Yes, blue cheese is made with mold. Some people find this troubling (some even go so far as to describe it as tasting like feet) despite the fact that this particular mold is not only safe for human consumption, but could even be healthy.
How is blue cheese made?
During the cheesemaking process, blue cheese mold is injected into or mixed in with the curd. After the cheese is formed into wheels, its pierced with spikes that allow oxygen to flow through the interior of the wheel, enabling the mold to flourish.
Recipes: Just Add Cheese
The strong, powerful taste of blue cheese mold makes food and beverage pairing a little more fun. Blues need buddies with strong flavor profiles that will complement the sharp, peppery pungency of blue cheese.
For beers, that means fruit beers, stouts, weiss beer, porter and Belgian ales. If its wine youre wanting, try complex reds like cabernet sauvignon, malbec, zinfandel, chianti, and syrah/shiraz. With whites, stick to off-dry Rieslings; avoid anything dry that youd normally serve with seafood. And for the stronger stuff, port and madeira are the classics but tequila reposado or tequila añejo are equally fine.
On gourmet cheese platters, you can pair blue cheese mold varieties with fresh figs, onion chutneys, honey, dried fruits, walnuts, fresh figs, and pear and apple slices. A homemade blue cheese dressing will knock the socks off any salad. You can crumble blue cheese on pasta or mashed potatoes, slather it on roasted meats, or sprinkle it on burgers straight off the grill.
How It’s Made: Blue Stilton Cheese
FAQ
Is blue cheese basically moldy cheese?
Is blue cheese living or nonliving?
Is blue cheese good for your gut?
Is Penicillium Roqueforti harmful?
Does blue cheese contain mold?
Although blue cheese contains mold, the mold is nontoxic and safe for human consumption. There are several types of blue cheese. The most popular include: All types of blue cheese are the product of mixing Penicillium roqueforti mold spores with milk. The different varieties are due to variations in the following factors:
Can blue cheese mold make you sick?
Myth: Blue cheese mold can make you sick like other food molds. Fact: The Penicillium in blue cheese is safe and doesn’t produce harmful toxins. Myth: All cheese molds are dangerous. Fact: Blue cheese uses a specific, harmless type of mold, unlike random molds on expired food. Myth: Blue cheese is unsafe for everyone.
Is blue cheese mold safe to eat?
So, as you can see, blue cheese mold is safe to eat as it is a form of penicillin. More specifically, Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium glaucum are used in the production of blue cheese. Neither of these forms of penicillin produces toxins themselves and are therefore completely safe for human consumption.
Why is blue cheese called blue cheese?
Blue cheese gets its name due to the blue veins caused by the growth of the mold Penicillium roqueforti. While certain types of mold produce toxic substances that could harm your health, the mold used to prepare blue cheese is not harmful. It simply gives the cheese a distinct flavor and aroma.