Blue cheese Prepared by : wurood ahmad K.H

1. Blue cheese Prepared by : wuroodahmad K.H

2. Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident, when cheeses were stored in naturally temperature and moisture controlled caves, which happened to be favourable environments for many varieties of harmless mold. Gorgonzola is one of the oldest known blue cheeses, having been created around 879 AD, though it is said that it did not actually contain blue veins until around the 11th century.

3. blue cheese  rich cheese in which the internal mold manifests itself in blue veins: made in France especially fromsheeps milk and else where also from cows milk  and goat's milk.

4. Blue cheese is called so because the cheese cultures have had the mold Penicillium added at the initial stage of the cheese making process. • The final product is spotted or veined blue-gray or blue-green molds alongside a natural crusty rind , the salty and sharp taste, creamy texture and a pungent aroma tends to be the characteristic feature of blue cheese. wurood ahmad

5. Australia produces basic three styles of blue cheese – Gorgonzola, Danish and Blue Brie. Taking into account the characteristics, each style is unique. Blue cheese styles are modeled on type and quantity of blue culture added, the way each cheese is spiked, size of the cheese, and maturation of cheese and waxing of cheese.

6. Is there a most important step or component in the making of a great blue cheese? • Curd formation is especially important in blue cheese. If the curd knits together in the cheese form too tightly, the interior of the cheese won’t have the proper environment for mold growth. On the other hand, curds that are too loosely knit together in the cheese form won’t provide good passages for sufficient veining and will cause the texture of the cheese to suffer.

7. Nutritional information • 100g of generic blue cheese contains the following nutritional values according to the USDA • Calories : 353 • Fat: 28.74 grams • Carbohydrates: 2.34 grams • Fibers: 0 grams • Protein: 21.40 grams

8. PROCEDURE FOR MAKING BLUE CHEESE 1- Start with cold drained , It was drained in the refrigerator (two gallons of milk) . 2-  Sprinkle on 2 teaspoons of salt . 3- In a blender, blend 1 teaspoon of uncontaminated blue cheese .

9. 4.   Line the press with  a sterile handkerchief (sterilized by boiling), and load the curd.  Press lightly so that the curd are not compressed together, but instead retain air spaces within the cheese.   6. Leave in the press overnight. 7.  The next morning, remove from the press, and create air hole by inserting a sterilized rod, this is to allow air to enter the cheese which is necessary for growth of the mold. 

10. 8- Rub the surface lightly with salt, and place the aerated cheese on a dry sterile handkerchief.  Fold the cloth over to lightly cover. 9-  Place on a non corrosive rack to encourage air circulation around the cheese.

11. 10-  Place the cheese on the rack in a "cool box" which will hold the temperature around 10 C (50 F). 11-  Monitor the temperature and humidity.  The temperature should be around 10 C, and the humidity around 70%. You can elevate the humidity with a pan of water in the bottom of the "cool box."  Since the cheese will be aged unwaxed, this high humidity is important so that the cheese does not dry out.  On the other hand, if it is "dripping wet" so that the cheese "weeps," the cheese will spoil.  12- Turn the cheese daily, replace the handkerchief with a dry sterile one if it appears wet.

13. 13-  After a week or ten days, a white "bloom" appears on the surface of the cheese.  14-  Here is the finished blue cheese after two months.  Note the marbling of the interior with Penicillium.  It could doubtless be aged longer, but it is utterly delicious as it is.

14. References http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/blue_cheese/blue_cheese.ht http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cheese/cheese2/whey/blue-cheese2.asp