Blue cheeses and what to cook with them. Improves hormones and relieves stress

The typical structure, taste and aroma of each type of blue cheese are formed during maturation as a result of several biochemical processes. Some of these processes can lead to the formation of pigments when the necessary enzymes and conditions are present in the cheese. Brown spots in Blue Cheese are usually microbiological in origin and can be caused by the growth of contaminating yeasts or molds.

Edelpilzkäse blue cheese

How can the growth of spoilage fungi in white cheeses be contained?

How can the growth of fungi that spoil blue cheeses be contained?

Why isn't the proper veining in Blue Cheese?

Why may there be insufficient mold growth on Camembert or Brie?

Some yeasts hydrolyze proteins and fat, thus improving the nutrient content of the curd and promoting the growth of Penicillium camemberti. After 5 - 7 days of ripening, the growth of P. camemberti mycelium is observed, which forms a white fluffy layer covering the entire surface of the cheese head. P. camemberti grows extremely fast compared to the growth of other microflora representatives, ...

Blue cheese is an exquisite ingredient in many culinary delights. Each piece is intriguing with its complex flavor range, attracts with an elegant crust and delicate pulp. What kind of product will refine a salad, sauce or dessert more delicately: Roquefort with emerald veins, fluffy Camembert or fragrant pastel orange livaro ...

Depending on the type of penicillin, the manufacturing technology and the ripening conditions of the cheese, snow-white, bluish-green or reddish-orange mold appears. The noble culture influences the texture of the product, its culinary characteristics, gives the characteristic flavor and aroma. A seemingly beautiful slice often repels with an unusual pungent smell, pungency and spice. How can you not spoil your food with a specific product? It's time to explore the properties of each variety. - a topic for a separate article.

Delicacies with white mold

The cheese is intriguing with its snow-white and shaggy crust, sometimes with reddish threads. Mold successfully develops in special basements, where the necessary humidity and temperature are maintained. Penicillin is thrown into water, and the resulting solution is sprayed onto the pressed cheese mass. An elite and expensive product ripens for about 8 weeks: first, a dense shell forms, and then a delicate center with a creamy nutty or fruity flavor forms.

Bree is the favorite of the French kings

Cheese is usually made from cow's milk, but sometimes goat or sheep's milk is used, and Provencal herbs are added to some varieties. Brie can also ripen at home until the first slice is cut. When buying, you should take a closer look at the appearance, because the delicacy has a short shelf life. A grayish tint of the pulp, a patchy crust and a pronounced ammonia smell speaks of an overripe product - this will only harm and no benefit.

The famous velvet cheese beckons with a nutty aroma and a pleasant delicate creamy taste with hints of mushrooms and fruits. Soft and melting flesh is hidden under the shaggy shell. Young brie has a slight sweetness, while mature brie has a pungency and aroma. The gustatory range of the delicacy is revealed exclusively at room temperature, so you should not eat it chilled.

Brie de Meaux is sold in a box with a small layer of straw. A yellowish, creamy and oily pulp is hidden under a thin crust, which practically does not spread. The cheese is famous for its rich aroma and pronounced sweetish-nutty flavor.

Brie de Melin has a more yellow and denser center than the first grade. It mesmerizes with its bright aroma with notes of mold, basement and hay, conquers with a strong and refreshing taste. The French throw velvet chunks into the filling for baking, especially delicious to eat with rustic bread after dinner.

Black brie (Brie Noir) stands out from the subgroup with a very pronounced aroma, rich notes and a long aftertaste, as it matures under special conditions throughout the year. It is covered with a gray-black, as if dusty, crust, which is slightly cleaned with the blunt side of a knife. Previously, it did not go on sale, since it was considered a cheese-makers' lunch: a couple of circles of cheese were left for food in reserve. Every month the taste range of black brie becomes brighter and more specific.

