We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Roquefort?

By Aniza Pourtauborde
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 33,453
Share

Roquefort is a type of blue cheese that is renowned throughout the world as the 'King of Cheeses, Cheese of Kings'. Named after the village of Roquefort in Aveyron, in the south of France, this blue cheese is especially infamous for its pungent smell and characteristic blue veins of mold. Equally fascinating is its unique production process. In fact, Roquefort falls under the 'protected designation of origin' (PDO) provided by the European Union Law.

The PDO defines that Roquefort must be produced following certain regulations, such as the use of milk from a particular breed of sheep, the location in which the cheese is matured, and the type of mold used for the maturation process. Hence, to guarantee the quality and purity of Roquefort, only milk from the Lacaune ewe is processed and cultured with a fungus called Penicillium roqueforti and left to naturally mature in the Combalou caves in Roquefort village.

The story behind the origins of Roquefort blue cheese has been romanticized in a very old legend of the land. The legend begins with a young shepherd who was minding his flock of sheep in the hills of Roquefort when he suddenly sighted a beautiful maiden in the distance. Determined to find her, the shepherd left his dog to guard the sheep and hastily placed his lunch – bread and ewe's milk curds – in the nearby caves to keep cool.

The shepherd was away for days, looking for his maiden. Unfortunately, he never found her. Dejected, the shepherd returned to his sheep, tired and hungry.

When he took his lunch out of the caves, he found that the bread and milk curds were moldy. His hesitation was brief due to his mounting hunger. With some trepidation, the shepherd took a bite and was pleasantly surprised to find that his moldy lunch tasted quite delicious! Thus, the Roquefort was born.

The production of Roquefort blue cheese involves a series of processes, beginning with the delivery of Lacaune ewe milk to the dairy. Once there, the milk goes through some chemical and bacteriological tests to ensure that only the highest quality milk is used to make Roquefort. After these tests, the milk is heated to between 82.4°F and 93.2°F (28°C and 34°C) and placed into large vats.

Spores of the fungus Penicillium roqueforti are then added to these vats, allowing the milk to ferment into curds. Once the curds are ready, they are cut into cubes and transferred into cheese molds, where they are drained and salted into cheese loaves. The cheese loaves remain at the dairy for another ten days before being relocated to the Combalou caves for natural ripening.

Before entering the damp caves, the cheese loaves are pierced through about 40 times. These small holes allow air in and encourage the growth of the mold fungus. The cheese loaves are left exposed for two to three weeks to ensure that enough mold has grown into the cheese. Once there is sufficient Penicillium roqueforti in the cheese, the loaves are wrapped up and left to mature under lower temperatures. Three to ten months later, the cheese loaves leave the caves as Roquefort blue cheese.

Roquefort blue cheese is an acquired taste. Many are thrown off by its strong smell and do not attempt to taste it. This is a pity, since the Roquefort's moist and creamy texture is indeed a delectable experience not to be missed.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By rosoph — On Feb 16, 2011

My husband absolutely loves blue cheese. He puts it on just about every salad he has. I don't think he's ever heard of Roquefort though, and I know that he would love to try it. Does it cost a lot to buy Roquefort? It certainly sounds like it would.

I'll have to look into getting some for him. Although I really don't even understand how it is safe to eat. I always thought that moldy food was something to be avoided, not something to enjoy. How is it that this cheese doesn't make people sick?

By upnorth31 — On Feb 15, 2011

I never knew there could be such a strict and complicated process for making cheese! I wish I liked blue cheese, because learning about the requirements for it's production and the legend of how it was first discovered all makes it seem very special.

My question is, are the Roquefort caves used strictly for the aging of cheese now?

By anon82331 — On May 05, 2010

If this cheese is an "acquired taste," then I acquired that taste with the first taste. God scored a "ten" on this one.

Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-roquefort.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.