At the sight of moldy products, many people lose the desire to taste them. But some of them, nevertheless, can and even should be used. These include some varieties of cheese that are popular among gourmets and have a beneficial effect on our body.
We offer a lot interesting facts about cheeses: study photos and names, learn about the benefits and harms of blue cheese and the features of using this product.
Main varieties
Blue cheese, photo
Most of these products are made on the basis of ordinary cow's milk and mature in 0.5-1.5 months, but some varieties are goat's milk cheeses, for example, Roquefort or Ardi-Gasna.
All cheeses of this type can be divided into white and blue mold cheeses. Cheese with white mold is covered with a small thin crust light color created by artificial sputtering. Bacteria added to the product contribute to giving refined taste and pleasant aroma.
Most famous name cheeses with this type of mold - Camembert: this product has a mushroom smell. There are also many positive feedback about the benefits of Brie cheese with white mold.
It is worth noting that the mold added to such cheeses differs from the standard mold, which is formed when the product is not stored. Therefore, you can be sure of the benefits of white mold cheeses for the body.
As for the harm and benefits of blue cheese, the properties of this product differ from the type described above. In such varieties, mold forms inside, and not on the surface, or it is brought into the product on its own. Most types of blue cheeses are specially kept in cold places, maintaining the required level of moisture. It takes several weeks to prepare such a product.
You can find reviews of blue cheeses Roqueforty, Stilton, Dor Blue and other varieties - and make sure that even with this method of preparing the product for consumption, a large number of positive properties. Most of these varieties have a sharp or spicy taste and mushroom, nutty, and other flavors. Next, we will figure out how blue and white cheese is useful.
Beneficial features
Whether blue cheese is useful depends on the features of its creation. If the mold was added to the product on purpose, and during this process all the storage conditions of the product were observed, the benefits of blue cheese will be significant.
Benefits of blue cheese:
- it not only contains a large amount of calcium, but also allows this component to be well absorbed by the body;
- when using such a product, melanin is produced in the body, so ultraviolet does not penetrate the skin, causing burns on the body;
- even a small slice of blue cheese will allow your body to get the necessary protein that helps strengthen and grow muscles;
- cheese fungi Penicillium contribute to better digestion of food in the intestines and prevent their fermentation;
- With the constant intake of such products, the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes is reduced. And due to the fact that spores thin the blood, the number of clots formed is reduced;
- the mold contained in cheese includes pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), which promotes the production of glucocorticoid hormones. As a result, sleep improves, nervous tension decreases, the body becomes more cheerful;
- these cheeses also contain the amino acids histidine and valine, which allow damaged tissues and organs to recover faster. They are not produced by the body itself, so we recommend adding blue cheese to your diet.
Also, do not forget that the cheese itself also has a lot positive qualities that make our bodies stronger and healthier. So when using such products, you will get a double benefit.
Harmful qualities of the product
Many are interested in whether blue cheese is harmful. The harm of this product depends on the characteristics of the use. For example, you may have an individual intolerance or allergy to the ingredients in cheese.
No more than 50 grams of such a product should be consumed daily, otherwise the natural intestinal microflora will be disturbed, dysbacteriosis and other problems will appear. Also, the harm of moldy cheese can occur if you eat it with a fungus.
Can pregnant women have blue cheese? White and blue varieties are best temporarily excluded from staple foods. Listeria develops in soft cheese, which contributes to the appearance of infections in the body.
Remember! Unlike other cases of consumption of such a product, when infections may not cause discomfort, during pregnancy, blue cheese can stimulate fever, vomiting and fever. As a result, there is a risk of miscarriage, premature birth and anomalies in the growth of the fetus.
How to choose blue cheese
Soft blue cheese can take a long time to cook. You should also provide the product right conditions and use the correct components. For example, Roquefort is made on the basis of sheep's cheese, and very few people report the features of its preparation.
The true origin of this cheese is known only in the French province of Rouergue. You can only purchase industrially prepared varieties of this cheese. Saint-Marcellin cheese is characterized by the presence of orange-white mold. It acquires its taste in about 1.5 months. And Blue cheese is prepared in German towns according to complicated recipes, therefore it is considered one of the most expensive.
