Blue-Veined (Persillé) Cheeses

Distinctive for their blue-green edible molds, persillé cheeses are similar to wash-rind and bloomy rind cheeses except that the molds are injected rather than cultured on the surface. The process of introducing the mold is called needling. Blue-veined cheeses rely specifically on Pénicillium molds (simple bread molds), which have the ability to grow in low-oxygen zones such as at the center of a cheese. Examples of these cheeses include Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Cabrales.