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Among the vast and varied types of cheese that are made around the world, blue cheeses are unique for several reasons, not the least of which is the rather precarious attitude many consumers have about them. In other words, most people either love them or hate them and usually, there is very little middle ground. Perhaps only the very assertive washed-rind cheeses have a more contentious relationship with cheese lovers. It is unfortunate because among those who say they don’t care for blue cheese, it is very likely that their opinion is based upon only one type of blue cheese. The truth is that there is such a broad range of styles available today within the blue cheese category and they are so versatile in how they can be used that something is here to satisfy nearly anyone’s taste buds.
Blue cheeses are among the oldest cheeses on earth. In fact, name-controlled Gorgonzola is reputedly the oldest cheese name, as it dates back to 879. This is not too surprising since Gorgonzola is named for the town in which the cheese was first made and sold, but then so are a host of other cheeses. In any case, perhaps more so than any other type of cheese, blue cheeses are the result of a complete accident. Of course, cheese itself was no doubt discovered by a happy accident but in the case of blue cheese, it was a singular occurrence indeed when some hapless shepherd or cheesemaker discovered that blue mold had permeated the cheese. What would have first been seen as a disaster soon came to be embraced after some intrepid soul tasted the cheese and discovered that it had transformed into something mysterious and delicious. Blue cheese is created by the same mold spores that grow on bread, and incidentally, the same ones that produce penicillin. The ones most frequently used are Penicillium glaucum or Penicillium roqueforti, the latter named for the famous French Roquefort from which the strain was isolated. Blue cheese is made in much the same way as any other cheese, with the exception that the curds are usually inoculated with blue mold spores either in the vat or immediately upon emerging from the cheese forms. Typically, the fresh cheeses are pierced with long needles to facilitate the mold spreading throughout the cheese. The passageways not only allow for easy travel through the cheese and uniform blue streaks, but they let in oxygen on which the mold feeds. Like any genre of cheese, blue cheeses can receive varying degrees of aging prior to being released to the marketplace.
As one of the world’s greatest and most versatile cheese types, it’s no surprise that all of the major cheesemaking nations offer at least one great blue cheese. Examples amount to a list of famous names, many evoking the names of historic towns and regions. England has its Stilton and Shropshire Blue, among others; France boasts Bleu d’Auvergne and Forme d’Ambert, as well as Roquefort; Cabrales and Valdeón are singular blues from Spain; Danish Blue is a mild, creamy cheese developed since WWI; Germany produces a delicious soft-ripened blue called Cambozola, which, as the proprietary name suggests, combines the body of Camembert with Gorgonzola’s zesty blue flavor; Ireland’s distinctive Cashel Blue is just starting to become well known here; and of course, Gorgonzola from Italy, one of our most popular blues. Since we too can now claim our position as a great cheesemaking country, we can add to the list the many terrific domestic blues, such as Maytag Blue from Iowa (surely the blue cheese that helped put the United States on the cheesemaking map), California’s Point Reyes Blue, Bayley Hazen Blue from Vermont, and Deep Ellum Blue from the heart of Dallas, Texas.
The blue cheese category has been taking off with consumers in a big way for the past several years and seems poised to continue to do so. It’s a marvelous cheese to work with in the kitchen, figuring in to almost every course. As a component of a salad dressing, it is addictive, especially with hearty greens like butter or bibb lettuce and red- or green-leaf lettuce. Simply blend some blue cheese with yogurt, lemon, a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper for a tangy and delicious dressing. Add either plain or candied walnuts for even more flavor that complements the blue. Blue cheese also works well simply crumbled over a green salad. Blue cheese is great as a stuffing for pasta, poultry, or vegetables, or melted over a steak. Try some on a baked potato instead of or in addition to sour cream. Even the dessert course is enhanced with blue cheese since it marries perfectly with a sweet element. Try a really strong blue combined with fresh-roasted walnuts and a drizzle of honey or traditional balsamic vinegar. With the holidays around the corner, spark up your blue cheese sales with an educational promotion that highlights blue cheese in all of its many guises.