Randy Chandler
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. In the 1950s, blue cheese spread was likely a popular snack, with Rogue Creamery founder Tom Vella travelling to France to learn how to make Roquefort in this decade. Blue cheese spread is made by combining blue cheese with other ingredients such as sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, and seasonings. It can be used as a dip, a salad dressing, or a condiment for sandwiches or burgers.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Blue cheese dressing recipes
Blue cheese is a type of cheese made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. It is believed that blue cheese was discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels, creating an environment favourable to the growth of harmless mould.
Blue cheese dressing is a popular salad dressing and dipping sauce. There are many recipes for blue cheese dressing, and every home cook has their own recipe. However, most recipes feature the following ingredients: blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and simple seasonings.
- Mash blue cheese and buttermilk together in a small bowl with a fork until the mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese.
- Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder until well blended.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For a thinner, pourable salad dressing, add a splash of milk. For a thicker dressing, suitable for dipping, leave out the milk.
This blue cheese dressing will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Some variations and tips for this recipe include:
- Using whole milk in place of buttermilk for a milder flavour.
- Adding a splash of milk, buttermilk, or water to the dressing to thin it out for a salad dressing, or leaving it as is for a thicker dressing for dipping.
- Adding in some hot sauce for a little extra spice.
- Adding in more or less buttermilk to get the desired consistency.
- Using blue cheese crumbles and folding them into the dressing using a rubber spatula until combined.
- Adding some Worcester and lemon juice.
- Substituting heavy cream blended with a teaspoon of lemon juice and letting it sit for 15 minutes for a nice salad dressing consistency.
- Adding extra garlic and no salt.
- Using heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk and adding extra garlic and no salt.
Blue Cheese and FODMAP: What's the Lowdown?
You may want to see also
Blue cheese spread on food
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. It is believed that blue cheese was discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels, creating an environment that was favourable for the growth of harmless moulds. Blue cheese has a distinct sharp, salty, tangy taste and a soft, creamy texture.
Blue cheese spread is a popular condiment for salads, sandwiches, burgers, and chicken wings. It can also be used as a dipping sauce for crudites or chicken wings. Blue cheese spread can be made at home by combining blue cheese with other ingredients such as mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and seasonings. The spread can be made thicker for dipping or thinner for drizzling over salads, depending on personal preference.
In the 1950s, Rogue Creamery founder Tom Vella travelled to France and learned how to make Roquefort cheese. Upon returning to Oregon, he created the Oregon Blue and later the Rogue River Blue, which won the World's Best Cheese award in 2019.
Blue cheese spread can also be used in more complex recipes, such as coating pears with hazelnuts and wine syrup, then filling them with blue cheese and topping with black pepper.
Blue Cheese Dressing: Carb Count at Outback
You may want to see also
Blue cheese history
Blue cheese is any cheese made with the addition of cultures of edible molds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. It is believed that blue cheese was discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels that happened to be favorable environments for various harmless molds. Analysis of ancient paleofeces sampled in the salt mines of Hallstatt, Austria, showed that miners of the Hallstatt Period (800 to 400 BC) already consumed blue cheese and beer.
According to legend, one of the first blue cheeses, Roquefort, was discovered when a young boy's meal of bread and ewes' milk cheese was left in a cave after he was distracted by a beautiful girl in the distance. When he returned months later, the mold (Penicillium roqueforti) had transformed his cheese into Roquefort. Gorgonzola, which was created around AD 879, is one of the oldest known blue cheeses, though it is said that it did not contain blue veins until the 11th century. Stilton is a relatively new blue cheese, becoming popular in the early 1700s.
In the 1950s, Rogue Creamery founder Tom Vella traveled to France, where he learned how to make Roquefort. Upon returning home to Oregon's Rogue River Valley, he created his first product, Oregon Blue, followed by Rogue River Blue, which was named the World's Best Cheese at the 2019 World Cheese Awards in Italy.
Blue cheese varies in flavor from mild to strong and from slightly sweet to salty or sharp; in color from pale to dark; and in consistency from liquid to hard. They may have a distinctive smell, either from the mold or from various specially cultivated bacteria such as Brevibacterium linens. Some blue cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form, while others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form. Blue cheeses are typically aged in temperature-controlled environments.
