| Blue cheese is made from the milk of ewes or | | | | proud upholder of tradition. Although the |
| cows. The story goes that blue or 'bleu' (as | | | | manufacturers have altered the process by |
| some would have it) cheese was discovered | | | | injecting the penicillium roquefort fungus |
| quite by accident in a cave. It had been left | | | | into the cheese, they still age the cheese in |
| there and was found many days later covered | | | | limestone caves. The reason for the |
| with a greenish blue mold. To the amazement | | | | alteration in the method is to make certain |
| of the villagers, it wasn't spoilt. Despite | | | | that the mold spreads uniformly in the |
| its acrid taste, the cheese was appealing to | | | | cheese. The main ingredient is ewe's milk. |
| the taste buds. The idea of actually | | | | The cheese has a label bearing the brand of a |
| simulating the conditions and making the | | | | red sheep. If there's no red sheep icon, you |
| cheese was struck upon, and the rest is | | | | probably haven't got the genuine article. |
| history. | | | | |
| | | | Stilton is a rich cheese, with a flavor all |
| Scientists explain that the penicillium | | | | its own. Strange as it may seem, this cheese |
| roqueforti and the penicillium glaucum fungi | | | | is not processed in Stilton, a village in |
| manifest themselves as blue-green mold spores | | | | Huntingdonshire, England. It was on sale at |
| in cheese that has been left about for a | | | | the Bell Inn, the local pub in Stilton, hence |
| while. Cheese makers have bettered nature and | | | | the name. Made from the milk of local dairies |
| fashioned their own range of blue cheeses by | | | | in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and |
| following a variety of methods. Instead of | | | | Nottinghamshire, this is probably the most |
| waiting for nature to do its work, | | | | popular of blue cheeses in England, and dates |
| manufacturers inject the mold into the | | | | back to 1720. |
| cheese, or alternatively introduce the mold | | | | |
| into the curds, at the time when the curds | | | | The sharp flavored Gorgonzola is a semi-hard |
| are separated from the whey. Many makers of | | | | cheese. Maytag and Danablu are other |
| cheese still age the cheeses in caves, from | | | | varieties of blue cheese. |
| where the idea of this type of cheese | | | | |
| originated. | | | | Any gourmet will agree that blue cheese is |
| | | | among the world's finest cheeses today. The |
| Roquefort is a cheese for emperors. In fact, | | | | cheese with blue veins running attractively |
| it was favored by the great Charlemagne | | | | across it has a distinctly strong and pungent |
| himself. The village Roquefort-sur-Soulzon | | | | flavor that makes it uniquely different from |
| had permission from King Charles VI way back | | | | any other cheese. You have to acquire a taste |
| in 1411, to be the sole manufacturers of the | | | | for blue cheese, it is true, but once you're |
| blue cheese marketed under the name | | | | hooked it'll be the only cheese in the world |
| Roquefort. It is one of the oldest cheese | | | | for you. |
| manufacturing centers of the world and a | | | | |