Blue Cheese, Whats your favorite kind

[bleudauvergne]

I think this is a good a place for my first post!

I live in France and we have a cheese plate going at all times. But the only cheese that my husband will not touch is blue cheese, in any shape or form. I have to keep the blue cheeses on a separate plate, he can't stand the idea of even the invisible spores reaching the other cheeses! Therefore, it is my own private domain, my little secret garden.

As a student, long before I had ever been to France, I found a closeout in the imports section at the grocery store of some Saga, which was close to its expiration date. I put it in the fridge, and promptly forgot about it. About a month later, when I was starving and had nothing else to eat, I opened the package, and spread the rich creamy melting result on wheat thins and shamelessly devoured the entire thing with red wine (I forgot what kind). I enjoyed my first sublime experience of a properly affined blue cheese completely by accident.

At the market, from my regular fromagier on the Quai St. Antoine, I regularly get a wedge of Bleu d'Auvergne, and eat a liberal slice daily. It begins as a little salty on my tongue and then explodes into vivid childhood memories of the room where my grandmother, who was a retired English grammar teacher, used to keep her old books. The first time I tasted it, the experience was amazing.

I have found that the way blue cheese is stored can have a big affect on its taste. It's one of those things that muse be allowed to breathe or it develops a distinctive bitterness and ammonia-like overtone and stinging aftertaste. I keep it wrapped loosely in waxed paper, never plastic wrap. When looking for blue cheese, I never buy from a fromagier who has it wrapped in saran. It can go bad that way! I have also found that many blue cheeses are better in the winter than in the summer. Just like many vegetables, this kind of cheese has it's better seasons.

When the cheese comes to the table, the guest is presented with the knife to begin the service. If the guest is not French, everyone stops talking and watches which cheeses they will choose. I made a big no-no the first time, with a roquefort, which is an amazing sheeps cheese aged in caves. I was seated next to my mother in law's sister's husband, who grew up in the town of Roquefort. After the shocked murmurs and hissing whispers died down, he was very thorough in teaching me, in front of the rest of the family, how to cut blue cheese, which is different from many of the other French cheeses. I will pass it on to the members here to hopefully save someone some grief.

Remember that especially with blue cheeses, the quality and taste of the cheese varies greatly from the center to the crust. So it's really important to respect the other cheese lovers at the table and cut a slice that will give a cross section of the whole thing, from center to crust. Lopping off the bluest and best part would be akin to cutting yourself a circle from the middle of a pie and leaving the rest of the people at the table to eat only the crust! (The shame!) Imagine where your wedge would sit in the wheel it was cut from. Then slice off the bottom crust, setting it aside. Take your slice in that same direction, center to crust. Apparently making sure that everyone gets to taste a sample from top to bottom isn't so important.

If this seems too complicated, my suggestion is to shamelessly lop the best and bluest section from your private wedge, enjoy it with nut bread if available, and a glass of whatever good local red wine you have on hand.

I love this site and hope to join in the many fabulous discussions I can only find here. Happy Sunday!

- Lucy

[Susan in FL]

Lucy, welcome... really, really welcome! Awesome post, thanks for the good information.

[Hickory]

Papillon Noir

Raw Sheeps milk cave aged Roquefort

Google english translation Most of the text is in pictures so it will not translate but it works in part of the site.

[docsconz]

Great site, Hickory, and the translations are precious. "Recettes de grands chefs" becomes "Receipts of Large Heads". Nevertheless, the site is very informative. It concurs with Lucy's description of how to cut a bleu cheese.

[Hickory]

.........the translations are precious. "Recettes de grands chefs" becomes "Receipts of Large Heads".

You can always county on Google translations for a good chuckle. I noticed that one too Still, it's usually close enough to get the idea.

Brian

[Rhea_S]

I'm really enjoying the wedge of Montagnolo I bought last weekend -- St. Andre with the blue cheese bite, very creamy. I'm not as impressed with the Roaring 40s blue, but I am wondering if the store's stock had gone off. It's a dark orange, crumbly rather than creamy and all you can taste is salt. It's not at all what I expected based on descriptions I've read.

(I'm also currently addicted to lemon stilton -- not exactly a blue.)

[chow guy]

I love Cabrales but I never met a blue cheese I didn't like.

[Chris Cognac]

I smoked a beef brisket this weekend and had leftovers....so the next day I chopped some of it up and crumbled Danish Blue over the meat then wrapped it up in a tortilla.....man, it was so good!!!!...What a combo of BBQ/Blue Cheese!

[sapphos]

Shropshire is definately a fav especially on baked potatoes but nothing beats eating roquefort and a glass of sauturnes - especially when you just walk in the door after a long day at work yum!

oh and if you like goat cheese try the jacquin bluet...pretty good

[ariggsby]

Forme Sauternes - a Forme d'Ambert that's been ripened in Sauternes for 2 months.  Heavenly.