Blue Cheese and Soy: A Tasty Combination?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Blue cheese production
Blue cheese is made by adding cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The mould responsible for the blue-green colour and the distinctive flavour and aroma of blue cheese is Penicillium roqueforti.
To make blue cheese, a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum is prepared prior to the actual production of the cheese. This involves using a freeze-dried Penicillium roqueforti culture, which is washed from a pure culture agar plate and then frozen.
Blue cheese is typically aged in temperature-controlled environments. The total ketone content is constantly monitored during the ripening process, as the distinctive flavour and aroma of blue cheese arise from methyl ketones, which are a metabolic product of Penicillium roqueforti.
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperature and moisture levels, which created a favourable environment for the growth of harmless moulds. One of the first blue cheeses, Roquefort, is said to have been discovered when a young boy abandoned his bread and ewes' milk cheese in a cave after seeing a beautiful girl in the distance. When he returned months later, the mould (Penicillium roqueforti) had transformed his cheese into Roquefort.
Other well-known blue cheeses include Gorgonzola, Stilton, Danablu, Cabrales, Bleu d'Auvergne, and Rogue Creamery's Oregon Blue and Rogue River Blue. Blue cheeses vary in flavour, colour, and consistency, and they may have a distinctive smell, either from the mould or from various specially cultivated bacteria.
Mango, Blue Cheese, and Summer Salad
You may want to see also
Popular blue cheeses
Blue cheese is a general classification of cheeses that have had cultures of the mold Penicillium added, resulting in a distinct blue, blue-grey, or blue-green hue. Blue cheeses vary in flavor from mild to strong, colour from pale to dark, and consistency from liquid to hard.
Roquefort
A classic French cheese crafted from sheep's milk, Roquefort is one of the oldest and most popular blue cheeses. It is known for its sharp flavour and velvety mouthfeel, and is often called the "king of cheeses". Roquefort was the first French cheese to receive a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification, guaranteeing its authenticity and linking it to its region. According to legend, Roquefort was discovered when a young boy's bread and ewes' milk cheese was left in a cave for months, allowing the mold Penicillium roqueforti to transform it into the iconic cheese.
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is another well-known blue cheese that originated in the Lombardy region of northern Italy during the Middle Ages. It is typically produced from cow's milk and can range from buttery soft to firm and crumbly, with the Gorgonzola Dolce variety known for its decadent, sweet and nutty flavour. Gorgonzola is a good option for those who want to try a blue cheese that is not too strong or powerful.
Stilton
Stilton is a popular English blue cheese that is said to have become popular in the early 1700s. It is crafted from cow's milk and can be found on menus in various forms, such as Stilton Waldorf Salad or the Bell Inn Burger topped with Stilton.
Cabrales
Cabrales is an iconic blue cheese from Northern Spain's Asturias region. It is highly perishable and known for its soft, creamy texture and strong flavour. Cabrales is aged in caves at high elevations and low temperatures for two to five months or more, contributing to its unique characteristics.
Maytag Blue Cheese
Maytag Blue Cheese is one of the most popular American blue cheeses, known for its distinct flavour and creamy texture.
Rogue River Blue
Produced by Rogue Creamery, this award-winning blue cheese was named the World's Best Cheese at the 2019 World Cheese Awards in Italy. It is crafted from milk collected during a specific season, contributing to its unique flavour and texture.
Blue Vein Cheese: Healthy Indulgence or Health Risk?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is any cheese made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese.
Blue cheese spread is a mixture of blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and seasonings. It is often used as a salad dressing or as a dip for chicken wings and vegetables.
In the 1950s, Rogue Creamery founder Tom Vella travelled to France and learned how to make Roquefort. He then returned to Oregon and created Oregon Blue, one of the first American blue cheeses.
Blue cheese spread can be used as a dip for chicken wings and vegetables, as a salad dressing, or as a condiment on sandwiches or burgers. It can also be used as an ingredient in dishes such as Buffalo Chicken Lasagna or Bobbe's Super Cheesy Pasta.