What is velvet cheese served with:

• brie goes well with melon, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, arugula and other lettuce leaves, apples (especially green ones), dark balsamic vinegar;
• it is added to batter, fondue, cottage cheese casseroles, pies, not to mention soups and main courses;
• the French bake croissants with melting cheese filling;
• a puff with apricots and brie - a unique delicacy;
• the pieces are breaded in fine breadcrumbs, fried in a pan (deep-fried), served only hot with a heap of herbs, fruits, vegetables.

Camembert - Legend of Normandy

The delicacy visually resembles brie, and not by accident. The story goes that, in gratitude for the salvation, one monk told a Norman girl the secret of making the popular French cheese with snow-white mold, and Napoleon named an extraordinary delicacy in honor of the village of Camembert.

Unlike its ancestor, plush cheese is made more miniature: weighing 300 grams and having a circle radius of 11 cm. It has a fatter and denser pulp of a yellowish tint. There are pleasant notes of milk, earth, cellar and mold, fruits, mushrooms, herbs and nuts. As it matures, its exquisite taste becomes salty and expressive. The texture in the center is soft, elastic at the edges, and excessive hardness and unpleasant bitterness are signs of an overripe product.

True Norman Camembert (AC) is made only from cow's milk, sold in a box of thin veneer. Authentic cheese has a salty and slightly peppery taste, without a touch of sweetness. Special technology does not allow cooking the product until September and after May, but counterfeiting is often found on the markets.

Amazing dishes are prepared with Camembert:

• baked in the oven with raisins and herbs, served with sweet and sour berry sauces;
• it is recommended to serve not with wine, but with calvados and cider;
• cheese goes well with pear, apples, berries, homemade bread;
• the product is cut in half, soaked in liqueur or fortified wine, breaded and deep-fried, served with lingonberry sauce;
• Camembert is not eaten correctly immediately after the refrigerator, it is better to postpone it for 15 minutes.

Buche de Chevre - exquisite piquancy

The cheese is made in Russia using French technology. It contains Spanish noble mold and milk from exotic Nubian goats. It looks like a large roll, covered with a thick layer of snow-white crust. It has a sophisticated pungent flavor that intertwines with nutty notes near the velvet shell and creamy near the middle.

Buche de Chevre is eaten with sweet tea, hot sandwiches or added to salads. It goes well with mint, berries, grapes, asparagus, mix salad, avocado, cherry tomatoes, wine sauces. The product is cleaned from mold, breaded in almond flakes and fried in vegetable oil. Hot Buche de Chevre is served separately, decorated with raspberries and blueberries, or complemented by cold dishes.

Blue cheeses - royal nobility

Cheese with emerald veins has a spicy, slightly spicy and rich flavor. Mold (usually Penicillium roqueforti or glaucum is used) is injected with fine needles or added together with rennet. To prepare Roquefort according to traditional technology, the culture is first grown on rye bread. Metal tubes must be inserted into the pulp of the cheese, since mold does not develop without air. During the ripening process (3 months), the crust is thoroughly washed with a sponge, which also has a positive effect on the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Roquefort - the aristocratic cheese of France

The cheese matures under special conditions: low temperatures, high humidity and good ventilation. It is made exclusively from sheep's milk, which gives the product a complex and sharp taste with a nutty flavor. The pulp is white with beautiful greenish cells, firm and slightly crumbled.

Roquefort quickly deteriorates due to sudden temperature changes. It is undesirable to leave it on the table for more than 5 minutes, it is better to immediately cut off a piece for slicing, and place the rest in the refrigerator. Cheese at room temperature should not be placed on a chilled product.

Roquefort is chopped and stuffed with volovans, soufflés, pies and sauces are prepared, served with pasta and all kinds of salads. It goes well with apples, grapes, citruses, lamb salad.

