A large, ancient, semihard, blue cheese of cow’s milk with a little added goat’s milk. It is a loaf-shaped cheese with a fine, pale crust and a spicy flavour. It is made in dairies in the Sassenage region of Dauphiné and is similar to Bleu de Gex-Haut-Jura. (AOC).
A drum or cylinder of supple to semisoft blue cheese made with cow's milk, similar to Bleu d'Auvergne. It has a lightly-veined, moist, ivory paste and a natural rind. Cheese made in winter has a whiter paste. It is made industrially and on dairies from the raw milk of cows pastured on the chalk plateau of Causses in Rouergue, which imparts a distinctive pungent flavour. This cheese is eaten all year round and contains 45% fat. The curds are uncooked and unpressed. It may be found in the following dimensions: 20 cm (8") diameter x 8-10 cm (4") deep, weighing 2.3-3 kg (5-7 lb). Affinage is usually 70 days to 6 months. It is cured in cellars similar to those used in making Roquefort. (AOC).
A large, round, semihard, blue-veined wheel of cow’s milk cheese from Franche-Comté. It is best in summer when the herbs on which the cattle graze flavour their milk. It is only made in a handful of small dairies in the mountains of the Gex region. (AOC-1977).
A high quality, crumbly, dry cheese, made by one woman in Termignon in Rhône-Alpes. The blue mould is natural and not introduced.
A cylinder of soft blue cheese made with cow's milk, similar to Bleu d’Auvergne. It is made in the vicinity of Thiézac and contains 45% fat. It may be found in the following dimensions: 18-20 cm (7-8") diameter x 9-10 cm (4") deep.
A small round of soft to hard blue cheese made with cow's milk. It has a smooth, even paste and is made by farms and in dairies around Tignes in the Savoy. This cheese is at its best in the summer although it is eaten all year round. It has a strong flavour, is made with unpastuerised milk and contains 45% fat (dry). The curds are uncooked and pressed. It may be found in the following dimensions: 9.5-11 cm ( ) diameter x 9-10 cm ( ) deep, weighing from 680 g to 975 g (lbs oz). Affinage is from 6 weeks to 6 months.
A large, round, semihard, blue-veined wheel of cow’s milk cheese from Franche-Comté. It is best in summer when the herbs on which the cattle graze flavour their milk. It is only made in a handful of small dairies in the mountains of the Gex region. (AOC-1977).
Bleu du Mont Cenis is a name for Murianengo on the French side of the border with Piedmont. It is a cylinder of dry, hard blue artisan cheese made with cow's milk. It has an ivory to yellow paste and a wrinkled, hard, reddish-grey rind. It is produced along the border with Piedmont in the alpine pastures of the Moncenisio Pass. On the other side of the border the same cheese is called Murianengo. This cheese is made with raw, either skimmed or whole milk and contains 50% (30%) fat. It may be found in the following dimensions: 25 or 35 cm (10" or 14") diameter x 10 or 20 cm (4" or 8") deep, weighing 8 or 10 kg (1 lb 1½ oz or 1lb 6 oz). The cheese is also available dusted with ash. Affinage is 3-7 months.
A drum of firm blue cheese made with cow's milk, similar to Bleu d’Auvergne and Bleu des Causses. It is wrapped in foil. This industrially-made cheese is eaten all year round, is made with pasteurised milk and contains 45% fat. The curds are uncooked and unpressed. It may be found in the following dimensions: 18 cm ( 7") diameter x 9-10 cm ( 4") deep, weighing 2.5 kg (5½ lb). Affinage is usually 3 months. (AOC).
