Goat Blue

Raw Milk - Blue Cheese - Pistoia Mountains

The art of blue cheese meets the sweetness of goat cheese: a blue cheese that defies convention.

Raw Goat's Milk Blue CheeseVerdetti Catia Agricultural Company

Verdetti Catia Farm's Raw Milk Goat's Blue Cheese is an extraordinary and relatively rare blue cheese that represents a bold blend of traditional blue cheeses (gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton) and the distinctive aroma of raw mountain goat's milk. Produced in San Marcello Piteglio, in the Pistoia mountains, with raw milk sourced exclusively from approximately 140 goats raised on the farm, which graze freely on the slopes of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, feeding on wild vegetation rich in biodiversity. This blue cheese is a testament to the creative courage and cheesemaking expertise of Verdetti Farm, which has applied complex techniques (blue cheese requires precise microbiological control, specific environments, and long processing times) to a raw material—goat's milk—traditionally used for fresh or semi-mature cheeses but rarely for blue cheeses.

Marbling is a fascinating process that involves inoculating the curd with mold spores of the Penicillium genus (typically P. roqueforti or P. glaucum). During aging in cool, humid, ventilated environments, these molds develop characteristic blue-green veins that run through the cheese, creating spectacular marbling. These noble molds not only impart the distinctive color but also profoundly transform the flavor and texture: they break down fats and proteins, releasing amino acids and fatty acids that create the intense aromatic complexity, characteristic spiciness, and buttery creaminess that distinguish blue cheeses. To allow the molds to develop within the cheese (not just on the surface), the cheese is "pierced" or "perforated" with long needles that create air channels, encouraging the growth of the blue colonies in the internal spaces.

Blu di Capra cheese has a naturally wrinkled, grayish-brown rind with natural surface molds. Its ivory-white interior is streaked with irregular, blue-green veins that branch out to create unique patterns in each cheese. Its texture varies from semi-soft and creamy when young to firmer and crumbly with longer aging, with areas near the blue veins softening to an almost creamy consistency due to the enzymatic action of the molds. The flavor is complex and layered: the characteristic sweetness of fresh goat's milk meets and contrasts with the intense spiciness brought by the molds, creating a surprising balance where delicate goat notes (butter, milk, grass) coexist with pungent, spicy, earthy aromas (mushroom, undergrowth, pepper) typical of blue cheeses, all enriched with herbaceous and floral nuances derived from mountain pastures.

Production follows the rigorous philosophy of the Verdetti company: raw milk without additives or selected industrial starter cultures (only homemade starter cultures when necessary), natural aging in controlled but unsterilized environments that allow the development of local microbial biodiversity. A cheese that is a technical challenge, a creative expression, and a testament to the extraordinary versatility of mountain goat's milk when crafted with skill and respect.
 
 
 

The roots of blue cheeses lie in European caves

Blue cheeses likely arose by chance in the cool, humid caves where shepherds stored cheeses: molds naturally present in the environment colonized the cheeses, developing colored veins that were initially considered a defect, but which a few curious shepherds tasted and discovered intriguing, intense flavors. This chance discovery was later refined through controlled techniques that led to the birth of famous blue cheeses: French Roquefort (made from sheep's milk and aged in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon), Italian Gorgonzola (made from cow's milk), English Stilton (made from cow's milk), and Spanish Cabrales (a mix of sheep, goat, and cow).

The tradition of blue cheesemaking developed primarily with cow's and sheep's milk, rarely goat's milk. Goat's milk was preferably transformed into fresh cheeses (soft goat's cheeses like French chèvre) or semi-mature cheeses (tomes, caciottes) to enhance their sweetness and delicacy rather than subjecting them to the harsh processes of blue cheesemaking. Only innovative contemporary producers have begun to experiment with blue goat's cheeses, combining the blue cheesemaking tradition with the specificity of goat's milk, creating niche products highly prized by connoisseurs.

Verdetti's Blu di Capra cheese fits into this innovative tradition, adding the added complexity of raw mountain milk and native local ferments that enrich the aromatic profile with unique, unrepeatable nuances.
 