Gorgonzola (or Gorgonzola) - the pride of Italy

Noble Italian cheese is made from cow's milk (traditionally morning and evening milking), which makes the product quite spicy, moderately fatty, with dense pulp. However, another milder-flavored gorgonzola is on the market, which is made from a single milk yield. Its crust is slightly rough, hard, reddish-orange in color with a whitish coating. The body of the cheese is yellowish-white or beige, especially near the shell, traces of punctures are visible. Emerald blue mold spreads throughout the area, creating interesting patterns. The cheese is fatty and soft; when sliced, it can slightly crumble.

Popular varieties of gorgonzola are called dolce and picante. The first has a sweet and delicate taste. The second is more pungent, spicy and deep with a bright aroma, therefore it is more often used for cooking. The cheese ripens for 2-4 months, and is stored for no more than 30 days. It is not difficult to find out if the cheese has deteriorated - the expired product has a too strong unpleasant smell, the pulp becomes a rich yellow color, begins to harden and break badly. A sticky, opaque liquid appears on the crust.

Any dish can be prepared from gorgonzola, depending on its flavor palette:

• potato salad with crispy bacon slices;
• creamy sauce for fried veal;
• add soufflés, pies, mousses, bruschetta, canapes;
• it is good with black or white chocolate, citruses, watermelon, peaches;
• gives a peculiar aftertaste to feathered game (hazel grouses with ducks);
• pizza and pasta from a small amount will become more delicious.

Try to cook - the taste is divine!

Variety of savory blue cheeses

French bleu d'Auvergne has a pleasant buttery, spicy and tart aftertaste with fruity notes, amazes with the delicate aroma of mushrooms. Its flesh is loose, sticky, moist, dotted with marbled molds of a blue-green hue. He is considered one of the best in his family. The crust is coarse and dense, dusted with gray or orange bacterial culture. Bleu d'Auvergne is added to baked goods, pizzas, cheese soufflé, and pancakes. They prepare salads with croutons (be sure to grease the bread with butter), they like to combine it with walnuts.

Danish donable is a salty and spicy cheese with a pronounced refreshing sourness. It has a sticky crust, beautiful flesh with dark blue veins and scattered cells. The middle is creamy and soft, of moderate fat content. The product is perfectly cut into slices, which makes it possible to decorate the dish more beautifully than with gorgonzola or roquefort. It is difficult to match wine to it, it is better to combine it with gin or Danish aquavit (strong tincture on spices and herbs).

No less refined and German "Dor Blue", the peculiarities of the manufacture of which have been considered a trade secret for more than a century, "Keserai Champignon Hofmeister". The same company produces one of the varieties of dor blue cheeses - Grand Blue.

Delicacies with red mold - a gourmet's dream

Cheeses with a red crust differ from other dairy delicacies by their unique preparation technology. Noble crops are not added to the mass, they are themselves formed during maturation in cold cellars with a humidity of up to 98%. The crust is periodically cleaned with brushes, washed with brine or alcoholic beverages (wine, cider, Calvados), due to which the mold changes its color, gives the cheese a pronounced and not always pleasant aroma. The pulp is usually tender and creamy, sometimes with a fragile center. The delicacy acquires interesting colors: yellowish, reddish-brown, sometimes with a reddish tint and a white bloom of mold.

French cheeses with washed crusts

Livaro in the old days replaced the population with meat products. Differs in rich, pungent, piquant taste and specific smell. Mature cheese has an unusual aftertaste with a hint of jerky. The consistency of the pulp is homogeneous, dense, fine-grained, slightly elastic, moderately greasy. The shell is bright, golden brownish and glossy with a white bloom. Distinctive features of livaro: 5 strips of cane or paper are wrapped around the sides of the cheese so that it does not settle during the ripening process. Its crust is washed with brine, into which annatto food coloring is thrown. This AC livaro is made exclusively in Pey d'Aug (Normandy province). The delicacy is especially good for hot dishes, salads and desserts.