To do right choice product, pay attention to the following nuances:
- soft cheese has a delicate structure, but does not fall apart and does not crumble;
- blue cheese home cooking can be distinguished from industrially prepared by the uniformity of the internal mold. home product has mold, which accumulates only in some places;
- if the amount of mold exceeds the product itself, it means that it has been stored for a long time, and the cheese mass has been absorbed by spores;
- white cheeses that have been cooked recently have a light fluff. Older products are covered with a yellow tinge.
Also, when choosing cheese, we advise you to take into account the features of its use. For example, the Camembert variety is used with champagne, fruit or sweets. For Brie cheese, pineapple, melon, white shrimp, almonds are suitable. And if you cut off the moldy crust from it, the cheese itself can be added to sauces, toppings and soups.
Gorgonzola cheese is used as food along with potatoes or bread. He attaches spicy taste dishes German cuisine, casseroles, pies, ice cream. It can also be used as an appetizer for various alcoholic drinks.
Dried fruits, grapes, nuts are suitable for Dor Blue, White bread. Also, such cheese can be crushed into a pie or pizza, or added to sea dishes. The slightly salty taste of the cheese pairs well with red wine.
And Roquefort, whose taste evokes associations with nuts, can be combined with sweets, herbs, and some vegetables. You can record such cheese with Cahors, port or dessert wines.
if you love tropical fruits you will surely be interested
Storage conditions
Since such cheeses are living products, they can quickly deteriorate and lose their beneficial properties. Therefore, it is worth providing a normal storage environment for them.
Attention! Cheeses with mold are stored in the cold with a temperature of 4 to 6 degrees and a humidity of 95%.
If the required storage conditions are not observed, there is a risk of an increase in the number of fungi, fragility of the product, destruction of the cheese mass by fungi. Unlike most of these varieties, Brie cheese can be stored in the cold with temperatures down to -20 degrees.
By the way, even these types of mold can be transferred to products that are located nearby. To prevent the spread of mold, wrap the cheese in cling film, parchment, or foil. We also advise you not to put soft varieties with a slight smell along with products that smell strongly. Cheese can absorb such flavors.
The shelf life of blue cheese depends on the variety. For example, for Brie it is a couple of weeks, for Camembert it is five weeks. Gorgonzola cheese should be eaten in the first three to five days after unpacking, and Roquefort will not spoil within a month
Also, make sure that these cheeses do not form natural molds that are poisonous to the body. Many are interested in if the cheese is moldy, whether it can be eaten. If the deadlines are not violated, you can carefully cut off the spoiled part. But this does not apply to soft cheeses: they should be disposed of immediately, since the spores will already have time to spread through the internal loose structure.
Questions and answers
Can you eat white mold on cheese?
Yes, if it is a noble mold, useful for the body, and not a poisonous plaque.
What is useful cheese with mold Dor Blue?
This cheese has more carbohydrates than other varieties and promotes energy in the body.
How many calories are in blue cheese?
The calorie content of blue cheese can be different: on average, it is 353 kcal.
Can blue cheese go bad?
Yes, if you do not adhere to the requirements regarding the terms and conditions of storage of this product. Moreover, the appearance of natural mold may not be noticeable to the naked eye, so it is better to focus on the date on the package.
Mold has appeared on the cheese, can it be eaten?
If it has not spread to the inside of the product, you can carefully cut off the plaque - and eat the cheese.
Can you freeze blue cheese?
Only the Brie cheese variety survives low temperature regime, other varieties in the cold will lose their useful properties.
Is it possible to eat blue cheese for a nursing mother while breastfeeding?
Can children have blue cheese?
The body of a small child is more susceptible to infections, and the components contained in the mold will affect him more than adults. Therefore, it is better to refrain from adding this product to the children's diet.
If you use blue cheese correctly, you will not experience unforeseen consequences, and the body will become stronger and more resistant to diseases - it remains only to choose the preferred variety for yourself.
Video
A small but interesting video story of the Russia-1 channel is about blue cheese: you will learn how it is prepared, what are the benefits and harms of the product for the human body:
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Cheeses with white mold have ceased to be something exotic for Russians. If earlier it was necessary to fly to France for a quality product, now brie can be purchased at any supermarket. The quality of cheese with white mold will be excellent: a creamy texture and a dense crust will delight gourmets.
