Curing is accomplished by the aid of bacteria, but more particularly by the use of a characteristic mold culture that grows throughout the interior of the cheese to produce the familiar appearance and characteristic flavor.

Because of their typically high moisture content, Blue's are categorized close to the semi-soft cheeses even though their texture appears to be more firm and crumbly. The mold that is used in the production of Blue's is Penicillum Roquefort, which is in part where Roquefort gets it's name. The mold is added in the cheesemaking process, and later after the cheese is pressed into hoops, the cheese is pierced with needles. This allows oxygen to enter the cheese and carbon dioxide to escape, allowing the Bleu mold to grow in these veins.

What we refer to as a Blue cheese is very crumbly in texture but Italian style Gorgonzola is a Blue that has a very moist, creamy texture. As with any mold ripened cheese, the mold from Blue is very aggressive. You should always
sanitize youftools and work surfaces after handling or cutting a Blue. Keep it tightly wrapped for storage.

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