Reblochon began to be cooked in the distant Middle Ages, mainly after the arrival of tax collectors. In order to reduce the milk yield during inspections, the cows were milked in a special way. After the uninvited guests left, the process was repeated, and they received more fatty and richer raw materials for making cheese. This milk yield was called "rebloche". The crust of the delicacy turns out to be thin, yellowish or pale orange in color, covered with white mold pollen. The pulp is elastic, pliable, creamy. The scent is reminiscent of pastures and flower meadows with a pleasant hue of a damp cellar. Reblochon attracts with a bright salty, nutty and creamy aftertaste with fruity notes. On the village cheese washers there is a green circle, made at the factory - a red one. The latter differs from the traditional product: milk from three different breeds is not used, there is no specific herbal aroma.

Epuiss is mesmerizing with its contrast: pungent, strong scent and delicate creamy taste. During the ripening process, the crust is washed with brine and wine diluted with water. It turns out to be slightly ribbed, red-brown in color with a bright red tint. The pulp is pliable, with a delicate consistency. The taste is quite complex, sweetish-salty, with pronounced creamy and mineral tones. The aroma is reminiscent of the specific taste of grape vodka. In young cheeses, the middle is fragile and hard with a fruity aroma, but as it ripens, it becomes softer, and the smell is pungent and pungent. For desserts, salads and snacks, only an adult product is used.

Munster-Jerome is an original delicacy. Its crust is slightly uneven, moist and glossy, yellow-orange in color with a reddish tinge. The pulp of the cheese is homogeneous, creamy, but firm and firm enough. The sweetish taste of a young product becomes sharper every day, more pronounced spicy notes appear. To enhance the specific flavor, sometimes cumin is added, and cumin makes the product more piquant. Münster has a special place in Alsatian cuisine. They are sprinkled with potato dishes or added to a salad, served with Alsatian beer or wine.

Taleggio - Italian luxury

The cheese attracts with a fragrant orange crust with a thin white bloom (the original product must be stamped). The consistency is delicate, creamy, but firm, slightly spreads at room temperature. The pulp attracts with its beautiful ivory color. The taste is pleasant, slightly sweet with mild sourness and fruity aftertaste. The product is not spicy even as it ripens, only it becomes more intense. The taste and aroma contain subtle notes of damp cellars, sometimes truffles. Taleggio is traditionally prepared in summer, exclusively from the milk of cows that are tired after pasture. It is a pity that it is produced for export all year round, which greatly affects the taste. Taleggio goes well with spaghetti and is part of many salads, sauces and hot dishes.

Cheese with a red crust is a real gourmet treat. However, it is not worth buying if there is a pronounced smell of ammonia, the casing is excessively wet and sticky, and the wrapper is firmly adhered to the product. The delicacy should not burn the tongue or throat, despite its specific pungency.

Correctly selected aristocratic cheese will add spicy notes and a bright aftertaste to an everyday dish. Even a small piece of delicacy will in an original way set off the flavor of other components.

At the end of the video on how to find out whether or not a cheese with a noble mold is fresh:

Description

Blue cheese is one of the types of savory and exotic cheeses. It has all the useful properties of cheese - a product known to mankind since ancient times.

Blue cheese has not yet gained wide popularity and recognition and is a product of true connoisseurs and lovers of blue cheese.

According to legend, the blue cheese was discovered by a shepherd. He met a beautiful girl, talked to her for a long time and forgot his lunch, which consisted of cheese, in a cave (calorizer). A few days later, he discovered his spoiled lunch, which by that time had covered with mold. Having tasted it, the shepherd was pleasantly surprised by the unusual taste of blue cheese. Many years have passed since then, but moldy cheese has come into use.

Blue cheese is divided into a group of cheeses with a greenish-blue cheese mass.

The Penicillium mold is used to make blue cheese. And also the mold Penicillium glaucum and Penicillium roqueforti.

During the production of blue cheese with mold, a cheese mass is formed from milk and sourdough, then mold is introduced into it using special thin needles.

