Blue-veined cheeses are more commonly called “blue” because of the bluish or greenish veins that furrow the interior.
This type of cheese is eaten plain with fresh fruit or nuts. It is also served with cooked meats, pastas or vegetables. It can also thicken a sauce, enhance a fondue or give dip a tangy flavour.
Production is similar to that of soft or non-cooked semi-soft, with one important exception: you incorporate a culture (penicillium glaucum roqueforti or penicillium candidum) with the curdled milk to promote the development of mould in the interior. Ripening, which lasts several months, takes place in a humid place. In order to facilitate air circulation in the interior and to promote the development of veins, the cheese wheels are pierced with long needles.