How Is Blue Vein Cheese Made?
The Beginning
The making of a blue vein cheese begins the same way as any other cheese. It is made from cow, sheep or goat milk. The curds are separated from the whey, or liquid, in milk. What is left are the solids from the milk. This curdling is initiated by adding rennet. This is a natural product, not a man-made chemical. It was discovered by ancient people. They used it to turn highly perishable milk into a product that could be stored, according to David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D., of the University of Cincinnati Clermont College. The resulting curds are the base for any cheese.
Making it Blue Veined
The next step begins the transformation into the pungent, tangy cheese that is thought of as a blue vein cheese. Salt as well as one of several bacterium from the penicillium family such as Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum are mixed into the curd. A study by the American Society for Microbiology states that some others used are in the Lactococcus family. The type of bacteria used will determine what kind of blue vein cheese it will eventually develop into.
Forming Into a Wheel
The curds are loosely packed into molds. They are packed loosely to allow air inside the cheese. The air is necessary to promote the growth of the bacteria. These cause the characteristic blue veins and pockets as well as a crumbly texture. The molds are allowed to drain, usually overnight, before the cheese wheel is turned out.
Needling
To allow even more air into the cheese, a series of holes are punched into the cheese. This is called needling.
Aging
The cheese needs time to age for the flavorful blue veins to develop. Generally, the longer a cheese ages the stronger the flavor will be. It must be aged under correct conditions with the heat, light and humidity controlled for it to turn into blue vein cheese. Traditional cheese makers still use caves for aging blue vein cheeses.
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