What are the benefits of white mold cheeses?
Some people are put off by the appearance and specific aroma of the product, but those who try the masterpiece of cheese production fall in love with its unique taste forever. Not many people know, but blue cheese is good for the human body.
For the production of the product, Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium glaucum mold are commonly used. In an infectious way, it is added to the mass, after which they wait until the mold matures and grows. Penicillium has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart, fights harmful bacteria in the human body, and helps cleanse the intestines.
Scientists have noticed a pattern. The French, who consume noble blue cheese and red wine every day, are less likely to suffer from heart attacks than other inhabitants of the planet. Brie and other varieties of the product with white mold are known to have anti-inflammatory effects. Cheese helps cleanse arteries, joints, which protects a person from heart attack and arthritis.
It is believed that Penicillium helps to reduce cellulite and slow down the aging process. Cheeses with noble molds contain many nutrients that contribute to maintaining health. Zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin A and D - all this is necessary for normal functioning organism.
The benefits of cheeses with white mold are as follows:
- minimizing the risk of breast cancer;
- normalization of metabolic processes;
- strengthening and protecting immunity;
- activation natural process breakdown of fats;
- memory improvement;
- increase in working capacity;
- strengthening teeth, bones;
- minimizing the development of multiple sclerosis.
Knowing about the benefits of a product with noble mold, one wants to add it to one's daily diet.
Varieties of blue cheese
The most popular among the Russians won Bree. This type of cheese with white mold is produced on the basis of cow's milk. The homeland of the product is the French province of Ile-de-France, located near Paris. Now brie is made, probably, in all corners of the globe. Thanks to this, the product received amazing flavor notes that allow you to guess the manufacturer.
Young cheese has delicate taste, but the older the product, the more spicy notes appear in taste palette. Brie belongs to the universal cheeses, as it is suitable for family dinner and for a special occasion.
Another kind of cheese with noble mold - Boulette d'Aven which is made from cow's milk. The main component of the product is the fresh sediment of Marual cheese. The component is crushed, combined with various seasonings: parsley, cloves, pepper, tarragon, then the raw material is shaped into a cone or ball. The crust on the cheese is tinted with the help of the annatto plant, flavored with white mold and paprika. The Boulette d'Aven variety ripens in 60-90 days. During this time, the crust is soaked several times in beer. Manipulation gives the cheese a spicy aroma and unique taste.
Pieces of a triangular or round shape are sold with a weight not exceeding 300 grams. Boulette d'Aven goes well with red wine and gin. Cheese can be served as a main course.
- Camembert- this soft fatty cheese very popular in our country. It is made from cow's milk. Camembert has a beautiful snow-white or light cream shade and is covered with a moldy crust. This kind of cheese conquered people with its delicate taste of high-quality cream and subtle mushroom notes.
- Nestal cheese not as popular as other varieties, but very tasty. The fat content of the product is 50%. Ready cheese usually have interesting shape big or small heart. The flesh of the nishtal is elastic, slightly reeking of the aroma of mushrooms, and the crust is dry, dense, covered with white mold.
Those who have not yet tried white mold cheese should purchase one (or maybe several) varieties and have a nice dinner. The product has a peculiar taste, but appreciating it, it is impossible to break away. And cheese brings invaluable benefits to the body.
Man has been making moldy cheeses for 4,000 years, and during this time he has learned to manage the ripening processes and not be afraid of mold, which often accompanies cheese in maturation. If you look at a piece of real cheese made from fresh unpasteurized milk through a microscope, you will find a rather dense community of a wide variety of organisms that do all this titanic work to turn milk into a delicious and well-digestible product. Descriptions of cheese making can be found in the writings of Aristotle and Homer, and the legend of how Zarathustra spent 20 years as a hermit, eating only cheese, clearly shows how important this product was for the ancient world.
Let us assume that cheese without mold is a relatively new invention for mankind. And the flourishing of cheeses, devoid of any trace of mold, began with the invention of pasteurization. Any cheese until the mid-19th century was associated with mold in one way or another, because it is much easier to let mold grow on cheese than to fight it. In addition, the mold adds a spicy taste to the cheese, changes its structure and gives rise to an amazing variety of flavors. But mold mold is different.
