Bleu de Gex

Bleu de Gex
Other namesBleu de Haut-Jura, Bleu de Septmoncel
Country of originFrance
RegionJura
Source of milkcows
Texturedense and creamy[1]
Related media on Commons

Bleu de Gex (French pronunciation: [blø də ʒɛks] ⓘ; also Bleu du Haut-Jura or Bleu de Septmoncel) is a creamy, semi-soft blue cheese made from unpasteurized milk in the Jura region of France.[2]

It is named after the Pays de Gex, a historical region in what is now France and Switzerland. During production, Penicillium roqueforti mold is introduced and the unwashed curds are loosely packed. It is then aged for at least three weeks.[3] To meet Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée guidelines, it must contain only the milk of Montbéliard cows. It is milder and younger than the majority of French blue cheeses. Each wheel is stamped with the word "Gex".[4]

Due to changes made in November 2004 to the official U.S. definition of "soft cheese", and the requirement that such cheeses from France must be made with pasteurized milk in French-certified plants, Bleu de Gex cannot be sold legally in the United States.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bleu de gex cheese". Gourmet-Food.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-18. Retrieved 2009-12-20.
  2. ^ "Fromages.com - The Best of French Cheeses - bleu Gex".
  3. ^ Fletcher, Janet (7 January 2011). "Gex marks the spot – a creamy blue from France (sfgate.com)". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. ^ Iburg, Anne (2004). Dumont's Lexicon of Cheese. REBO publishers. ISBN 90-366-1689-1.
  5. ^ Fletcher, Janet (4 May 2005). "French cheeses fall victim to import rules". SFGate. Retrieved 22 March 2021.