Roquefort Gabriel Coulet

Roquefort, probably the world’s best known blue cheese, is made using raw ewe’s milk. All Roquefort is legally required to spend two weeks in the ‘fleurines’ or caves of Mont Combalou in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the area of production. This is the natural dwelling place of the Penicillium Roqueforti moulds, from which most strains of blue cheese moulds have been bred. The most famous legend of Roquefort origin tells of a shepherd sheltering from a violent storm in the now famous caves. Soaked to the skin and with his tummy rumbling, the shepard discovered an old curd sandwich left there months before. The rye bread had disintegrated into a mouldy dust, which had spread through the sheep’s milk curd. The reluctant (but sufficiently hungry) shepherd ate the mouldy curd anyway and was surprised by how delicious it was. And so Roquefort was created.