Roquefort
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A cave-aged sheep's-milk blue — the 'King of Blue Cheeses'.
TasteSalty, intense, and sharp with a moist creaminess. Sheep's milk makes it fattier than a cow's-milk blue, and the finish carries pepper and a faint sweetness. It's among the saltiest of the blues, so start with very little.
Intensity
TextureMoist and crumbly with dense blue veining. The cheese has no rind at all — it's sold wrapped in foil, and the foil does the rind's job.
Similar cheeses
How it differsThe strongest of the three. Gorgonzola and Stilton are cow's milk; this is the one made from sheep's milk, which is where the richness and the sharp edge come from. Those two are far gentler — gorgonzola dolce is soft enough to spread. Serving this to someone's first blue cheese usually goes badly; start them on dolce.
Pairing
🍷 WineSweet wine (Sauternes)
🍽️ FoodHoney, pear, walnut, steak
How to enjoy
A little at a time with honey, pear and walnut is the classic, and a sweet wine like Sauternes flattens the salt and lifts the sweetness. It crumbles into dressings and steak sauces too — but add it off the heat, since boiling turns it bitter.
What to look for
Look for Roquefort AOP — the name is protected, and only cheese matured at least three months in the Combalou caves may use it. Foil wrapping is normal. Choose a piece with ivory paste and veining spread evenly through it; browning, or liquid pooling in the wrapper, means it is past its best.
Storage
Wrap in foil, put it in a lidded box, and keep it in the crisper drawer — foil holds the smell better than paper does. Keep it away from other food and eat it within three or four weeks.
⏳ Aging3+ months (cave-aged)
Good to know
It can only bear the name if aged in the Combalou caves at Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, France. Natural fissures called 'fleurines' run through that rock, holding the airflow and humidity steady on their own — exactly the conditions the mold wants. The milk is fixed too: raw milk from Lacaune ewes.