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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => ADJUNCT - Blue Mold (Penicillium roqueforti) Ripened => Topic started by: Milk Maid on January 08, 2013, 03:32:11 AM
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Hi All:
I'm trying to understand Blue cheeses and wanted to post this question: Do you get a stronger blue flavor if there is more piercing or is the amount of veining not necessarily in correlation with the amount of blue flavor?
Thank you so much.
-Milk Maid
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It depends on the enzymes present in the blue strain and one's palate sensitivity if you just want a general analysis. But strictly speaking, if using protein and fat breakdown analysis (ketone levels, FFAs, PAGE, etc):
- The visible blue corresponds to a later growth stage when mold can grow and sporulate
- In order for it to get to this stage, it needs enough oxygen AND it needs enough food
- For blues to absorb the food, they release enzymes. And it is these enzymes that create flavor.
Correspondingly, the more veins, the more open surface area, the greater the enzyme potential, the greater the flavor. But it's not some geometric progression. At some point, it's too hard to introduce additional surface area. And affinage temp and conditions affect the flavor formation as well. A warmer, more O2 exchange environment with fewer openings likely will be stronger than blue aged cold but with more openings. Have to balance all the factors.
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Excellent information as always LB 8)
makes perfect sense, a few more thoughts on how to tweak my blues ^-^
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Thank you so much LB
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Excellent information as always LB 8)
makes perfect sense, a few more thoughts on how to tweak my blues ^-^
Me too. trying to go through all of LBs posts along with sailors. Lots of great knowledge there. ;)