Roquefort - The King Of All Cheeses

Video: Roquefort - The King Of All Cheeses

Video: Roquefort - The King Of All Cheeses
Video: E08: Рокфор, король сыров | Рокфор, Франция 2024, November
Roquefort - The King Of All Cheeses
Roquefort - The King Of All Cheeses
Anonim

The French themselves gave the definition of Roquefort cheese - the king of all cheeses. Its name comes from one of the most widely told legends in France.

Many years ago, a young shepherd was grazing his sheep near the low hills near the small village of Roquefort-sur-Sulzon. It was located on a steep slope dotted with many caves.

The sun was scorching, and in an attempt to hide from it, the young man hid in one of the caves. There he decided to eat. His lunch was modest, a lump of sheep's cheese and a piece of rye bread.

Just before he put a bite in his mouth, the boy froze. A girl passed in front of the cave, beautiful as a vision from heaven. The young shepherd became enchanted and followed her, leaving his lunch intact.

After hours of searching, the shepherd resigned himself to not finding the girl and returned with the flock. A few days later, in a new attempt to shelter from the scorching rays, he found himself in the same cave again. And there he found a strange thing - the cheese he had left had undergone a strange transformation.

Strange openings had appeared all over its surface, from which greenish mold protruded. The boy wondered for a long time, but in the end curiosity prevailed and he tasted a piece of cheese. To his surprise, it had a unique taste and indescribable aroma.

Blue cheese
Blue cheese

It is believed that this legend of the discovery of the famous French blue Roquefort cheese is more than 200 years old. It was popularized by the writer Christian Buryucoa. True or not, the fact is that this cheese is also mentioned by the ancient Roman scientist Pliny the Elder.

This is not the only surviving information about the king of sirens. Historical chronography reveals data about him in 1411. Then King Charles VI of France, fascinated by the qualities of Roquefort cheese, granted the peasants of Roquefort-sur-Sulzon the exclusive privilege of producing it.

In 1666, after many abuses, a special decree was issued, which specifies the many penalties that threaten anyone who allowed himself to use the name "Roquefort" illegally to market their production.

In 1925, the popularity and demand for Roquefort cheese went beyond France. It became the first cheese to receive the most prestigious mark - AOC. (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée - Declared area and origin mark).

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