To some, imported blue cheese begins and ends with Roquefort, but others are embracing a new world of blues from Spain, Italy, France, England and beyond. Unusual blues like Dunsyre Blue, Bleu des Causses and Erborinati di Pecora are tempting palates. Pungent blue cheeses can be paired with fruit such as glacéed apricots, baked figs, brandied dried plums, quince paste or a drizzle of honey or a dab of fruit marmalade.
Here are some blues from around the world:
GREAT BRITAIN
- BEENLEIGH BLUE (England): Unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese from Robin Congdon, who also makes Harbourne Blue. Mild and sweet, waves of lingering flavor.
- CASHEL BLUE (Ireland): A farmstead cheese made with the milk of Freesian cows; buttery in color, creamy, dense and rich; nutty and mild.
- COLSTON-BASSETT STILTON (England): Wildly considered the finest Stilton; made from cow's milk by traditional methods, including laborious hand-ladling of the curds, which produces an exceptionally creamy texture.
- HARBOURNE BLUE (England): Unpasteurized goat's milk; a pale ivory paste with minimal blueing; balanced, sweet and delicate; drier and more crumbly.
- SHROPSHIRE BLUE (England): Identical to Stilton, but with annatto added to produce orange color.
FRANCE
- BLEU D'AUVERGNE: Cow's milk, creamy and mild with lots of blue-gray veining and holes.
- BLEU DE GEX (pronounced "zhex"): A broad, beautiful, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese with a think washed rind, a deep ivory paste and very fine interior veining; creamy and piquant.
- BLEU DE TERMIGNAN: Cow's milk cheese with a natural rind, a paste the color of pale caramel and very fine, lacy veining. As creamy as a good Stilton.
- FOURME D'AMBERT: A round, foil-wrapped cow's milk cheese typically sliced crosswise; dense and creamy on the tongue; nutty, sweet and mild for a blue.
SPAIN
- CABRALES: Unpasteurized cow's milk, sometimes with sheep's and goat's milk added; very finely and richly veined and extremely pungent and salty.
- PICÓN: Unpasteurized cave-aged blue, made with cow's and goat's milk. Similar to Cabrales but a little milder and more approachable.
- VALDEÓN: Wrapped in chestnut leaves; pale gold with many holes and plentiful, very fine veining. Crumbly, pungent, salty and complex.
ITALY
- BLUE DE MONCENISIO: Unpasteurized cow's milk from the Piemonte region; pleasant herbal note.
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