HOW TO MAKE ROQUEFORT FIRST STEP MILK COLLECTION

HOW TO MAKE ROQUEFORT

FIRST STEP : MILK COLLECTION n n ewe herd born and breeded in Aveyron race of ewe : Lacaune‘s ewe The ewes must be breeded in mountain Milk collection only in spring and summer

SECOND STEP : PASTEURISATION temperature raised until 140°C (284°F) n then lowed within a second until 70°C (158°F) n Thus the bacteries needed for further steps can survive, while the harm bacteries are killed n temperature then gradually lowed until the air temperature n

THIRD STEP : CURDLING Within a few days : bacteries still alive in the milk start to multiply n milk proteins (casein) start to coagulate n necessary to add harmless bacteries called presure n maintain a temperature beetween 18 and 20°C (65°F) in the room n

FOURTH STEP: ENSEMENCAGE n curdled milk mixed with penicillium roqueforti This bacterie is extracted from rye bread in laboratories n milk temperature raised until 32°C (90°F) n Then the milk is left in peace for 48 hours n

FIFTH STEP: DRAINING+SALTING Small strainers filled with curdled milk (gravity) n Upside down 5 times a day n Salting: spreading a layer of salt on each side of the cheese, leaving it for 2 days → stops the inlet spreading of the bacteries and finishes the previous draining n

SIXTH STEP : REFINING clean the layer of “pégot“ which appears during the salting n boring the cheese from one side to the other with 48 kneedles→ addition of moisture and bacteries inside the cheese n leaving the cheese in a basement → biochemical action of the bacteries contained in all milk products + mould grows up n

ROQUEFORT IN FRENCH CUISINE