a photo of blue cheese
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For lovers of flavor-forward cheeses, blue cheese is a must for cheese plates, topping salads, creamy sauces and more. When exploring the cheese case or browsing recipes, you may notice that some blue cheeses are simply labeled “blue cheese” or “bleu cheese,” while others are specifically labeled Gorgonzola.
So, are blue cheese and Gorgonzola the exact same thing? The simple answer is that while all Gorgonzola is blue cheese, not all blue cheese is Gorgonzola. Here’s everything you need to know.
Related: Healthy Blue Cheese Recipes
What Is Blue Cheese?
Blue cheese can be made with milk from sheep, goats or cows. The cheese is inoculated with a Penicillium mold (a different strain of the bacteria than that used to make the antibiotic penicillin), air pockets are introduced for the mold to grow in, and then the cheese is aged—generally for one to six months. As it ages, veins of blue, gray, black, purple or green mold branch throughout the body of the cheese.
While flavors and textures vary based on the type of milk used and other variables, most blue cheeses have a pronounced, sharp, salty flavor and a pungent and minerally aroma that often will be stronger than the actual flavor of the cheese.
Related: 5 Reasons Cheese Is Actually Good for Your Health
Some common blue cheeses are English Stilton, French Roquefort, Danish Danablu, American Maytag and—the cheese we’re here to discuss—Italian Gorgonzola. If your cheese is just labeled “blue cheese,” it will likely have a crumbly texture and rough appearance, with strong veining of mold throughout.
Blue cheeses pair well with fruit and honey, which balance the intensity, as well as with bright crunchy vegetables, which is why they work so well on salads. They do have a decent melting property, despite their crumbly nature, so they can be a good addition to cheese sauces or even a burger topper.
What Is Gorgonzola?
Gorgonzola is an Italian unskimmed cow’s-milk cheese that’s named after…
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