Such types of blue cheese with mold are known as Roquefort, Cambozola, Dor Blue, Gorgonzola, Bavarian blue cheese and others.

How blue cheese is made

Most blue cheeses are made from cow's milk. The exception is the famous Roquefort cheese, for the manufacture of which sheep milk is used.

Milk for blue cheeses should be curdled at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. After that, the cheese mass is gently shaken out into a form laid out with a cloth and covered with a wooden plate. The cheese circles are then rotated from time to time to allow the whey to drain better.

After one to two weeks, the cheese is removed from the mold and periodically turned over so that the whey continues to drain.

To prepare cheese with blue mold, the curd mass is sown with mold spores before ripening. This is done with long needles, or in other ways, they make air channels inside the cheese mass. Oxygen allows blue mold to develop inside the cheese.

Blue mold can only grow during the ripening period of the cheese. It needs a special acidity and cannot develop in a cheese that is too young and still sour. But mold grows due to nutrients that are not available in sufficient quantities in already mature cheese.

For mold to grow properly, it needs air access. To do this, the cheeses are pierced with needles so that oxygen flows into the cheese through the formed channels. Breathable mold grows from the center of the head to its surface, creating a beautiful pattern of blue “veins” on the marbled color of the cheese itself. Cheese makers repeat the puncture procedure daily for a week or two.

The cheese is then wrapped in foil to control mold growth. The temperature drops and the fungi create a deep complex structure as well as a unique aroma and taste. In some cases, this last stage takes up to several months.

Is blue mold harmful?

Many people wonder if mold in cheeses is dangerous.

Dangerous molds are those that produce mycotoxins and aflatoxins. They can negatively affect our respiratory system, and sometimes even act as carcinogens. But not every mold is capable of this.

Its special varieties Penicillium Roqueforti and Penicillium Glaucum, which are used in the manufacture of blue cheeses, do not produce substances harmful to health. The combination of acidity, salinity, humidity, temperature, and oxygenation creates an environment that is not suitable for the production of hazardous toxins. Moreover, P. Roqueforti and P. Glaucum have antibacterial properties and help fight pathogens.

Blue mold dramatically accelerates 2 processes: proteolysis (breakdown of proteins) and lipolysis (breakdown of fats). As a result, the cheese acquires a special structure and a strong pungent aroma. The taste of blue cheese cannot be compared to anything else.

Types of blue cheeses

Blue cheese - Roquefort

This is the most famous French blue cheese. Try adding Roquefort to simple, everyday meals; it will make the taste of the usual green salads, pizza, pasta unfold in a new way. Place the slices on skewers, alternating with apple, apricot and mango slices. Combine the crumbled cheese with a little butter and make the sticks sauce. Roquefort is also very good in a duet with dry red wine.

How to choose and store?

When choosing blue cheese with mold, pay attention to the cut, the cheese channels should not be too exposed and there should not be many of them. Despite the rather loose consistency, the product should not crumble.

Store moldy cheese in insulated packaging to prevent mold spreading to other foods.

Beneficial features

The benefits of blue cheese are due to the presence of beneficial bacteria, as well as minerals and vitamins. With regular use of the product in small quantities, digestion and the activity of the gastrointestinal tract improves. It also contains a large amount of phosphorus and calcium - minerals that are involved in the regeneration and strengthening of bone tissue. Blue cheese also contains many different vitamins and other minerals that are essential for normal functioning.

Cooking use

Blue cheese is most often served as a stand-alone snack or on a cheese plate as a dessert. This product perfectly combines with elite wines. Blue cheese reveals its taste even more when combined with grapes, pears and other fruits. Also, on the basis of this product, various sauces, snacks and salads are prepared.

It is important that the product reveals the fullness of its aromatic and taste qualities before use, first remove it from the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Harm of blue cheese with mold and contraindications

Blue cheese with mold can be harmful to those who have an individual intolerance to the product. Do not forget about the high calorie content, as if consumed in large quantities it will badly affect your figure.

