Roquefort

In 1925, French law officially protected Roquefort in its geography and methods of production, helping to ensure a consistent character and quality in the cheese. This is now a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and denotes that Roquefort be made only with the milk from the Lacaune sheep and matured for at least 3 months in the Cambalou Fleurines. This particular Roquefort has been aged in the caves for 9 months.

The most noteworthy part of the production method for Roquefort is the introduction of the green - blue moulds, the Penicillium Roqueforti. This mould lives in the ground and contains the property which ferments the cheese. In handmade production, rye bread and wheat are stored and after 6 weeks, the mould is collected and introduced into the body of the cheese using a needle. After 4 weeks, the cheeses are rubbed in salt and wrapped in aluminium foil to avoid contamination with other bacteria's, avoid the formation of a hard crust and to ensure the slow and rich development of the unique flavour.

Roquefort can be traced back as far as 57BC when Julius Caesar recorded tasting the delicious cheese in his travels through France. Local folklore puts its creation down to a love-struck shepherd who was distracted by his young love from tending his sheep and abandoned his lunch in the cave in which he was sheltering. He returned a few days later to find that the cheese had developed a green mould that had spread through to its centre.