camembert, but there are real blue veins on the inside!
The secret of Cambozola? The blue vein does not dominate. So it’s perfect to try if you don’t know yet whether you like it. The addition of cream makes the cheese velvety soft, which ensures that the palette of flavors is perfectly balanced.

Castello Danablu

As the name suggests, Castello Danablu is a traditional Danish cheese. This cheese has a quality mark, and can therefore only be made in Denmark according to the correct quality and ripening requirements. The cheese has a sharp and spicy taste and a wonderfully soft texture. Combine with pears, citrus fruits and walnuts.

Castello Creamy Blue!

Or try Castello Creamy Blue. By using whole milk and added cream a delicious blue cheese. With the velvety texture, slightly sharp and salty taste also a good cheese to start with. Best with grapes, honey and red wine! Are you going to try this one?

Is blue cheese healthy?

Blue cheese is quite healthy, this is because the cheese is rich in calcium. And calcium is good for your bones! It also contains a lot of sodium. Which in turn is good for the fluid balance in your body. So enjoy some of it.

What does blue cheese taste like?

Blue cheese has a naturally spicy and strong taste. This is due to the fungi Penicillium Glaucum and Penicillium Roqueforti. These molds are moist during the ripening process and therefore provide two benefits: proteins are broken down, making the cheese wonderfully creamy. And fats are broken down, creating that pungent, peppery flavor that makes it so unique. Worth a try right?!

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