Frederic Melton
Blue cheese is a distinctive cheese that gets its name from the blue veins that run through it, created by the addition of a mould called penicillium. Blue cheese can be thick and fudgy or dense and crumbly, with a range of flavours from mildly earthy to bold and peppery. It is a versatile cheese that can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to pasta, or simply enjoyed on its own. Some popular blue cheese varieties include Cabrales, Roquefort, and California’s classic style blue cheese. Blue cheese is sold by various retailers, including specialty cheese shops and online stores, with prices ranging from a few dollars to thousands for rare varieties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Blue cheese types | Cabrales, Roquefort, Murray's blues, California's classic style blue cheese |
| Blue cheese sellers | St. James Cheese Company, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Valfriu cheese factory, Murray's Cheese |
| Pairings | Salads, crackers, red wine like Cabernet and Zinfandel, malt-centric beers, vintage port |
| Texture | Creamy, thick and fudgy, dense and crumbly |
| Taste | Sweet milk and peppery, bold, piquant, mild, earthy |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese sold at auction
Blue cheese is a popular delicacy, and one of the most well-known varieties is the blue cheese of Asturias, Spain, called Cabrales. This cheese is made in the artisan tradition by rural dairy farmers in the region. It is a strong and intense variety of blue cheese, and is recognised as one of the strongest blue cheeses in the world. It is made from pure, unpasteurised cow's milk, or blended with goat or sheep milk to create a stronger, spicier flavour. The milk used must come from herds raised in the small production zone in the mountains of Picos de Europa.
Cabrales cheese is matured and stored in the caves of the Picos de Europa mountain range in Spain, at an altitude of 1500 metres. The cheese is regularly rubbed and turned by shepherds to aid the maturation process, which takes between three to six months, or even up to ten months, depending on the desired strength and flavour. The caves provide a natural environment for the cheese to mature, with a temperature between six and twelve degrees and ninety per cent humidity. This process gives the cheese its distinctive blue-green streaks, creaminess, and rich texture.
Due to its unique production process and renowned flavour, Cabrales blue cheese is highly sought-after and has achieved record-breaking prices at auctions. In 2019, a 5.78-pound block of Cabrales artisan blue cheese was sold for $16,142.41 to Ivan Suarez, the owner of the restaurant Llagar de Colloto in Spain. More recently, in August 2023, a block of Cabrales cheese auctioned for €30,000, setting a new record for the most expensive cheese sold at auction.
The high prices achieved by Cabrales blue cheese at auction reflect its exceptional quality and the dedication of the cheesemakers, like Rosa Bada, who climb to these remote caves to create this delicious and renowned product.
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Blue cheese from cheese companies
Blue cheese is a type of cheese characterised by blue or blue-grey veins of mould running through it, created by the addition of Penicillium cultures. It has a distinct smell and is often aged in a temperature-controlled environment, such as a cave. Blue cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be eaten on its own, or spread, crumbled, or melted into or over other foods.
Several cheese companies specialise in blue cheese, offering a range of unique flavours and textures. For instance, the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company produces an original blue cheese that is California-style, rindless, all-natural, and gluten-free. It has a bold flavour profile, with hints of sweet milk and a peppery finish. Reviewers rave about its creamy texture and versatility, using it in salads, dressings, dips, and even crumbled over crackers.
St. James Cheese Company also offers a selection of blue cheeses, although specific varieties and flavours are not listed on their website. Similarly, Wisconsin Cheese showcases a range of award-winning blue cheeses, noted for their sharpness and peppery kick.
When purchasing blue cheese, it is important to consider the strength and character of the cheese, as well as its intended pairing. As the saying goes, "serious cheese deserves serious bread," so careful consideration of the accompaniments can elevate the overall tasting experience.
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Blue cheese recipes and pairings
Blue cheese is a flavour powerhouse with a bold, spicy profile and a creamy texture. Its pungent taste can be incorporated into a variety of recipes and ingredient pairings. Here are some ideas for blue cheese recipes and pairings:
Recipes
- Salads: Blue cheese can be added to salads, providing a punch of flavour. It goes well with fruits like apples, pears, persimmons, strawberries, and dried cherries. Walnuts, candied walnuts, or spiced pecans are also great additions to a blue cheese salad.
- Dips: Blue cheese dip is a popular and simple recipe, often served with hot wings. It can also be served with toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Dressing: Blue cheese dressing can be used in wraps, with chicken, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, or as a dip for celery.
- Flatbread, crostini, and quesadillas: Blue cheese can be a tasty topping for flatbread or a filling for quesadillas and crostini.
- Soups: A vegetarian French onion soup can be made with blue cheese and oloroso sherry, which adds depth and layers of flavour.
- Chicken: Blue cheese can be stuffed inside chicken breast, along with pine nuts, cream cheese, and spinach. It can also be crumbled and added to chicken salad, or used as a topping on grilled chicken.
- Burgers: Blue cheese can be added to burgers, or used as a topping for grilled steak.