First you need to clearly divide all cheeses into traditional (from fresh milk) and industrial (from pasteurized). In the traditional method, the milk is not subjected to any protective heat treatment, and the taste of cheese directly depends on what pasture the animals grazed on, what types of herbs they ate, milked them in the morning or in the evening, and much more. Mold with this method of making cheese forms itself, but the process of its growth is controllable, and in order to avoid the appearance of excess or incorrect mold, cheese makers use time-tested techniques. For example, milk is curd immediately or overnight after milking, or special storage conditions are used, for example, in sea grottoes. For industrial production, milk is pasteurized, that is, it gets rid of most of the harmful (and at the same time beneficial) bacteria, and the necessary microorganisms and mold are added artificially. This allows you to get the most convenient product for control, but the taste and aroma are noticeably lost from this.
There are many types of mold on cheese. Not all of them are useful, many are harmful and only three types of mold are used for food: white, which is often in the form of a soft crust (for example, on Camembert or Brie), red (orange) on Munster or Livaro and blue or noble, which is found in Dor Blue, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and others.
White mold is a fungus called Penicillium camemberti or Penicillium candidum that lives exclusively on the outside of the cheese head. The mold layer can be up to 2 mm thick and covers the cheese evenly. Often people who are unfamiliar with French cheeses take Camembert or Brie for a spoiled product, especially since the external (and internal) appearance of these cheeses does not inspire confidence in a lover of Russian or Kostroma. But after a successful tasting, there is a feeling of liberation from moldy paranoia and easy falling in love with this wonderful french cheese. Miracles occur at the border of taste and aftertaste. Moreover, they also have a smell that is not related to taste in any way. By the way, mold gives an incomparable mushroom flavor to anything, and it would be a terrible mistake to eat Brie without mold.
I'll tell you a secret, many cheeses have white mold on the rind, especially if the milk has not been pasteurized before curdling. White mold in small quantities may appear on the crust during the ripening of the cheese and in other varieties - this is absolutely normal. Moreover, this mold easily turns red if the crust is washed with sea water or wine. In addition to the well-known Brie and Camembert, there are several dozen cheeses that are quite well-known outside of Russia with white mold. For example, Coulomier has a moldy crust similar to Brie. In Maroy cheese, white and blue mold 
performs a certain taste role in the ripening process and is brushed off with a brush dipped in salted water. At the same time, ready-made cheese is sold already without lush mold, but with traces of it. Neufchatel is another Brie brother who comes in a romantic heart shape. Picodon goat cheese also covers a profuse layer of mold, and Pon-l "Evek cheese has white mold covering a pinkish crust with older reddish mold due to salt solutions. By the way, it is made in the homeland of cider and it is believed that cider is best suited to Pon-l "Evek. Savoy Reblochon or Pyrenean Rocamadour have traces of mold, which emphasizes the taste and gives the cheese a sharpness. Goat cheese Croten de Chavignon, Coeur de Chevre, Chef-Bouton, Italian Robiola or Bra, Swiss House Blanc with a mild creamy taste and, again, French Explorer, Gaperon, Dreux a oa Fey, Gale de Bigor, Burso, Shaurs - they say that there are many cheeses with white mold, they are different in taste and smell, and this is extremely good!
Almost all cheeses with a white moldy crust have common signs. As a rule, such cheeses are made from fresh (unpasteurized) milk, the cheeses are aged from 1 to 8 weeks, the pulp of the cheeses is soft, sometimes it looks like condensed milk. Mold adds flavor to cheese spicy taste or fragrance. Cheeses with a moldy crust cannot be stored for a long time. Soft cheeses reveal their flavors best when they are warmed to room temperature. To do this, a portion of cheese, having taken it out of the refrigerator, is left indoors for 6 hours. Wines for cheeses with white mold are selected according to the principle - what spicy cheese, the brighter the wine.
