Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/195525
37 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2013 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 FINE FOOD OF THE WEEK Out of the blue Blue cheese THE veiny cultures in blue cheese provide a sharp and salty flavour so distinctive they are unparalleled in the world of cheese. Despite having a smell described as similar to stinky feet, no cheese board can be complete without at least one variety of blue cheese, but how do you choose between a gorgonzola, Roquefort or a stilton? Blue cheese can be any cheese made from cow, goat or sheep's milk that has cultures of the mould penicillium added, which results in a blue or blue-gray mould, giving it a distinct smell and flavour. Some blue cheeses have spores injected before the curds are formed while others have spores mixed in with the curds after they are formed. They are typically aged in a temperature-controlled environment. Blue cheese was discovered by accident when, according to legend, a young French boy was having his lunch of ewe's milk cheese in a cave and was distracted by a girl. When he returned to the cave he found the mould had transformed his cheese into Roquefort. French cheese makers from the town of Roquefort made the cheese in caves that were full of naturally occurring penicillium mould spores. Original recipes required cheese makers to leave loaves of rye bread in the caves near the town, where they would become hosts to the mould. The bread was then dried and crushed and added to the cheese. The wheels of cheese were then aged in the caves to encourage growth of mould spores that flavoured the cheese. Today, freeze-dried cultures are used by cheese makers. Roquefort remains the most popular blue cheese, and while many cheeses have been created to imitate this style of cheese, it is only the ones aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-surSoulzon that may bear the name Roquefort. The sheep milk cheese is white, tangy, crumbly and slightly moist, with distinctive veins of green The blue veins caused by penicillium mould give blue cheese an odour that has been compared to stinky feet and a sharp and salty flavour unparalleled in other cheeses mould. It has characteristic odour and flavour, bearing a notable taste of butryric acid. The flavours begin as slightly mild, turning sweet and ending with a salty finish. The cheese has no rind, with an edible exterior that is slightly salty. Gorgonzola can be made with cow or goat milk and comes from the region of Piemonte and Lombardy in Italy. It can be buttery or firm, crumbly and salty with a "bite" coming from the blue veins. Stilton is England's answer to RECIPE OF THE WEEK Blue cheese sauce Ingredients • • • • • • • • 115gbluecheese,crumbled ½tspseasalt Freshlygroundblackpepper 1tbspfinelychoppedchives 60gsourcream 60mlbuttermilk 1tbspfreshlemonjuiceorwhitewinevinegar Afewdropsofredwinevinegar Method 1. Inamediumbowl,mashthebluecheesewiththesaltand pepper with the back of a fork until the pieces of cheese are finely broken up. 2. Stir in the chives, sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice or wine vinegar until well mixed. 3. Addafewdropsofredwinevinegar.Taste,andadjustany of the seasonings to your liking, and if the dressing is too thick, add a bit more buttermilk. 4. Serve with steak, buffalo wings or as a salad dressing. blue cheese and is made in only three counties in the UK – Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. Blue cheese should be left in its original wrapper or covered in aluminium foil to avoid drying out, either in a cellar or in the bottom section of a refrigerator. To appreciate the flavours at their fullest, the cheese should be taken out of the fridge approximately one hour before serving. The strong flavours of Roquefort, along with its creamy tex- ture, complement a simple salad when crumbled sparingly on top of lettuce or other salad leaves. Blue cheese can also be used in sauces to complement meats, in savoury tarts, quiches and pies or made into a pre-dinner dip. Gorgonzola has a more buttery flavour and is enjoyed melted into a risotto or as part of a pasta sauce. Its distinctive flavour makes it a favourite as a pizza topping, particularly with other soft cheeses, as part of the quattro formaggi topping. Blue Stilton is often eaten with celery or pears. It is also commonly added as a flavouring to vegetable soup, most notably to cream of celery or broccoli. It can also been used to make a blue cheese sauce to be served drizzled over a steak, or can be crumbled over a salad. Traditionally, port is drunk with blue Stilton. It also goes well with sweet sherry. The cheese is traditionally eaten at Christmas. The rind of the cheese forms naturally during the aging process, so it is perfectly edible.