- Baked potatoes: Blue cheese is a tasty addition to baked potatoes, especially when paired with ingredients like green onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
Pairings
- Pears: The crisp and succulent bite of green pears pairs well with the creamy and gentle sweetness of milder blue cheeses like Gorgonzola Dolce or Danablu.
- Apricots: The natural sweetness and slight tartness of apricots beautifully balance stronger blue cheeses, creating a harmonious blend of sweet and savoury.
- Muscatels: The bold and savoury character of blue cheese marries well with the sweetness and tartness of these grapes.
- Honey: Raw honey blends the distinct profiles of sweet and savoury when paired with blue cheese. The contrasting textures of crumbly cheese and smooth honey add complexity to the pairing.
- Fig jam: The luscious sweetness of fig jam is a perfect companion to the savoury and spicy notes of blue cheese.
These are just a few ideas for recipes and pairings with blue cheese. Experimenting with different combinations can lead to some delightful flavour discoveries.
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Blue cheese reviews
Blue cheese is famous for its strong flavour and delicious taste. It is known for its pungent aroma and bold, tangy taste. It is often added to dishes like salads, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and more, or used to make cheese sauces. It is also commonly paired with wine or beer. Blue cheese is a good source of nutrients, providing protein, calcium, and calories, and is generally low in cholesterol, sugar, and fat.
There are many varieties of blue cheese, with some of the most famous being Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton. Blue cheese can be made from cow's milk, goat's milk, or sheep's milk, and is often aged for several months to develop its distinctive flavour. It gets its characteristic blue-green veins or spots from Penicillium, a kind of non-toxic mold that gives the cheese its unique taste and flavour.
Rogue River Blue Cheese
Rogue River Blue Cheese, produced by the Rogue Creamery in Central Point, Oregon, was named the World's Best Cheese at the 2019 World Cheese Awards. It is made using autumn milk, harvested until the winter solstice or the start of the rainy season, and is released the following fall. Its production is an intricate process that involves making pear liqueur from scratch and applying liqueur-soaked Syrah grape leaves to the wheels by hand. This creates a moist and creamy texture, with a unique flavour.
Tuxford Blue Cheese
Tuxford Blue Cheese is a traditional aged blue cheese from England.
Maytag Blue Cheese
Maytag Blue Cheese is a hand-cut, high-quality cheese made in Iowa from raw cow's milk. It has a crumbly texture and a distinctive, tangy flavour. It is perfect for salads and can be ordered in 1-pound wedges or 2 x 8-ounce wedges.
Danish Blue Cheese
Danish Blue Cheese is a cow's milk cheese imported from Denmark. It is aged for 10 weeks and comes in a full wheel of approximately 6 pounds.
English Cheese Blue Stilton
English Cheese Blue Stilton is a rich and intense blue cheese with a crumbly and soft texture. It has a complex flavour profile with creamy and nutty notes and a salty finish. It is perfect for pastas, risottos, salads, and even desserts.
Point Reyes Blue Cheese
Point Reyes Blue Cheese is crafted from raw cow's milk and offers a rich and complex flavour with a dense yet soft texture. It is a delicious option for cheese lovers and can easily be spread or crumbled over salads and meats.
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Blue cheese characteristics
Blue cheese is a type of cheese characterised by the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. The mould responsible for the distinctive colour of blue cheese is typically Penicillium roqueforti, although Penicillium glaucum is also used. The mould is injected into the cheese after the curds have formed, and the aged curds are then pierced to create air tunnels.
Blue cheese can be made from the milk of various animals, including cows, goats, sheep, and even buffalo. The milk may be raw or pasteurised, and the diet of the animals, such as summer grasses or winter hay, can also affect the flavour of the cheese. The process of making blue cheese is highly controlled and intentional, despite the folklore that suggests it was first made by accident.
Blue cheeses vary in flavour from mild to strong, slightly sweet to salty or sharp, and in colour from pale to dark. They may also have a distinctive smell, either from the mould or from specially cultivated bacteria. The texture can range from soft and creamy to crumbly, and the cheese may be liquid or hard in consistency.
Some well-known blue cheeses include Bleu de Bresse and Bleu d'Auvergne from France, Danablu from Denmark, Blue Cheshire from England, and Gorgonzola from Italy. Blue cheese is often introduced as a salad dressing or crumble, but it can also be enjoyed in a salad with sharp onions and peppery arugula or on a burger to emphasise its rich and umami characteristics.
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Frequently asked questions
You can buy blue cheese from most major supermarkets, as well as from specialist cheese shops. Some blue cheeses, such as Cabrales, are sold at auction.
Blue cheese gets its distinct blue veining from a mold called penicillium. Once penicillium is added to the cheese, wheels are punctured with a needle to allow air in and let the blue ribbons develop.
The taste of blue cheese ranges from creamy and mild to strong and piquant.
Blue cheese is a versatile food that can be enjoyed on its own, or paired with crackers, salads, burgers, steak, pasta, risotto, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and more. It can also be melted on white sauce fish recipes or used as a dip for wings. When it comes to drinks, blue cheese pairs well with red wines like Cabernet and Zinfandel, malt-centric beers, and vintage port.
