Bleu d’Auvergne, AOC and AOP cheese
Bleu d’Auvergne obtained the AOC in 1975 and thus became one of the five AOP cheeses of Auvergne.
This blue cheese, or Fromage à pâte persillée, is made exclusively from pasteurized cow’s milk.
Over the past 150 years, the reputation and history of Auvergne cheeses have undergone significant transformations.
But how did a simple local cheese transform into the prestigious Bleu d’Auvergne AOP?
Let’s delve into its history. As expected, this evolution did not happen overnight!
Fromage de Roquefort or Rochefort
The story of Bleu d’Auvergne begins in Cantal, a department nestled in the heart of green meadows southwest of Clermont-Ferrand.
For generations, cheesemakers from Cantal have shaped a cheese 15 cm high and 30 cm in diameter, which they named Roquefort cheese.
But why Roquefort? Some believe they borrowed this name from the famous Roquefort cheese of Aveyron. However, the most widespread hypothesis suggests a simpler origin: the cheese would have been named after the nearby town of Rochefort-Montagne, as “roque” is old French for “roche” or rock.
Their cheese not only originates from the town of Rochefort, but its origin is also similar to that of the Roquefort of Aveyron.
Indeed, it all started with a cheese “forgotten” in a dark and damp cellar, where a characteristic blue mould developed!
Antoine Roussel’s discovery
Bleu d’Auvergne arrived on our tables thanks to the curious and innovative spirit of a cheese-maker. In 1845, Antoine Roussel indeed made a surprising discovery: some of his Roquefort cheeses, left for a long time in the cellar, developed not only blue mould, but also a rich and unique flavour.
Aware of the potential of his discovery, Roussel set about reproducing this blue mould. After several attempts, he discovered that the cheese acquired its characteristic blue veins upon contact with rye bread. It turned out that the Penicillium fungus present in the bread had contaminated the cheese!
Roussel then had the ingenious idea of introducing Penicillium roqueforti directly into the milk. He also implemented a technique similar to that used for Roquefort in Aveyron: piercing the cheeses with a long needle during ripening to promote the mould proliferation.
The results were impressive: cheeses with remarkable blue veins and a unique aromatic profile. However, despite these qualities, this ‘new’ cheese was still far from becoming the Bleu d’Auvergne we know today.
Creation of the Bleu d’Auvergne
Antoine Roussel devoted the following years to perfecting and standardising his production method to create the Bleu d’Auvergne.
This delicious cheese stands out for its smooth, supple, and creamy texture, and its flavour, which is both pronounced and delicate. Its creamy natural rind is finely marbled with blue-green veins and often displays patches of white mould.
Made exclusively from pasteurised cow’s milk, initially inoculated with lactic ferments and Penicillium roqueforti, this cheese is produced according to a meticulous process. After the initial inoculation, the milk is heated a second time before adding rennet, a natural enzyme, to induce coagulation. The resulting curd is then carefully cut, drained, and placed in moulds. Salted by hand, the cheese is pierced and then transferred to a cool, humid, and well-ventilated cellar for at least four weeks, allowing the mould to develop.
Once matured, Bleu d’Auvergne is ready for you to enjoy!
Credits: Photo labels ©PapyPoustache – Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Header and Photo3 by Slastic Public domain – Photo1 by Pymouss CC BY-SA 4.0
