Have you ever wondered about the magic behind blue cheese?

Well, it’s a culinary work of art with its bold flavor and unmistakable blue veining. If you’re a not fan (1. why are you here? … just kidding, kinda), there’s still no denying the intrigue behind the making of blue cheese. If you are a fan (we love you!!), what exactly makes the best cheese in the world? So, let’s take a journey from humble milk to the moldy masterpiece we know and love.

Picture this: a cheese maker forgets a loaf of bread in a cave. Weeks later, he finds it covered in mold. An accident? Perhaps. But this was the birth of blue cheese. And from this, we got Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton, which are now household names.

So, as you probably know, milk is the star of the show. It could be from cows (like Shaft’s), goats, or sheep, and this choice greatly determines the taste and texture of the cheese. Other key players include starter cultures, rennet, the mold fungi Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum, and of course, salt for that extra punch of flavor.

So how does milk transform into this delectable cheese? It begins with fresh milk that’s either pasteurized or raw (if you’re more traditional). Starter cultures and rennet are added to the milk to curdle it, separating it into solid curds and liquid whey. These curds are then cut, drained, and pressed into molds to shape the cheese. Salting comes next, for flavor and preservation. Then comes the main act: adding the mold. Those signature blue veins are created when the cheese is speared (yes, literally poking holes in it) so that the oxygen and Penicillium can get into all the crevice. Finally, the cheese is aged, often in controlled environments like caves (or mine shafts, wink wink). This aging period varies from weeks to months, depending on how intense you want the flavor to be. ere at Shaft’s, we age our blue for at least 12 months before it makes it to your plate.

So, the next time you nibble on some of Shaft’s Blue Cheese, remember the craftsmanship behind this moldy masterpiece. It’s more than just cheese – it’s the result of precision, patience, a dash of creativity, and some time. From milk to gourmet delight, blue cheese truly showcases the ingenuity of our cheese makers throughout history.