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Bleu des Causses Cheese
Bleu des Causses is an aromatic blue cheese from the high plateaus of Aveyron in Southern France. Similar in production to Roquefort, it is made from cow’s milk, giving it a creamier texture and a milder, less salty flavor. This cheese has distinct blue veins and a bold, tangy taste, ideal for adding character to dishes or enjoying with robust red wines.
What is Bleu des Causses Cheese?
Bleu des Causses is a semisoft blue cheese from France, striking a fine balance between whole cow’s milk and Penicillium roqueforti. This cheese matures for at least seventy days in the Gorges du Tarn caves in southern France's Languedoc region. It first gained AOC status in 1953, and its geographic production region was expanded in 1986.
Today, ripening takes place exclusively in natural caves within a specific area, including five cantons of Aveyron and certain municipalities. These caves, enhanced by the cool, damp airflow through natural vents known as fleurines, are ideal for the cheese's maturation.
After the cheese blooms, master affineurs wrap it in foil, allowing it to ripen further and develop its unique aromas. Bleu des Causses, which requires a minimum of 70 days to mature, showcases a sophisticated bouquet of flavors in its ivory, blue-veined body. It is exceptionally creamy, with a fat content of 45 percent. The cheese is known for its sweet yet spicy taste, which pairs wonderfully with sweet white and dessert wines. Resembling Roquefort, its production involves about fifty farmsteads supplying milk to four dairies, resulting in 550 tons of cheese annually.
Bleu des Causses is celebrated for its rich and complex flavor profile, including hints of hazelnut and mushroom with a slight tang. It enhances salads, sauces, and warm dishes like raclette, standing out as a distinct component of the region's culinary heritage.
Key Facts About Bleu des Causses Cheese
| Country of Origin | France |
| Specific Origin | Gorges du Tarn, Languedoc region; five cantons of Aveyron (Campagnac, Cornus, Millau, Peyreleau, Saint Affrique), Trier (Gard), Pégairolles of Escalette (Hérault) |
| Certification | AOC (1953) |
| Milk Type | Cow’s milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Fat Content | High fat content of 45 percent |
| Texture | Semisoft |
| Flavor | Sweet yet spicy, not too salty or bitter |
| Aroma | Sophisticated bouquet |
| Colors | Ivory, blue-veined |
| Age | At least 70 days and not more than 190 days |