 
 

Choosing Goat Blue means beneficial Penicillium and layered aromas

Blue cheeses offer an interesting nutritional profile: high-biological-value proteins partially predigested by the molds, making them more absorbable; abundant calcium; B vitamins (Penicillium molds synthesize B vitamins during ripening); and fats that include easily metabolized medium-chain fatty acids from goat's milk. The noble mold Penicillium roqueforti has demonstrated antimicrobial properties (it produces compounds that inhibit pathogenic bacteria), and some studies suggest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds produced during blue cheesemaking.

The calorie content is moderate-high (approximately 320-380 kcal per 100g depending on the aging process), but portions are typically small given the intense flavor that quickly satiates. Lactose is very low (almost completely fermented), making the cheese often tolerable even for those with lactose intolerance. Salt is present in significant quantities (necessary for microbiological control and flavor development), so consume in moderation if you have sodium restrictions.

A cheese that deeply nourishes and offers a complex, layered sensory experience impossible to find in young or standardized industrial cheeses.
 
 
 

How to Best Use: Raw Goat's Milk Blue Cheese

• PURE TASTING AND GOURMET PAIRINGS
  Bring the Blu di Capra to room temperature 60-90 minutes before serving to enhance its creaminess and complex aromas. Serve in slices or wedges on a cutting board with organic seeded bread in a loaf pan, organic chestnut honey o raw pressed wildflower honey from the Treja Valley, Organic Sorrento walnuts fresh, mustard. Match with Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG Organic, Porto, Rustic Doll Goloden Strong beer.
• SAUCES, CREAMS AND CONDIMENTS
  Melt the Goat's Blue with cream or milk For a creamy sauce on pasta, gnocchi, and risotto. Make a spreadable cream by mixing it with mascarpone, ricotta cheese, organic butter softened. Use for seasoning polenta, puree of Organic Leonessa potatoes, steamed vegetables.
• SALADS, PIZZAS AND CREATIVE PREPARATIONS
  Crumble on salads with ancient organic apples, almonds , rocket salad. Add in flakes on gourmet pizza, focaccia with onions caramelized. Use in burgers, panini with long red radicchio, organic shoulder ham. Stuff pears cooked or figs fresh.

The Producer: Verdetti Catia Agricultural Company

Verdetti Catia Farm in San Marcello Piteglio (PT) is a mountain dairy excellence recognized as a Slow Food Presidium for Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese, producing artisanal raw-milk cheeses with no additives from approximately 140 grazing goats and sheep. With innovative courage combined with respect for tradition, the company has developed this rare Blu di Capra blue cheese that challenges convention by applying complex techniques to mountain goat's milk. Led by the young Rachele Petrucci, who continues her grandmother Catia's work, the company represents preserved biodiversity, dairy creativity, and authentic artisanal quality. Each Blu cheese is a unique artisanal masterpiece.
 
 
 

Ingredients

Raw goat's milk (Italy), lactic acid bacteria (homemade when necessary), Penicillium roqueforti (blue mold), natural rennet, salt. No additives, preservatives, or selected industrial enzymes.
 
 
 

Indicative Nutritional Values ​​(per 100g of product)

• Energy: about 320-380 kcal
• Protein: 18-22g (partially predigested)
• Fat: 25-32g (of which saturated 16-20g, with medium-chain fatty acids)
• Carbohydrates: <1g (almost no lactose)
• Calcium: 500-700mg
• Salt: 2,5-4g (varies according to seasoning)

Rich in noble proteins, calcium, B vitamins synthesized by molds, bioactive compounds from Penicillium.
 
 
 

Product Features

• Type: Raw goat's milk blue cheese
• Milk: Raw goat's milk (100% from Pistoia mountain pastures)
• Production area: San Marcello Piteglio, Pistoia Mountains (PT – Tuscany)
• Maturing: Medium-long (variable, typically 60-120+ days)
• Ideal weight: 1-2kg typically
• Crust: Wrinkled, grey-brownish, natural surface moulds
• Pasta: Ivory-white with irregular blue-greenish veins
• Texture: Semi-soft creamy near the grain, more compact elsewhere
• Flavor: Complex – goat sweetness + blue cheese spiciness + herbaceous notes

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