Roquefort
This internationally famous French blue cheese is made from the milk of sheep. It has a firm, yet slightly crumbly texture, and a powdery white flesh that is laced with characteristic green-blue veins.The blue veining is the mold Penicillium roqueforti, and originally came from the walls of the limestone caves in the south of France where the cheese was ripened. Today the mold is injected into the cheese to ensure even distribution, but it is still aged in the same caves. All true Roquefort cheese has a red sheep brand on the foil label. It is difficult to describe the incredible flavor of true Roquefort. Even though it is crumbly, the cheese is even and smooth, and its taste is mellow with a sophisticated piquancy. Though the cheese is produced in a number of areas throughout the region, French law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the name Roquefort, as it has a Protected designation of origin. Roquefort is popularly known as "The King of Cheeses" and is one of the world's oldest known cheeses as it was favored by both the Romans and Charlemagne.