Just recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Société in France, and we at Nugget Markets wanted to share both the joys of the adventure and the exploration into a legendary cheese. This is Part 1 of a series that will explain why Roquefort, France's famous raw, sheep's milk blue cheese, and specifically that from Société, is such a unique and important part of gastronomy.

If you have never had the pleasure of tasting this extraordinary blue, I suggest fixing that immediately. The cheese's flavor is bold and salty, with a tangy punch and deep cream notes. Roquefort's texture is moist, lush and creamy. It is creamier toward the center of the wheel (or tip of the wedge), and gradually gets firmer and more crumbly as you approach the rind. This makes it perfect for both spreading and crumbling into salads. It is tremendous with beef, alongside a steak or in a roast beef sandwich, and makes a splendid addition to savory dishes like mac and cheese or potatoes au gratin. It is a lovely cheese for bold red wine pairing, particularly sweet reds, such as Sauternes.

You may know that true Champagne can only be made in the Champagne region of France. What is less well known, is that there are far more rules than just that, mostly due to a French belief in terroir. Terroir is the idea that due to variations in soil composition, local flora and fauna, weather patterns, seasonal temperature severity and myriad other things, certain food products can never be made identically somewhere else. These foods are inextricably linked to its geography and local culture.

To protect these treasures, the French government created the AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée). AOC foods can only be made in specific areas by licensed producers and with highly restricted ingredients. French President Charles De Gaulle once quipped, "How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?" While the actual number is quite a bit higher, that only makes it all the more impressive that Roquefort became the first AOC cheese in 1925. Of all the hundreds of amazing cheeses France has to offer, none were a higher priority than this blue gem.

Want to get a taste of what makes Roquefort so special? Drop by our specialty cheese department and give it a try!