8 best cheeses with blue mold: flavoring features, which one to buy, comparison with analogues

Blue cheese is a gourmet dairy product with bluish-green interspersed with the noble mold Penicillium with an exquisite taste and pungent aroma. For its preparation, the cheese mass is specially sown with fungal spores and left to ripen in a cold room. Among the varieties, French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola and German Dorblu are especially popular all over the world.

In the era of import substitution, Russian cheese makers adopted the experience and traditions of foreign colleagues, which made it possible to produce domestic analogues of the product. For the review article, 8 well-known specimens of blue cheese from different manufacturers were selected. Let's study their characteristics, compare prices and tell you which one to buy in stores.

Rating TOP 8 cheeses with blue mold

Market research has identified the 8 most popular types of blue cheese among Russian consumers. The following brands are participating in today's review:

DORBLU Classic

Soft cheese streaked with noble mold in a plastic bag. The classic sample has a delicate creamy taste with spicy notes and a creamy texture. The aroma is tart, the aftertaste is salty and slightly spicy. Maturation of the product is carried out in special closed cellars.

Raw material suppliers: Armenia, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland. The product is manufactured in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications in Russia. The shelf life is 2 months from the date of manufacture.

Of the inexpensive Russian blue cheeses, this one is my favorite. Pleasant consistency, does not crumble, the product itself is quite dense. It goes well with semi-sweet wines.

Milkana GrandBlu

Dorblu cream cheese with blue mold in branded plastic packaging. It is characterized by soft melting consistency, spicy aftertaste and tart aroma. The sample is intensely penetrated by inclusions of mold, moderately loose. It is well cut with a knife and does not stick to it. The product is made in Russia under the supervision of cheese makers from France.

Recommended to be served as an appetizer in combination with grapes, honey and pear confiture. Origin of the raw materials used: Argentina. The product is usable within 60 days.

The taste of this cheese is excellent, the product is very worthy for its money. Spicy, quite firm and tart — as it should be. There is really a lot of mold, especially closer to the center, but I regard this as a plus.

Bridel Blue Cheese

Blue cheese according to a classic Italian recipe wrapped in translucent polyethylene. The product has an ivory shade with blue-green veins. The texture is soft, reminiscent of melted cheese. It is characterized by a creamy-spicy taste, delicate aroma and subtle sourness with a nutty flavor in the aftertaste.

The copy will be a good addition to a cheese plate in combination with fruit, it can act as a pizza filling. Recommended to be consumed within 60 days from the date of production.

The cheese resembles the original sanctioned, but falls short of execution. The consistency is rather rubbery, the excess salt does not allow you to feel the taste palette. I do not plan to repeat the purchase in the near future, but if the manufacturer corrects the shortcomings, then I will give a chance.

Tirolez Gorgonzola

Moldy cheese "Gorgonzola" of Brazilian origin in vacuum plastic film. It has a delicate creamy taste and a tangy-spicy aroma. Prolonged aftertaste with moderate salinity.

Pear is considered the best gastronomic accompaniment; it is also suitable for baking, making pasta, pizza, and sauces. The shelf life of the product is 120 days; after opening, it is recommended to use within 15 days.

A very decent cheese made from Brazilian raw materials with intense mold and multifaceted taste. Astringent and aromatic, salt in moderation. I buy on a regular basis.

Kaserei champignon

Semi-hard cheese from cow's milk with mold in a sealed film. The product has a pleasant moldy taste with nutty bitterness and mushroom aftertaste. Moderately dense consistency makes it easy to cut the cheese into portions or grate. Closer to the center, it has a more crumbly texture.

Should be stored for 30 days after production. Contains no preservatives or flavor enhancers. The manufacturer recommends using the product immediately after opening.

The taste of this cheese is unforgettable! I really like to eat it with a bit of coffee for breakfast. The consistency is delicate and enveloping. It's just a godsend for its price segment.

BluDelice

Semi-hard cheese with blue mold in foil packaging. The color of the cheesy body can vary from white to cream with bluish green veins. Has an intense aroma with spicy notes. The product tastes moderately salty, with rich tart accents and light bitterness.

Before packing, it matures in cold rooms for 6 to 8 weeks. The shelf life is 2 months from the date of manufacture. After opening the package, it is recommended to use it within 3 days.

High-quality Russian analogue of expensive imported cheeses. Perhaps the taste is not so rich and more primitive, but in combination with coffee or wine it goes well.

Castello blue classic

Classic soft cheese with mold in vacuum plastic packaging.The product is characterized by an intense taste and a bright, tangy aroma. Intense spicy notes in the aftertaste are softened by a delicate creamy texture with an enveloping effect.

The cheese goes well with dry and dessert white wines. Before serving, it is recommended to remove from the refrigerator half an hour before use to reach room temperature. Expiration date: 70 days.

Not a bad variation on the classic blue cheese from a Russian manufacturer. For a cheese plate, it will come in handy. It would be better if the manufacturer began to add less salt, there is somehow indecently a lot of it.

Mont Blu

Semi-hard moldy cow's milk cheese in a plastic tray with a transparent window. A copy of the Russian production is made according to a traditional recipe. It has a bright creamy-spicy aroma and a rich spicy-salty taste. The color of the cheese ranges from cream to yellowish, and the mold veins are evenly distributed. The presence of a characteristic acidity is allowed due to the interaction of the cheese with air.

The product is recommended to be consumed within 60 days from the date of manufacture. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days after removing from the package.

It does not reach the original door-blue, but in general it can be considered as an alternative. Suitable for making cream cheese sauce, and just like that you can also enjoy wine with wine.

Tips for choosing noble cheese in the store

Some buyers still don't trust blue cheese and bypass it. Their fears are in vain: this type of mold is safe for the health of most people. It should be used with caution by pregnant and lactating mothers - such a product can easily become a breeding ground for Listeria in case of violation of storage standards. The following guidelines will help you better navigate when choosing blue cheese in the store.

• The composition is important when choosing any product, including moldy cheese. Try to choose a copy without preservatives, dyes and other questionable additives. The list of ingredients should include: milk, enzymes, salt, bacterial starter and Penicillium molds.
• The product must be packed in airtight foil or paper. Violation of the integrity of the packaging threatens inevitable damage: innocent mold microorganisms turn into dangerous pathogens. Eating such cheese is hazardous to health.
• Blue cheeses have a rather specific smell. It is usually sharp and expressive, with distinct mushroom notes. If you smell an ammoniacal smell, then the cheese is already spoiled - storage conditions have been violated or the expiration date has come to an end.
• If the product is covered with mold more than half, it means that a lot of time has passed since its production and the penicillin fungi managed to “eat” the cheese mass. It is recommended to choose fresher specimens, otherwise there is a risk of running into a product that is too sharp in taste or even expired.
• The consistency of blue cheese should be a little loose and not too dry, and it should not crumble. Holes in a moldy cheese body may be present, but in small numbers.