Red mold is the same penicillin, the pinkish or reddish color of which appeared under the action of salt water, wine, cider, calvados, grape pomace vodka and other liquids that are sometimes washed around the edges of cheese to give a specific flavor. They are called "washed-edged cheeses" and the pinkish tint is a modification of the color of the white mold. A typical example of red mold cheese is Camembert de Normandie. Camembert, familiar to us, is immersed young and unripe in cider for 15 days, after which it acquires a spicy taste with hints of ripe fruit. And then there is the more radical Camembert de Calvados, which, as the name implies, is dipped in a strong calvados (cider alcohol) and sprinkled with bread crumbs on the surface. The taste of Camembert de Calvados is very spicy and salty, and strong and bright drinks are recommended for it. Another example is Brie Noir, which, during aging, acquires a pinkish tint not only in the crust, but also in the flesh.
The most charismatic are cheeses that were originally soaked in salt solutions or sea water to create pink or red mold. For example, Livaro, another ingenious product of the Normans, who tied the head of cheese with cane stalks and additionally tinted salt water with annatto dye to create a particularly beautiful orange-brown crust with whitish and reddish mold stains. Livaro gains smell and taste during maturation.
Epoisse, the famous cheese from Burgundy, is washed with Burgundy vodka from grape pomace several times. Epoisse acquires a beautiful crust color: first beige, and then reddish brown. Epoisse has a creamy taste when young and mature, complex and spicy when mature.
Münster is another famous red mold cheese. The mold itself acquires color upon contact with the Vosges waters, where the head of the cheese is certainly dipped during aging, and sometimes the waters are replaced with vodka or grape pomace, which, as you might guess, gives rise to two more new varieties of cheese.
But aged Rocamadour is overgrown with a whole bouquet of mold, which not every gourmet dares to try. Common properties for all cheeses with pink or reddish mold can be considered their sharper taste compared to white mold brothers, a sharper aroma due to contact with salt water, wine, vodka or other liquids. Such cheeses tend to age longer: from 2-3 weeks to 1 year. The choice of wine or drink is also dictated by the taste of cheese, its richness. It can be either white Tokay or strong Calvados.
Blue or noble mold is penicillin in pure form and each cheese has its own variety. For example, in Roquefort it is Penicillium roqueforti, and in Morbier it is Pencillium glaucum. It was cheeses with blue mold that first penetrated the post-Soviet space and took root in modern Russia, securing the concept of “blue cheese”. A very recent (2009) curious case is known when the police confiscated an allegedly spoiled batch of cheese in a store to the stormy protests of sellers and the explanation “that it should be so, it is delicious!”. Blue cheese still causes a storm of emotions, many are still afraid to try it, and there are reasons for this. Blue mold, which is quite edible in cheese, is actually related to blue mold from bread, which can cause quite serious food poisoning. And they are afraid of him. But in vain - blue mold develops on the outside of bread, and on the inside of cheese without oxygen. If you do not go into the depths of chemistry and pharmacology, then cheese mold is not at all dangerous and may be undesirable only in the case of several diseases, for example, thrush or individual intolerance to penicillin.
The most famous blue cheese in Russia can be safely called the German Dor Blue cheese and its twin brother Bergader. It is a moderately spicy cheese with a spicy aroma and taste. Made from cow's milk using the mold penicillium roqueforti. Another cheese popular in Russia, Roquefort, is prepared with the same mold. It is prepared only in one place in France - the province of Rouergue from sheep's milk, mold penicillium roqueforti with aging in sea grottoes. This is a cheese that is rightfully considered the most famous blue cheese in the world. He is very fond of restaurateurs for the fact that he almost does not change the aroma and taste with various processing. By the way, Roquefort is covered with a crust of white mold on top, so the cheese can be attributed to two categories at once. When serving and slicing Roquefort, like other delicate cheeses with mold, they use a special string knife or Roquefort cutter in order to preserve the structure and not spoil the rather delicate mold blotches.
The second most famous in the world and the third in Russia is Gorgonzola cheese, which is made from cow's milk and mold injections are made at the ripening stage (unlike Roquefort, where mold is added during curdling). There are two varieties of Gorgonzola Dolce - a young cheese with a sweetish taste and a mature Gorgonzola Piccante - dense, with a thick aroma and rich taste. Gorgonzola is often used in pasta sauces or as a French-style dessert. The list of blue mold cheeses is as long as its white mold brothers. Bleu du Haut Jura, Fourm d'Amber, Bleu d'Auvergne, Bleu de Cosse, Bleu de Bresse, Danish Danablou - all of them, in their desire to be like Roquefort, have found their own taste characteristics, on which the varietal diversity is built to the delight of cheese lovers .
