The cheeses made with application of edible types of a mold carry to the category of delicacies for a long time. The mold impacts them a peculiar relish and aroma.
Some fans of these products think whether any given type of cheese is useful, whether it can do harm to health in certain circumstances? Let's try to answer these questions in this material.
Versions
There are two types of mold cheeses in which production the sort Penicillium mold is used:
- with a white mold which are covered outside with a dense mold crust;
- with a blue mold (or blue cheeses) which are penetrated by a mold fungus on all volume of cheese weight.
In the world a large number of types of cheeses of both types is issued. Let's consider in more detail than feature of white and blue versions.
Cheese with a white mold
The soft cheeses produced generally from cow's milk enter this category, but as raw materials goat or sheep milk can be also used. Their surface is covered by a mold crust which can have a specific ammoniac smell.
Whether you know? The French poet and the prose writer Léon-Paul Fargue, having heard aroma of Camembert, characterized it as a smell of legs of God.
The taste varies from gentle and dairy to juicy sharp with various shades. Here only some popular grades of this category:
- The French brie (Brie) is the whole family of the cheeses with a white crust produced from cow's milk, uniting more than ten versions. Taste of young brie gentle, creamy, but in process of maturing it becomes more sharply.
- Camembert is one more French grade from cow's milk. On a measure maturing the white mold changes color, it becomes bluish, and then red-brown. Its creamy taste, gives mushrooms a little.
- Hermelín — the Czech grade conducting the origin from Camembert. The taste of a young germelin dairy and creamy, but changes over time on juicier.
- Chabichou du Poitou is the French grade made from goat milk. The taste reminds it taste of initial raw materials.
- Weisslacker — the German grade made from cow's milk and created especially for the use with beer. Slices of a vaysleyker even dip into beer before the use.
Cheese with a blue mold
Products of this category can be also made of cow's, sheep and goat milk. They are soft, semisolid, firm. Cheesemakers sow with a mold fungus all thickness of a cheese head, usually by means of steel needles, but also other ways can be applied. The openings which are formed at the same time provide access of air in a product thanks to what in the course of maturing of cheese also the mold develops.
Important! The mold should not occupy the most part of a cheese head. It can happen at the overdone or stale product, at the same time blue cheese loses so valued tastes.
Cheese weight gains bluish-greenish color from a ready-made product, such cheeses usually differ in a specific pungent smell and taste. Let's list some popular grades of blue cheeses:
- The French Roquefort cheese (Roquefort) — was made earlier only of sheep milk, now for its production cow is widely used. Taste of a product pronounced, with a shade of taste of hazelnuts.
- The Italian gorgontsola or a gorgondzol (Gorgonzola) — is developed from cow's milk. Young cheese differs in sweetish dairy taste, mature has sharper taste and more dense consistence.
- Stilton is the English grade made from cow's milk and cream. Its spicy taste, oily, with fruit shades.
- Dorblu, it is Dorblu (Dorblu) — is the German grade developed from cow's milk. Its oily taste, slightly saltish, with peppercorn.
- One more German grade, a kambotsol (Cambozola), unites lines of Camembert and a gorgontsola. Has several versions which differ in additives and fat content.
Advantage and harm
Cheeses on which in the course of maturing mold cultures develop receive additional properties. Besides, they contain many vitamins, minerals, various amino acids. Let's sort pluses and minuses of this product for health.
Than it is useful
From useful properties of cheese with a mold it is possible to note the following:
- the mold promotes assimilation by a calcium organism;
- thanks to some amino acids which are contained in cheese it favors to creation of muscle tissues;
- because of existence in a product of mold fungi Penicillium the functioning of intestines is normalized;
- promotes increase in level of hemoglobin in blood;
- somewhat accelerates healing of wounds;
- softens negative impact of ultraviolet rays on skin;
- it can be used for prevention of cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, arthrosis.
Learn in what advantage and harm of goat, Adygei, sausage cheese and tofu cheese.
