Attention cheesehounds: French Rocquefort is now $35 per pound at my market...

[fauchon]

What can I try that is cheaper — and maybe even better? Gorgonzola? Bleu d'Auvergne? Maytag? One of the English/Welsh blues? I appreciate all advice, suggestions & input...

[french cheese]

I would agree malibumike's comment on the Trader Joe Rocquefort. I love french cheese but I can barely afford to eat the amount that I want! The Rocquefort at Trader Joe's is the best bang for your buck if you are looking for a taste of France. My experience with Gorgonzola is hit or miss. Unfortunately, I haven't found an inexpensive one that Iiked.

[treb]

I find a good selection at some Costco's. I recently got Point Reyes Blue from CA for $8.99 pp, also a Camazola for the same. They also carry some Stilton's, aged parm and some interesting aged cheedars.

[BigEdAtl]

The 300% import duty doesn't take effect until March 23rd according to this post. http://www.france24.com/en/20090116-u...

You might ask your cheese market to explain the price increase. Maybe importers are taking advantage of the publicity over the change to make some money?

[WCchopper]

Try Cashel blue

[pitterpatter]

I think there is nothing better than Roquefort, however I agree that Ewe's Blue is absolutely superb. In the past, Bleu D'Avernge, while a cow's milk cheese, was a very inexpensive alternative and is still very good, though the retail price has tripled in the past three years ($5 vs. $15 per pound).

[FlyFish]

An enthusiastic second for the Rogue Creamery - some of the best blues I've had in a long time. Another worthy alternative to Rocquefort, produced on the other side of the country (Hudson River valley) is Ewe's Blue from Old Chatham Sheepherding: http://www.blacksheepcheese.com/ewes_...

[Vetter]

It might actually be an excellent time to try new blues--the import duty rate just went up to 300%:

http://www.americablog.com/2009/01/bu...

Personally, I really, really like mountain gorgonzola (heck, even gorgonzola dolce) with honey. Rogue Creamery in Oregon also does some very nice blues.

[greedygirl]

300%!

Interesting link. Thank you.

[Ruth Lafler]

Whoa. I guess we're looking for American blues, then. I really like the Bayley Hazen blue. My favorite blue is Rogue River Blue from Rogue Creamery, but it's even more than $35 a pound. Their Crater Lake blue is good, and much less.

http://www.jasperhillfarm.com/ourcheese.html
http://www.roguecreamery.com/pilot.asp

[tatamagouche]

Rogue River makes the smoked blue, right/? That stuff rocks.

[jaykayen]

Just try one. Blues change over time, more noticeably in taste than some other cheese, so head to a cheese shop and find something that is juuust right on that day.

[malibumike]

Gorgonzola is good, but if you have a Trader Joes around you they have real french Rocquefort at about 15 bucks a pound and it is very good.