Roquefort Blue Cheese

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée for the King of French Cheeses

Dec 28, 2008 Joanne E. Brannan

Learn more about this delicious, rich, blue cheese made of ewe's milk matured in cool caves in the heart of France

Roquefort is a strong tasting, creamy blue cheese from the commune of Roquefort in Aveyron, France. It enjoys the protection of an “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” or AOC which guarantees the region from which the cheese originates and the methods of production.

How is Roquefort Made?

Roquefort is made from ewe’s milk from a specific breed, “Lacaune”, reared and pastured in a defined region around the commune of Roquefort. The milk undergoes chemical and microbiological tests before being gently heated, but not pasteurized. The cheese making process continues with transformation into curds, cutting and draining.

After ten days in the dairy, the cheese is inoculated with the Penicillium roqueforti fungus (also used in the production of British Stilton), holes are made in the cheese to encourage the fungus’ development. The salted cheeses are sent to the Roquefort caves to mature.

The Roquefort caves have a remarkable constant temperature and humidity level. Natural cracks in the rock ventilate the caves, resulting in a perfect environment for the maturing cheeses.

The History of Roquefort

Legend tells of a young shepherd who abandoned his bread and cheese lunch in a cave so as to follow a pretty shepherdess who caught his eye. Returning to the hillside days later he discovers his cheese covered in a blue mould. Hunger overcame him, to the good fortune of future gourmets everywhere, and he tasted the first ever Roquefort cheese.

Roquefort is first mentioned in historical records in 1070, and by the end of the Middle Ages it was widely known in the southern French cities of Montpellier, Toulouse and Marseilles. In the 15th Century Charles VI of France granted the villagers of Roquefort the exclusive right to produce Roquefort cheese, matured in caves in the commune, and producers of counterfeit Roquefort risked punishment.

Storing and Enjoying Roquefort

Always store Roquefort in airtight packaging in the fridge to prevent it from drying out. Experts recommend that Roquefort be brought to room temperature for about an hour before serving, but do take care to ensure that you do not warm and then recool the cheese by putting any leftovers back in the fridge after serving.

Visiting the Roquefort Cheese Caves

Guided tours of the Roquefort caves offer a fascinating insight into the ancient art of the production of the King of Cheeses. Two cheese producing companies offer ours of the caves, Société and Papillon. The caves are open every day of the year except for Christmas day and New Year’s day. The minimum opening hours are 9.30 am – 4.30pm, with a break at lunch time of up to two hours, from midday– 2.00 pm.

Opening hours are longer in the busy season, call +33 (0) 5 65 58 50 08 (Papillion Caves) or +33 (0)5 65 59 93 30 (Société) for further details. Take warm clothing with you even if the weather is hot.

Related Articles

• Unpasteurized French Camembert Cheese
• Stilton British Blue Cheese

The copyright of the article Roquefort Blue Cheese in French Cuisine is owned by Joanne E. Brannan. Permission to republish Roquefort Blue Cheese in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Dec 28, 2008 11:47 AM

Larry Ervin :

Hi Joanne-
Thanks for this perfect addition to the French Cuisine section. I'm a huge blue cheese lover, so this is much appreciated. BTW- I got a bounce back when I tried to send this comment thru the "contact me" on your profile page. Maybe your email has changed, or you have Suite101 blocked from the days of garbage comments... in which case you might not get this either. [sigh] -Larry Ervin, feature writer, French Cuisine

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