The main difference between blue cheese and gorgonzola is that gorgonzola has a milder taste and a softer texture than other varieties of blue cheese.
Blue cheese is an umbrella term that refer to cheese with veins of blue mould, and gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese. Moreover, blue cheese can be made with cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk, while gorgonzola is made with cow’s milk.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Blue Cheese
– Definition, Features, Production
2. What is Gorgonzola
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Blue Cheese, Gorgonzola
What is Blue Cheese
Blue cheese is an umbrella term we use to refer to cheese with veins of blue mould. This type of cheese is made with pasteurized cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk and ripened with cultures of the mould penicillium. Blue cheese varieties typically originate from France and Italy but later evolved throughout the Western world. There are many varieties of blue cheese. Roquefort, Blue Stilton, Danablu, and Gorgonzola are some of these varieties. Depending on the variety, the flavour and texture may vary, but generally, they have a salty and sharp flavour and a pungent aroma. The main characteristic feature of all these varieties is the presence of blue, green, grey, or black veins of mould throughout the cheese. Moreover, their rinds are edible. Blue cheese usually has a high sodium content and is a good source of calcium, phosphorous, and proteins.
Figure 1: Stilton Blue Cheese
How to Make Blue Cheese
The Blue cheese production process involves the following steps:
- Pasteurization of raw milk, where acidification occurs when we add a starter culture to convert lactose to lactic acid (this process changes the milk from liquid to solid)
- Addition of rennet to coagulate the milk and cutting of curds to release the whey
- Sprinkling of Penicillium roqueforti over the cheese and salting in order to prevent spoilage
- Leaving the cheese to age for 60 – 90 days
What is Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is a type of rich, strong-flavoured Italian cheese with bluish-green veins. Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese. In fact, it’s one of the oldest blue cheese varieties in the world. It’s mainly produced in the Gorgonzola region in northern Italy, hence the name gorgonzola. This cheese is made with unskimmed cow’s milk. We can consume this cheese in different ways; we can even serve it with wines like Bordeaux Blend (Red), Zinfandel and Sauternes.
Figure 2: Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola has a soft and crumbly texture with a nutty aroma. Depending on its age, it can have a mild to sharp taste. Young gorgonzola is soft, buttery, and creamy with hints of sharp blue, while aged gorgonzola is stronger, earthier and has a more piquant bite. This cheese typically takes 3 – 4 months to age, i.e., to reach full ripeness. There are two varieties of Gorgonzola depending on their age: Gorgonzola Dolce and Gorgonzola Piccante. Gorgonzola Piccante is also known by various names like Gorgonzola Montagna, Mountain Gorgonzola, or Gorgonzola Naturale.
Difference Between Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola
Definition
Blue cheese is an umbrella term that refers to cheese with veins of blue mould, while Gorgonzola is a type of rich, strong-flavoured Italian cheese with bluish-green veins.
Type of Milk
Blue cheese can be made with cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk, while gorgonzola is made with cow’s milk.
Taste
Moreover, gorgonzola has a milder taste than other varieties of blue cheese.
Texture
Gorgonzola has a softer texture than other varieties of blue cheese.
Conclusion
Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese. The main difference between blue cheese and gorgonzola is that gorgonzola has a milder taste and a softer texture than other varieties of blue cheese.
Reference:
1. “Gorgonzola.” Cheese.com – World’s Greatest Cheese Resource.
2. Sennett, Jessica. “What Is Blue Cheese?” Cheese Grotto, 29 May 2019.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Homemade Stilton Blue Cheese in UK” By Martin Delisle – (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “5443041” (CC0) via Pixabay
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