Than it is harmful
In certain situations the use of this product can cause negative consequences for an organism:
- the excessive use usually causes dysbacteriosis as the mold fungus of Penicillium suppresses intestinal microflora over time;
- this product can cause allergic reaction;
- it is not recommended to use it during pregnancy (it will be stated below in more detail).
Whether it is possible to eat cheese with a mold
During such periods as pregnancy, breastfeeding or a disease, there is a question of the correct food allowance. Of course, it concerns also such extraordinary product as cheese with a mold. Let's understand whether it is possible to enter it into a diet in similar situations.
Important! It is considered that without consequences for health it is regularly possible to use no more than 50 g of any grade of cheese with a mold in day.
At pregnancy and breastfeeding
It is considered that at pregnancy this product needs to be excluded from a diet. It is caused by existence in its structure of bacteria of the listeriya causing a disease under the name listeriosis. The organism of the healthy person without problems copes with threat of this disease, but the weakened organism of the pregnant woman can undergo this disease. When breastfeeding the use of this product is also undesirable as it can cause allergic reaction in the kid. Besides, there is a risk that accustoming of an organism of the kid to Penicillium in the future will weaken action of antibiotics on it.
Whether you know? In the 19th century during war of Uruguay to Argentina between the fleet of belligerent parties there was a battle. In its heat reported to the Uruguayan admiral that at gunners gun kernels ended. In the heat of fight the admiral ordered to charge guns with the round cheeses which were about one size with kernels. The effect of these volleys was unexpected — the Argentina fleet suddenly receded. Retreat was caused that Argentineans took this cheese squall for new weapon and preferred to retire.
At weight loss
Cheeses with a mold are high-calorie products, with fat content on average of 35-45% therefore in diets for weight loss they are not used, as a rule. To people with an excess weight it is regular do not recommend to use such products categorically. However, there are grades with the lowered fat content, but also they in the course of weight loss are used with care.
At pancreatitis, gastritis
At such diseases as pancreatitis and gastritis, it is impossible to use cheeses with a mold as they actively influence walls of a stomach and have negative effect on the inflamed pancreas. All this leads to exacerbation of these diseases.
As well as with what it is eaten
Cheeses with a mold before the use are taken from the fridge if they were stored there, and allow them to heat up to room temperature — it will fully disclose taste of a product. For cutting of soft and firm grades use the corresponding cheese knives or special adaptation — a rokforezka (roquefortaise).
Soft grades cut on the portion pieces similar to cake segments, otherwise it is simple not to cut them. It is better to cut some grades while they are chilled as at the room temperature they begin to melt. The general, for all types of cheeses, recommendations about rules of their use do not exist. In this plan practically each grade (more true, group of the grades similar in taste) has the features. Let's provide recommendations about some of them.
- Camembert is well combined with grapes, nuts, berries. Give it as separately, and as a part of a cheese plate, use with toasts or a baguette, bake in pastry. From drinks under Camembert recommend young red wines, sweet wines or cider.
- Roquefort cheese is served with sweet fruit and berries, nuts, honey. It is also well combined with vegetables and olive oil that allows to use it in various salads. It can be used both with white, and with rye bread. Use this look and in various sauces. Roquefort cheese transfers thermal treatment badly. From alcoholic drinks recommend port wines and white sweet wines for it.
- Germelin is used both in a natural look, and in fried or baked. Usually it is given as snack for white wine. Marinated with garlic, onions, pepper of a feferona and hot pepper, germelin to which add olive oil use as beer snack.
- Eat with Gorgontsolu with bread, sweet onions, honey. It is often used for preparation of sauces for paste, polenta and other traditional Italian dishes and also for meat. It is one of popular components of pizza. To a young gorgontsola serve white muscat wines, to more mature product — a sherry, Madeira, sparkling wines.
As we see, cheeses with a mold are not only a delicious product, but also have many properties, useful to a human body. If to observe recommendations about their use, then they considerably will improve quality of life. The variety of types of these products and various options of their use will allow most of people to find in cookery for themselves favourite grades of cheese with a mold.