🧀 Roquefort
Also known as: blue cheese
A blue-veined sheep's milk cheese ripened in the Combalou caves of southern France.
Roquefort is a French blue cheese made from raw sheep’s milk, veined with the noble mold Penicillium roqueforti. The milk is curdled with rennet, mold spores are added, the curd is placed in molds and salted, and the wheels are then pierced to let air in so the mold can spread. The cheese ripens in the natural caves of Mont Combalou near the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in southern France, where fissures in the rock, called fleurines, keep the air steadily cool and damp.
Under EU law only cheeses aged in the Combalou caves may be called “Roquefort”; it is a Protected Designation of Origin. As early as 1925 Roquefort became the first cheese in France to receive a controlled designation of origin. Cheesemaking in the area is, according to the producers, a thousand-year-old tradition.
Roquefort differs from Gorgonzola and Stilton in its raw material, sheep’s milk, and in a saltier, sharper and more buttery taste. It is served on cheese boards with pears, walnuts and sweet wines and used in sauces and salads.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 30.6 g |
|---|---|
| Protein | 21.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.0 g |
| Energy | 369 kcal |
| Calcium | 662 mg |
How it connects to milk
🧀 Roquefort → made from → 🥛 Sheep's milk → type of → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Made from
- 🥛 Sheep's milk
- How it is made
- 🔄 Ripening
- Where it is traditional
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Which peoples make it
- 🧑🤝🧑 French
- Product type
- 🏺 Traditional dairy products
- Part of
- 🧀 Cheese
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Cave cellar, 🍷 Sweet wine, 🍷 Noble rot
Frequently asked questions
What milk is Roquefort made from?
Raw sheep’s milk; it ripens in the Combalou caves in southern France.
Is the mold in Roquefort safe to eat?
Penicillium roqueforti is grown specifically for this cheese and is considered food-grade. But Roquefort is made from raw milk, so it is usually not recommended during pregnancy.
What is the difference between Roquefort and Gorgonzola?
Roquefort is a French sheep’s milk cheese, Gorgonzola an Italian cow’s milk cheese. Roquefort is saltier and sharper.
Similar
🧀 Camembert · 🧀 Gouda · 🧀 Cheddar · 🧀 Pecorino · 🧀 Halloumi · 🧀 Parmesan
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.