Blue cheese - stilton

Stilton is a famous English delicacy. The head of this cheese should be cylindrical in shape, and the blue veins should diverge from the center.

Try stilton cheese with vegetables. It goes well with celery and brightens, pungent the flavors of green salads and broccoli puree soup. In England, this cheese is traditionally served with vintage port and eaten during Christmas week, using it in various national dishes.

Blue cheese - danablu

Danabloux was created as an alternative to Roquefort cheese. Try adding danabla to a salad, serving it with fruits (strawberries, peaches) or, as they do in Denmark, with bread or biscuits. It is very tasty to crush it on top of the herbs and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can substitute it for Roquefort in most recipes.

Blue Cheese - Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is one of the first blue cheeses, which began to be produced back in 879 in the suburbs of Milan.
Be sure to try using gorgonzola to spice up the flavor of Italian dishes. Use this cheese in risotto (added at the end of cooking), serve with polenta. Prepare pasta with it (usually gorgonzola goes well with short pasta - rigatoni, penne) or crush it on top of pizza: among others, it is part of the Four Cheeses.

Blue cheese - dorblu

Dorblu is an aristocrat from Germany. Try serving dorblu as a snack: cut into slices or cubes and place on crackers. It is good in salads and as part of a cheese plate, combined with nuts and sweet riesling - in Germany they like to eat it that way.

Calorie content of blue cheese

The calorie content of blue cheese is 363 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition and useful properties of blue cheese

Blue cheese is a very healthy dairy product.

Cheese contains vitamins (A, E, D, C, B1, B12, PP) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iodine, potassium, sodium), melanin and milk sugar (calorizator). It also contains amino acids necessary for the normal functioning of the body: tryptophan, lysine and methionine, which are not produced by the human body on its own.

How to eat blue cheese

Blue cheese is eaten as a snack and a great addition to wines.

The use of blue cheese in cooking

"Dor Blue" is widely used for preparing a wide variety of dishes: cold, hot, snacks and sauces. You can also eat it with simple toasts. This cheese is an excellent appetizer for red wine.

Store "Dor Blue" in the refrigerator in a tightly closed glass container. This is to prevent the blue cheese mold and its strong smell from spreading to other foods.

What to cook with blue cheese - for gourmets

Just cut it into large slices and serve with dessert wine. Honey, jam, nut butter are perfect for it.

Crush the cheese and toss it into the salad: a great pairing with fresh herbs and sweet fruits.

Blue cheese makes great creamy sauces.

Stuff them with fruits (such as pears) or vegetables.

This is a great filling for lasagna (including eggplant).

Blue cheese goes well with fried or grilled meats: crush and sprinkle on beef or lamb, or dissolve in the juice left over from cooking, add herbs and enjoy a delicious sauce.

Cheese goes well with vegetables, including raw ones. Blue cheese sauce is perfect with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower.

Prepare a savory martini snack: Stuff green olives or olives with cheese mass.

Buffalo chicken wings served with melted blue cheese sauce

Real blue cheese is made only in France and has a rich history. A distinctive feature of such cheeses is the grains of blue mold in the cheese mass, which give the cheese a special taste.

The mold Penicillium roqueforti, used in the production of blue cheeses, is not harmful to health, but because of the penicillin it contains, such cheeses should not be eaten too often to avoid digestive problems, since antibiotics can inhibit the intestinal microflora. Cheeses are made from cow's milk, with the exception of Roquefort cheese, which is made from sheep's milk. Milk for these cheeses curdles at 30 degrees Celsius. The cheese mass is shaken out into a mold and covered with a wooden plate, then the cheese circles need to be turned from time to time, which ensures that the whey drains. The cheese is removed after 1-2 weeks and turned over again. The result is an uncooked cheese mass, which is then rubbed with salt and pierced with needles with mold fungi: this contributes to the development of blue veins in the cheese.

