Bleu cheese
Bleu (or blue) cheese is cheese that has been veined or spotted throughout with a blue-colored mold. Often used for this mold are the strains Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum. There are many different versions of bleu cheese that have been created in different countries and by different companies. American bleu cheese tends to be a bit milder than its European cousin but is still tangy, creamy and distinct.
Type of Milk
To create bleu cheese, you can use cow's milk, sheep's milk or goat's milk. Goat's milk tends to be a bit tangier and, as it contains less lactose than the other two, it is easier to digest as well. Sheep's milk has a nutty, sweet taste and has more protein and fat than cow's milk. Cow's milk tastes a bit more earthy and is the most prevalent.
Rennet and Buttermilk
An important part to making bleu or any cheese is rennet. Rennet is a complex of natural enzymes that is produced in all mammalian stomachs that can be used in cheese production. These enzymes help coagulate the milk and turn it into curds and whey. It is available as a tablet or as a fresh liquid. Rennet only works in acidified milk. Buttermilk is often used as the agent in cheese making to allow rennet to work properly. Yogurt can also be used for this purpose.
Blue Cheese Inoculum and Salt
A blue cheese inoculum is a sample of the cheese you would like to make that you infect your new cheese with. For example, if you wish to make a Gorgonzola blue cheese, a few bits of Gorgonzola can be used as your inoculum. The inoculum is essentially the fungus that will infect your new cheese with the blue specs that occur on the inside. Other types of blue cheese that can be used for an inoculum are Roquefort, Stilton, Cabrales, Benedictine Bleu, and Danablu. Salt is also added to the cheese; it adds to the taste and helps prepare ideal conditions for cheese making.
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