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Powdered mold and injected air give blue cheese its unique color and taste.
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Blue CheeseLike many other cheeses that have strong, very distinctive flavors, blue cheese tends to divide people into those who can't get enough of it and those who politely turn down a taste and move on to the mild cheddar. But whether you're a lover of "le fromage bleu" or a fan of more subtle snacks, there's no denying that blue cheese is something special. So how does this unique cheese get it's powerful flavor, and what exactly makes it blue?
After a long career as a rock & roll tour manager, Chris Pollan discovered that food, wine and retail are his real passions in life. He now runs the Cheese Store of Silver Lake in Los Angeles, and offers the following basic guide to blue cheese:
- Created in caves:
Pollan describes blue cheese as a cheese that has "completed its journey." Many cheeses were originally ripened in caves that were rich with bacteria, and when the bacteria got into the cheese, a special new kind of cheese, complete with a strong taste and unique color, was born. To this day, many cheese makers age their blue cheese in caves.
- The magic of mold:
The modern method for making blue cheese involves a powdered bread mold that is mixed into the cheese when it's being manufactured.
- The addition of air:
Once the cheese is set, steel rods are inserted and air is pumped in. The injected air speeds up the work of the bacteria in the mold, and the result is cheese with pockets of blue throughout.
- The secret of salt:
The blue cheese is then washed with brine to give it a saltier taste.
- A wonderful wine:
When pairing blue cheese with wine, Pollan chooses wines that have a citrus flavor, rather than a sugary taste. Port wine is a good selection.
- A special snack:
Pollan also loves blue cheese as a before dinner snack, and recommends putting a little on a baguette and warming it in a toaster oven for 30 seconds. It's a great way to appreciate the magical taste of one of the world's most distinctive cheeses.
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