Today, there are the following main varieties of blue cheeses:

Roquefort

The world's most famous blue cheese comes from France and the only cheese of this type made from sheep's milk. It is produced only in the caves of the Rouergue province, where there is very little space, so it is very expensive.

Rye bread is used to form blue mold; it provokes the growth of molds. The result is a beautiful cheese with small streaks of blue-green color.

Roquefort carries a pungent pungent flavor and lends it to any dish that uses it.

DORBLU

The brand of blue cheese from Germany, prepared on the basis of cow's milk, is one of the most popular in Russia due to its mild taste.

The recipe for this cheese was created at the beginning of the 20th century and has been kept secret to this day.

GORGONZOLA (Gorgonzola)

Italian cheese made from real cow's milk. Like Roquefort, it is one of the most famous blue-green cheeses, which also matures in caves.

This cheese ripens from 2-4 months and as it ripens, it acquires a pungent spicy taste.

Danablu

Danish blue cheese made from cow's milk. This is an industrially produced cheese, its history goes back about 80 years. The cheese was created by Danish cheese makers as an analogue of Roquefort.

After ripening for 2-3 months, cheese with a salty spicy taste.

FURM D "AMBER (Fourme d" Ambert)

French cheese, also made from cow's milk, is considered the most delicate blue cheese. It is analogous to Roquefort.

This cheese matures in 3 months with a spicy pungent flavor.

Bleu d "Auvergne"

French blue cheese with a special quality mark, also similar to Roquefort cheese.

The cheese has been produced since the 19th century in the Santal Mountains from a special breed of cow's milk. It matures within 3 months in a damp cellar. Also riddled with blue-green veins of mildew.

Its cheese mass is moist and friable, not crumbly. The cheese has a pungent aroma and a spicy salty taste.

Bleu des Causses

Cheese-brother of the famous Roquefort, has a special quality mark.

The ripening period of the cheese is from 3-6 months. It is stored in cheese cellars that maintain a constant microclimate.

The taste and aroma of the cheese is fresh or spicy.

Bleu de Bresse

The newest type of French cheese made from cow's milk. Not a traditional blue cheese. It appeared on the market only in the 50s of the 20th century and is made from pasteurized milk. The cheese ripens in just 2-4 weeks and has a softer, less pungent taste.

The appearance on the shelves of our country of such a delicacy, the appearance of which cannot be called familiar, happened relatively recently. However, despite this, he has already become a favorite product of many people, although he also has staunch opponents. Some believe that blue cheese is very useful, others, on the contrary, are convinced that it is harmful to use it, as if it can provoke an exacerbation of certain diseases. What does this product bring - harm or benefit? Let's try to find the answer to this question.

Why is blue cheese useful?

Not all the mold that covers the cheese is good for inclusion in the diet. Of course, the elite Roquefort cannot be compared with cheese, on which mold has appeared due to long storage in the refrigerator. There will definitely not be any benefit from the latter. To create a delicacy, special varieties of mold are used, which differ from the poisonous one in aroma, qualities and appearance.

To create a unique product, the cheese substrate is combined with spores of blue mold or penicillus roquefort. The surface of such cheese is covered with the most delicate fluff of fungi or mold, which are not found in the natural environment and appeared only in the course of human activity, thanks to repeated artificial selection.

It is impossible to create blue or white blue cheese naturally without deliberately introducing fungal spores. The product is prepared only from domesticated spores that have been carefully selected.