In addition to white, red and blue mold, there is also black cheese mold. Cheeses with such mold are prepared in European countries from unpasteurized milk and are not exported due to the special traditions of using such cheese and small batches. This is exactly the case when mold can be poisoned, so black mold is usually cleaned before use. Such cheeses can only be tasted at the place of their production.
Blue cheeses are a unique food phenomenon. Man has learned to use alien and often hostile organisms for the benefit of cooking, making gourmets happy, and going to the cheese shop an exciting experience. Eat moldy cheeses boldly, but do not forget that mold that is not specific to the variety is already a sign of a spoiled product. Be healthy and live tasty!
It is not difficult to recognize cheese with white mold on the counter - it has a smooth, milky-colored surface covered with light fluff. In Russia, such cheese is practically not produced. But in Italy and France they have been successfully doing this for several centuries. The most popular varieties are: Normandy Camembert, Brie and Boulet-daven - the most odorous French cheese.
Many Russians have heard about this delicacy product, but not everyone has tried it. Many do not know how to use it correctly, others fear that it is harmful, as it is covered with mold. Yes, and the cost of the delicacy is quite high. However, it is possible and necessary to buy and eat a piece of cheese, as it is not only tasty, safe, but also a very healthy product.
About the benefits of blue cheese and the harm, how it is eaten, we will talk today on the pages of the Popular Health website. Let's start our conversation with its useful properties:
What is the use of cheese with white mold for the human body?
This product is valued for its pleasant creamy taste, unusual smell, and also for a lot of useful properties. It contains substances that are useful and important for maintaining human health. In particular, it contains a large number of trace elements, including calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc. There are B vitamins, vitamins A, C and D.
Regular use no such cheese in large numbers helps to strengthen bone tissue, actively cleanses the body of toxins, helps nervous system deal with stress better.
In addition, the product prevents premature aging. Lovers of cheese with mold look young, the number of wrinkles decreases, the condition of the skin with increased fat content improves.
Even a small piece eaten restores the acid-base balance of the oral cavity, which significantly reduces bad smell from mouth.
How to eat white mold cheeses?
Soft mold cheeses have a unique scent. This is the delicate aroma of the coming autumn - a mixture of the smells of fading greenery, forest mushrooms and wet after the rain of the earth.
The rind is not trimmed before use. It is she who contains most of the taste - spicy, with a dense oily consistency.
The taste and aroma of the cheese is quite pronounced, which affects the way it is consumed. In particular, it is served with vegetables, fruits, crispy croutons and crackers. In this case, it is better that it warms up to room temperature.
Many prefer soft, moldy cheese with white grape wines. However, not all experts share this point of view.
Among other things, various snacks, salads and festive canapes, mixing with greens, eggs, combining with salted fish, salami sausage, etc. However, this does not apply to Roquefort. It is better to eat it as an independent snack.
The British eat blue cheese with greens, the Italians, of course, add them to pizza and pasta, and the Danes simply eat them with white toasted bread.
How to choose quality cheese?
When choosing cheese of a quality product, pay attention to the crust. It should be light, milky in color, covered with white soft fluff. Traces of the grate on which it was kept should be visible on it.
Also read the ingredients carefully. This product does not contain any dyes, preservatives or other additives. It should contain only milk, penicillin and salt, as well as the enzymes necessary for its maturation. If a dryish layer is noticeable along the crust, it means that the product has been stored for a long time.
The consistency of high-quality cheese resembles fresh butter, it melts in the mouth, and its taste is creamy, slightly spicy, with a slight sourness or bitterness.
Blue cheese - possible harm from drinking
If you eat it infrequently and little by little, there will be no harm from cheese. However daily use in large quantities, can change the intestinal microflora and cause dysbacteriosis. This is especially true for people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases.
In addition, the product is quite high in calories, so a passion for it can contribute to weight gain. Increased content fats and protein can be harmful to people with endocrine disorders and obesity.
Any varieties of cheese, including moldy ones, are valuable products human nutrition. Qualitatively made and fresh contain a lot useful substances that help keep us healthy. In addition, they are very tasty.