I love Fourme d'Ambert, and that sounds fabulous. Do you make it yourself or buy it somewhere?

This won't help a lot of people, but I had some of this in a restaurant in LA last month, called AOC. It was really, really good. The cheese list as a whole was pretty impressive. The server recommended and I greatly enjoyed a very parm-like aged California cheddar.

[JennotJenn]

I'm really enjoying the wedge of Montagnolo I bought last weekend -- St. Andre with the blue cheese bite, very creamy. I'm not as impressed with the Roaring 40s blue, but I am wondering if the store's stock had gone off. It's a dark orange, crumbly rather than creamy and all you can taste is salt. It's not at all what I expected based on descriptions I've read.

(I'm also currently addicted to lemon stilton -- not exactly a blue.)

Either that Roaring 40's had gone off or it was mislabelled. It's nowhere near orange. I love Roaring 40's...tastes like black walnuts.

[Artichoke]

1. Cashel Blue - A mild , soft, sweet blue from Tipperary Ireland

2. Roaring Forties - A firm buttery blue from Kings Island Australia

3. Shropshire - Creamy and full flavored

4. Stilton - Always good

[TJHarris]

I have said it in other threads and will say it again....

Shropshire Blue

That being said, I must admit to a rather odd sandwich that I enjoyed whilst working as pastry chef at a hotel outside of Detroit. Take two thick slices of peasant bread, three stips of bacon, two slices tomato, Honeycup mustard and copious amounts of blue cheese (the hotel generally had a cheap domestic "gorgonzola") Build into sandwich and grill. Yum!!!

Edited May 27, 2004 by TJHarris (log)

[Chris Cognac]

Did you post photo's?...I cant see them...dammit, I need photos!

[TJHarris]

Did you post photo's?...I cant see them...dammit, I need photos!

No but for some reason I can't use the buttons above the reply text area.

[chicagowench]

Point Reyes and Berkshire Blue. My love for the Berkshire knows no bounds. I like the roaring 40's as well, but find the Berkshire to be more useful for both straight eating and using in things like my deadly 3 cheese pasta sauce.

[rhiannonstone]

I'll eat just about any blue (except for Bleuet de Chevre, which is an awful plastic-y cheese), but my favorites have to be Great Hill Blue and Pt. Reyes Blue. And I keep a big hunk of Danish blue on hand at all times for everyday cooking and snacking, because it's cheaper and very versatile.

[Chris Cognac]

I'll eat just about any blue (except for Bleuet de Chevre, which is an awful plastic-y cheese), but my favorites have to be Great Hill Blue and Pt. Reyes Blue. And I keep a big hunk of Danish blue on hand at all times for everyday cooking and snacking, because it's cheaper and very versatile.

Oh, I love a good Danish blue...you are right,I think it is a good cheese for the money....and welcome to e gullet!

[Bicycle Lee]

I have just been introduced to SHAFT'S blue cheese...I HIGHLY recommend it...

[pkeibel]

I concur on the Maytag. We now have a holiday tradition where we send my sister in law Vermont maple syrup and she send the Maytag

[JennotJenn]

I bought a hunk of Point Reyes blue yesterday. I'm just beginning my foray into the world of blue cheese, and I haven't tried very many since I realized that I liked it. My high school biology teacher was right...she said most people develop a taste for blue cheese in their mid 20s. I hated it prior to a year or so ago, when I discovered that I liked it crumbled on salads.

Anyway, really enjoyed the Point Reyes. Salty, but not overly so, with a nice tangy bite and a taste reminiscent of Camembert rind. Tasty.

[Pitter]

I hate to sound like a snob, but I was eatting Roquefort in my highchair, and got all pissyoffed when my mother tried to substitute Danish Blue or some other lesser blue. After importiing and selling more than 2,000 cheeses, I have to say that Roquefort is still my favrorite. There are certainly many others -- Fourme Sauternes, Stilton, Roaring Forties, but it is Roquefort all the way ----

[andiesenji]

Has no one tried True Blue from Australia?

I am extremely partial to gorgonzola Dolcelatte and also to Stilton, however I tried the Aussie blue cheese a couple of years ago and found it very satisfying.

The only Roquefort I like is the Papillon. I have had a couple of bad experiences with roquefort. One time I opened the package and it had a strong odor of ammonia. I took it back to the store and the clerk cut open three other packages, all had the same odor.

I use Maytag when I need a very strong blue, when it is going to mixed into cream cheese, or into a sauce because it is sharp enough to hold its own.

Another domestic blue that I like is Crater Lake Blue, made in Oregon. It is similar to Pt. Reyes but just enough different with a little extra pungency without being harsh.

[Chris Cognac]

I tried an Aussie blue a few months ago, I must admit, pretty good, I would buy it again!

[sashimi]

Bleu Bénédictin, produced at the Saint-Benoît Abbey, in Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Quebec is by far my favourite blue cheese.

I'd have to give Roquefort my silver medal.

Does Cambazola count as a real blue cheese?