Cheese is a product that in itself is of great benefit due to the presence in its composition of many microelements necessary for the human body. But, when it germinates with fungal spores, it is additionally enriched with beneficial properties. Among similar qualities of blue cheese, the following can be noted:

1. Improving the absorption of calcium. As with any product made from milk, cheese contains a lot of calcium. But in order for the body to receive the required amount of this trace element, it is not enough to consume cheese, cottage cheese and other dairy products. The calcium they contain is not always absorbed. For productive calcium metabolism, you should include in your menu foods that promote the absorption of this substance. These include blue cheese. Thus, more calcium will enter the body than from simple cheese consumed in the same amount.
2. Reducing the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. This delicacy contains elements that lead to the intense production of melanin in human skin. This substance prevents the penetration of ultraviolet rays into the epidermis, preventing the formation of sunburn.
3. Prevention of dysbiosis and increased gas production. Artificially introduced spores of fungi, when they enter the intestines, contribute to the creation of favorable conditions for the growth and development of beneficial bacteria. They inhibit the processes in which undigested foods begin to break down, ferment and decompose.
4. Enrichment of the body with proteins. A small slice of noble cheese will deliver more protein to your body when compared to a similar sized slice of fish or meat. The substance takes part in the formation of muscle tissue.
5. Favorable effect on the heart and blood vessels. People who often eat elite varieties of moldy cheeses are less likely to suffer strokes or heart attacks. In addition, fungal spores tend to thin the blood, thereby reducing the risk of clots and improving blood flow.
6. Normalization of hormone levels and stress relief. Noble mold contains a large amount of vitamin B5, which is responsible for the production of hormones glucocorticoids, which are produced in the adrenal glands. With a deficiency of this substance, a person quickly gets tired, suffers from insomnia, and becomes depressed.

Although the product has many useful properties, there is also a downside in this case. The product will be harmful to health if consumed in quantities exceeding 50 g per day. Otherwise, the suppression of the natural microflora by the spores of fungi will occur - there will be a failure in the functioning of the intestines, dysbiosis.

Mold contains elements that cause an allergic reaction. In case of hypersensitivity to penicillin and fungal infections, the product must be removed from the diet.

While carrying a baby and breastfeeding, you should stop eating moldy cheese, since it is home to Listeria. Such bacteria can lead to the development of infectious diseases. If in a person with strong immunity, listeriosis disappears without vivid clinical manifestations, then the expectant mother may experience symptoms such as vomiting, fever, and fever. Such a load on the immune system can lead to extremely unfavorable consequences: spontaneous abortion, defects in the formation of the fetus, premature delivery.

How to use it correctly

It will take a long time to prepare real blue cheese and follow some rules. This and the complex recipe is responsible for the high cost of the product, as well as the fact that it is quite rare on store shelves.

To fully develop the exquisite taste of blue cheese, you need to know how to use this delicacy correctly:

1. Camembert, the taste of which is notable for its piquancy and pungency, will fully reveal itself if you use this cheese with champagne, honey, fruits (especially with nigrad).
2. Gorgonzolu is an Italian blue moldy cheese that has a strong flavor and is best eaten with potatoes and bread. These neutral products will set off the pronounced flavor of the cheese. In addition, such a product will be an excellent snack for alcoholic beverages - beer, white and red wines.
3. Brie is a soft cheese originally from France, for the manufacture of which cow's milk is used. On the dish next to it, it is advisable to place almonds, pineapple or melon slices, as well as shrimp. Gourmets prefer to dip cheese, which has the most delicate taste, in honey or apple jam. If you cut off the moldy crust from the product, then it can become a component for sauces or soups.
4. Dor Blue - German-made soft blue cheese with mold goes well with grapes, nuts, dried fruits. It is included in the composition of pies, pizza. From alcohol to cheese with a slightly salty flavor, red wine is the best option.
5. Roquefort is a type of French cheese with a blue mold. Sheep milk is used for production. Its salty taste is reminiscent of hazelnut. The maximum disclosure of taste will occur if you combine it with fruits, sweet desserts, honey, as well as vegetables and herbs. From alcohol, it is better to serve strong wines, Cahors or white wine with this cheese.

Video: 5 reasons to eat blue cheese!