Bleu Cheese vs Gorgonzola - Difference and Comparison

Appearance

Bleu Cheese is spotted with a blue, blue-grey or blue-green mold that gives it a distinctive appearance. Gorgonzola is a type of bleu cheese where blue-green veins run throughout the cheese.

Bleu Cheese Gorgonzola

Taste

Bleu cheese has a sharp and salty taste with a strong smell.

Gorgonzola is very crumbly and salty and may be either soft or firm.

History

Historians believe the bleu cheese was discovered by accident, as cheese was aged in caves that were favorable to various forms of mold. One of the most famous forms of bleu cheese, Roquefort, was invented in 1070 AD, while Stilton was discovered in the 18th century.

Gorgonzola has been produced in the Italian town of Gorgonzola since 879 AD. The green-blue marbling effect was added in the 11th century. It is now produced in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy.

Processing

Bleu cheese is made from Penicillium glaucum mold and many different types of milk, including cow's milk, sheep’s and goat’s milk. Bleu cheese is injected with Penicilliuem glaucum mold and aged for several months in a temperature-controlled environment, such as a cave.

Gorgonzola is made from unskimmed cow’s or goat’s milk. Penicillium glaucum mold is added to create the blue green veins in the cheese. In creating gorgonzola, starting bacteria is added to milk, along with Penicillium glaucum mold . It is aged in a cave for 3-4 months, with metal rods inserted and removed periodically to allow for mold spores to grow into veins.

Is it safe to eat the Mold in Bleu Cheese?

Yes, the mold in the Bleu Cheese is perfectly safe to eat.

Molds that produce mycotoxins and aflatoxins are considered toxic. Whereas Penicillium glaucum, the mold present in bleu cheese, does not contain these toxics. The environment created by Penicillium glaucum mold based on mositure, temperature, density, acidity etc. does not allow for the production of these toxins.This is the reason it is considered safe to eat the mold in bleu cheese. [1]

Nutritional Information

	Bleu Cheese (1 ounce,28g)	Gorgonzola (1 ounce,28g)
Calories	100	100
Fat	8.1g	9g
Sodium	395mg	375mg
Carbohydrate	0.7g	1g
Protein	6.06g	6g
Saturated Fat	5.3g	5.3g

Culinary Uses

Bleu cheese can be eaten on its own or crumbled or melted over other foods. It can be eaten on burgers or included in a blue cheese salad.

Gorgonzola is typically eaten as a topping. It can be melted into a risotto, eaten with pasta or used on pizza. The Bergamo region of Italy has a traditional dish that combines Gorgonzola with polenta.

Cheese Image Gallery

A pizza topped with Gorgonzola	Cheese Platter	A Martini with Bleu cheese stuffed olives
Salad topped with Gorgonzola

Bleu or Blue cheese?

Although the more French-sounding "blue cheese" became popular in America a few decades ago, the original name for this cheese in English is "blue cheese". Today "blue cheese" is more common in British English and "bleu cheese" is sometimes used in the U.S.[2]

Price

Depending on the age, weight and brand, the price of Bleu Cheese ranges anywhere from $5-$90+. Gorgonzola is available at a price of $6-$200+.

Current prices for Gorgonzola and Bleu cheese are available on Amazon.com:

References

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