However, when using them, it is necessary to observe the measure. For an adult, a small piece per day is enough, approximately 20-30 g. In this case, you will only benefit and will not harm your body. Be healthy!
French cheeses have long been the talk of the town. The name sounds like gourmet music, and French President Charles de Gaulle said: "How can you manage a country that has 258 varieties of cheese." His quote refers to the first half of the 20th century, and today there are even more varieties. There are names of cheeses that have been produced on the territory of a particular region of France for more than one century, and their names, region of origin and production technology are protected by certificates at the state level.
We present you a list with photos of the best and most popular varieties of French cheese, which will help you navigate the world. gourmet delicacies and better understand national cuisine France.
Camembert
Perhaps the most famous French cheese, the name of which was given by the area of its origin in Normandy. Camembert has a white velvety moldy crust, a soft fatty texture, a delicate taste and a rather sharp aroma, which the French poet Fargue called "the smell of the feet of God."
Camembert (photo: @realcheeseheads)
Bree
Brie is often confused with Camembert, and it really does look like it. appearance and texture, but significantly inferior in expressiveness of aroma and fat content (only 25%). For this reason, brie is considered a more versatile soft mold cheese that has been known since the Middle Ages.
Brie (photo: @mercato_tlv) Conte
This hard French cheese is called "Gruyère de Comté" for its similarity to the eponymous cheese. Classic conte is made from unpasteurized cow's milk, has a pleasant sweet taste with a nutty flavor.
Conte (photo: @bettys_bite) Roquefort
Another French cheese very popular all over the world is soft with blue mold. Traditional Roquefort is made from sheep's milk and has a buttery texture and a salty taste.
Roquefort (photo: @24cheeses) Tom de Savoie
Semi hard cheese elastic consistency with a white moldy crust and small eyes. Produced in the regions of Savoy and Haute-Savoie. This is the only French certified cheese that can have different fat content - from 10% to 25%.
Tom de Savoie (photo: @gemmy_foods) Saint Nectaire
The oldest cheese produced in the Auvergne region of France, it is also called the first farm cheese. It has a hard moldy crust, semi-soft texture and pulp with a delicate taste of forest mushrooms or spices. Ideal for serving with wines from Bordeaux.
Saint-Nectaire (photo: @osteaddict) Reblochon
Reblochon de Savoie is a soft Savoy cheese with a hard, brine-washed rind and intense aroma. In the French village of La Clusaz, a separate reblochon festival is held, during which the cheese is prepared and tasted on the spot.
Reblochon (photo: @realcheeseheads) Munster
Münster-Jerome is a soft cheese with a washed orange-red rind and a very pungent aroma. It began to be produced by Italian Benedictine monks in a monastery in the French department of the Vosges. Later, the village of Münster appeared on this place, and the cheese got its name.
Münster-Jerome (photo: @julianoschier) Cantal
Another hard cheese from Auvergne, which is considered one of the oldest varieties in France. Farm kantal is made from raw milk, and for commercial needs - from pasteurized. The cheese has a bright pronounced taste and aroma, its crust is hard and thick.
Cantal (photo: @melbourneandcheese) Epuas
Soft tender cheese with an orange or brick-red crust - depending on the degree of maturity. It began to be produced in the commune of Epoisses in Burgundy and is said to have been Napoleon Bonaparte's favorite cheese. eat it dessert spoon and served with Burgundy wines.
Epuas (photo: @porkewedeli) Morbier
Morbier, like Comté, comes from the Franche-Comté region of France. It is a semi-soft cheese with a hard rind that has one "decorative" feature that distinguishes it from many others. A thin strip of crushed charcoal passes through the middle of the cheese circle. Today, this is only a tribute to tradition, but once a strip of soot was a necessary measure.
French peasants made morbier, composing it from two pieces of fermented milk. The first piece was obtained after the evening milking of the cow, the second - after the morning. Thus, the first piece of cheese had to wait one night, and so that it did not deteriorate, it was smeared on top with a layer of soot, and the next day a second piece was placed on it.
Morbier (photo: @saltynsweets) Shaurs
A soft cheese with a dense white moldy rind that has been produced since the 14th century. The cheese has a delicate, slightly sour taste and a nut-mushroom aroma.
