Cheese and chocolate, cheese and champagne, cheese as an aphrodisiac and even heart-shaped cheese. All are worthy topics with Valentines Day upon us, but did you know that the mischievous Ancient Roman deity, Cupid, is legend to be the reason we have blue cheese?
Some 2000 years ago, a young impassioned French shepherd sat down for a bit of lunch. He parked it on a rock just outside of the limestone caves of Cambalou, then pulled out a wedge of cheese and a chunk of crusty rye bread. At that same moment, a beautiful village maiden passed on the path below. Her hair swayed in the same breeze that carried her scent up the hill to the caves and bulls eye; Cupids arrow sprung from his bow and the bewitched shepherd completely lost his faculties. Needing his hands free for groping, he hastily clamored down to the path to chase some tail, leaving his lunch on the rock by the cave. Whether this romance was destined to last is unclear, but the young man eventually had to return to gather his sheep. His amour kept him away long enough that upon his return to the caves, the cheese had developed a greenish mold now known as penicillium roqueforti. The adventurous spirit of the lovesick shepherd provided the bravery he needed to try the moldy cheese (or he was just really hungry from driveling sentiments of love for the last few days) and voilà: Roquefort!
This article appears in Feb 3-9, 2011.
