Roquefort AOP - Papillon Black Label

Roquefort is the most famous exported cheese in the world often called "The King of Cheeses" and is the second most popular cheese in France after Comté .

It is a blue cheese with PDO status as it can only be produced in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in Southern France and aged (for 4 months) in the natural Combalou caves just outside the village.  It is only made between the months of January and July using raw Lacaune ewe's milk. 

There is a legend that Roquefort was discovered when a shepherd was eating his lunch of bread and ewe's milk cheese and saw a beautiful girl in the distance. He left his meal in a nearby cave when he ran to her. When he returned to the cave a number of months later the Penicillium Roqueforti mould, found in the soil of the local caves had turned his cheese into Roquefort!

It is a moist cheese, with a bright white paste with beautiful, consistent blue/green marbling and a pinkish surface which is edible. The cavities filled with mould give the cheese a sharp tang. It is a strong blue though well-balanced and quite salty. It is a powerful, rich, creamy cheese with spicy, peppery flavours which leaves a long lingering aftertaste in the mouth. 

Pair with walnuts, grapes and red wine like our Chateau de Terreforte Lescalle Bordeaux 2016 or Poco Mas, Chile Merlot.

Recipe Idea:

Cuisine in the area around the village of Roquefort includes many Roquefort-based recipes such as blue cheese sauces for meat dishes, savoury tarts & quiches, and salads.  Take a look at this page on the BBC Food website for a list of recipe ideas using Roquefort. 

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