Shaurs (photo: @yeor.lifestyle) Mimolet
Mimolet is a recognizable bright orange cheese with a spherical head. Its production began by decree of Louis XIV, according to which it was necessary to create a French analogue of the Dutch edama. In order for the fleet to have visible differences, they began to add vegetable dye to it. The birthplace of this cheese is the city of Lille in northern France.
Mimolette (photo: @lajambedc) valence
Pyramid-shaped goat cheese without a sharp top, has a delicate taste and aroma. The moldy crust of the cheese is dense and has a gray-blue tint due to the fact that it is sprinkled with wood ash. Recommended for pairing with white wines.
Valence (photo: @parisismykitchen) coeur de chevre
The name translated from French means "goat's heart", which clearly characterizes this cheese. It is made from raw goat's milk and the cheese head is shaped like a heart. The cheese is soft, with a moldy crust, the color varies from delicate white for young and grayish for mature.
Coeur de Chevre (photo: @181delicatessen) Delis de Bourgogne
"A delicacy from Burgundy" is known in the regional french cuisine since the 18th century. This gentle soft cream cheese has a dense light flesh, covered with a velvety crust of mold.
Delis de Bourgogne (photo: @infamousmarysia) Saint Felicien
Soft French cheese with a pronounced milky-creamy taste. It is forbidden to add any spices and additives to it that will disturb the harmony of its taste and aroma.
Saint-Félicien (photo: @111quesos) Rocamadour
Soft goat cheese with a moldy crust and sour pulp with a delicate nutty flavor. Produced in Lot department in Occitania.
Rocamadour (photo: @ruthstameister) Picodon
Another soft goat cheese made in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region. It has several varieties that differ in degree of maturity and taste. At young cheese light flesh and crust, and as the degree of maturity of picodon increases, its flesh becomes more dense, and the moldy crust becomes blue.
Picodon (photo: @cheesetrotteurs) Puligny St. Pierre
Soft goat cheese in the form of a pyramid, for which it is often called the "Eiffel Tower". The crust is moldy, bluish, the flesh has a slight taste of hazelnut.
Pouligny-Saint-Pierre (photo: @cheesetrotteurs) Crottin de Chavignoles
Soft cheese made from goat's milk, which is usually served with fruits and white wines. The cheese comes from the French village of Chavignoles, where it began to be produced in the 16th century.
Crottin de Chavignoles (photo: @osteaddict) Pelardon
Delicate French pelardon is considered the oldest goat cheese in Europe. In addition, thanks to goats grazing on natural pastures, the cheese is made from organic milk, which cannot but inspire the eco-conscious gourmet.
Pelardon (photo: @cheesetrotteurs) Livaro
A soft cheese from Normandy, which was once called the "meat of the poor", and today it is a real elite product. Livaro is made from cow's milk, its flesh, depending on maturity, has a more or less saturated yellow-orange hue. The livaro crust is distinguished by a deep orange color due to the vegetable dye that is used to color the product during the ripening period.
Livaro (photo: @moon_yeka) Lyol
A semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Layol has a thick brown-gray rind, and the flesh has a sour taste with pronounced hints of aromatic herbs.
Lyol (photo: @redvioletblog) Pont l'Eveque
A soft cow's milk cheese produced in Normandy. The first mention of this cheese is found in the historical chronicles of the XII century. It has a washed moldy crust, a sharp aroma and a sweetish aftertaste. Pairs well with cider and red wines.
Pont l'Eveque (photo: @cavebrut) Bleu d'Auvergne
A blue cheese from the Auvergne that is less salty than other blue cheeses. Its texture is buttery, and the cheese itself is more delicate in taste.
Bleu d'Auvergne (photo: @alain_hess) Saler
Semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk, obtained from cows of the Saler breed. Salers is considered one of the oldest cheeses in France - its history goes back more than two thousand years. The cheese has a deep rich taste and aroma, golden flesh, dense and at the same time soft texture.
Saler (photo: @quesovaldivieso) Chevrotin
A soft Savoyard cheese made from raw goat's milk with a savory nutty flavor. It has a dense moist pulp with holes, a dense peel from yellow to orange, covered with a pronounced coating of white mold.
Chevrotin (photo: @alessandro.grano)
