Roquefort cheese is a king among noble blue cheeses with a mold. Initially, this variety was produced in France, south of the central regions, in the province of Rouergue. Experts say that Roquefort is more than a thousand years old, and its birth is connected with a beautiful legend. According to her, once a young man, grazing sheep on a mountainside, decided to have a snack with cheese and bread in a damp cave, where he smelled of mold. But when he saw a beautiful girl, he immediately ran after her, forgetting about dinner. Only a few weeks later, the shepherd remembered the failed meal, returned to the cave and saw that the piece of cheese was completely moldy. But he was so hungry that he ventured to eat such a dubious product and was delighted with his amazing taste.
Most likely, this is just a beautiful fairy tale, but the technology for ripening blue cheese in lime grottoes was invented in the south of France.
What milk is Roquefort cheese made from?
The Ruerg province has long been famous for its sheep, which today are considered one of the best breeds in the world. Therefore, asking what kind of milk Roquefort cheese is made from is somewhat inappropriate. Of course, from sheep. It is the amazing creamy taste of sheep cheese in combination with a sharp aroma and a sharp taste of noble mold that give rise to a real roquefort.
However, over time, the famous product began to be produced outside of France. And in the recipe appeared cow's milk in symbiosis with the original fungal cultures. This is not to say that such cheese is bad - it fully meets the most stringent standards and has a recognizable taste and aroma of the original Roquefort. But experts notice the difference.
Production
Noble cheese is made from high quality raw or pasteurized (in some countries it is forbidden to make cheese from raw) milk. Initially, the raw material is heated to +24 ° C, after which the starter culture of lactic acid bacteria is added. Under their influence, coagulation of milk begins and a clot forms. The process proceeds at a temperature of +30 ⁰.
The resulting clot is cut into pieces of 1x1 cm - cheese grain is obtained. It is kneaded and left for an hour to drain excess serum. The dried grain is crushed in special grinders, laid out in shapes and each layer is sprinkled with Penicillium Roquefort. The thickness of each layer is 2.5 cm. The molds are held at a temperature of +20 ° C for three days. Then the cheese is freed from the mold and salted - by dry method or by exposure to brine.
The next step in production is ripening. The head is pierced with a special apparatus with needles - the holes will provide comfortable conditions for the development of mold. Next, the cheese is placed in comfortable conditions for ripening (high humidity and low temperature) and left for 2 months, wiping off excess mucus once a day.
Cheese Caves
In France, cheese ripens in caves of natural origin - exactly where this famous delicacy was born. In calcareous grottoes an ideal microclimate for aging heads. It is interesting that tourists are allowed here: here, inquisitive gourmets will be told a recipe for Roquefort cheese and allowed to taste the product. The cost of visiting is 5 euros for an adult and 3 euros for a child. The best time to visit is from October to March.
Currently, 7 factories are engaged in the production of Roquefort cheese - it is on them, according to connoisseurs and experts, they make real royal cheese. These companies provide 70% of the need for this delicacy worldwide. The remaining 30% comes from other cheese factories around the world.
The nutritional value
Cheese is a high-calorie, fatty product, and Roquefort is no exception. It contains 353 kcal per 100 g of product. Therefore, its consumption should be limited to overweight people. At the same time, Roquefort is considered one of the most useful varieties: it contains a large amount of protein (so that it can compete with meat products), vitamins A, B, C, D, E, H, saturated fatty acids, trace elements (especially a lot of calcium) and amino acids valuable to our body.
Useful properties of Roquefort
If you recall what kind of milk Roquefort cheese is made from, it immediately becomes clear why it is so healthy. Sheep milk is a valuable and healthy product, it is 1.5 times more nutritious than cow's and contains many useful substances. And the casein contained in it allows people with allergies to cow's milk to consume this product.
If sheep milk is flavored with the noble mold of Penicillium Roquefort, then you get a superfood with a lot of useful qualities:
- Roquefort has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- High nutritional value provides quick saturation, and a person who regularly uses blue cheese becomes less prone to overeating.
- Useful fungi enhance the production of melanin, which protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
- It is believed that this product slows down the aging process. Some Frenchmen indicate that eating blue cheese with mold is the reason for their excellent health and longevity.
- Roquefort blue cheese reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as noble fungi contribute to blood thinning and prevent clot formation.
- It is a supplier of calcium to the body, helps to strengthen bone tissue. The treat is recommended for people with fractures and women during menopause.
- Contains easily digestible protein.
Harm of blue cheese
Now about a small fly in the ointment. A noble product is recommended to be consumed regularly, but in small portions. A safe dose for a healthy person is 50 g of delicacy per day. If you abuse and constantly exceed the norm, the process of oppressing your own intestinal microflora by third-party microorganisms is possible.
Also, listeria is found in roquefort, which can lead to an infectious disease. A healthy person does not even notice the infection, as his immunity quickly cracked down on foreign agents. But patients, as well as people with poor health should be careful. Listeriosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women.
Still, Roquefort should not be used for those who have allergic reactions to penicillin and dairy products.
How to choose
- The first criterion is composition. Everyone probably knows what Roquefort cheese looks like . From what milk it is made is also discussed. If you want to please some sophisticated gourmet, you need to choose a product made specifically from sheep’s, and not from cow’s milk. What else to look for?
- Next, we look at the appearance: the roquefort on the cut is white, its surface is oily and covered with veins with mold. In structure, this delicacy is very delicate (it is cut with a special knife-string), but it should not crumble or fall apart.
- A large amount of mold indicates that the product is overexposed. Mold in blue cheese is alive, it eats white mass all the time. So if you keep Roquefort too long, the fungi can "eat" most of the head.
- On the label of a real Roquefort there is a red seal with a drawing of a sheep.
- Smell. This delicacy has a pronounced aroma characteristic of sheep’s milk.
What to eat and how to store noble cheese
Roquefort - a variety with live cultures that constantly "eat" the product. The main task is to slow down their growth, therefore, the cheese should be stored at a temperature not exceeding +6 ⁰. It is impossible to freeze a delicacy - it will noticeably lose both in taste and in nutritional value. The optimum humidity is 95%.
The product must be stored in a package of foil or parchment - this will avoid the spread of the fungus to other products. You should not put Roquefort with a strongly smelling food - smoked meats, fish, onions, etc., since a gentle mass like a sponge absorbs all the smells.
Blue cheese is an expensive delicacy. For 1 kg you will have to pay 1300-1500 rubles. Therefore, Roquefort is most often served on a separate dish as an independent treat or as a component on a cheese plate at the end of a meal with other noble cheeses.
It is also eaten with fruits (pears, grapes) or wines: dry white or fortified. Roquefort when serving should be at room temperature - this is the only way the delicacy will fully reveal its delicious creamy taste and give a wonderful aftertaste. And gourmets are advised to try a slice of royal cheese with a drop of honey - this combination will delight all taste buds.