611585 Mon Apr 13 07:04:50 -0700 2009 85 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4579199 Hey EWSflash, no worries! It is freakishness on my part that I don't absolutely love blue cheese. I like blue cheese but in small quantities, and that is a shortcoming on my part. I adore most other cheeses, and could eat cheese until I am completely bunged up, but blue cheese is often just a bit too strong for me. I continue to try to grow past this failing of mine.... So continue to enjoy your gorgonzola mac! Bon appetit, and I hope to continue my baby steps to enjoy this food item more. Wed Apr 08 14:06:37 -0700 2009 89969 moh 1 4588372 moh, if you'd really like to take baby steps toward enjoying blue cheese more, I have a recommendation for you: CAMBOZOLA http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?action=search I used to hate blue cheese, too, and now I actually crave the stuff (and wish I didn't!). See if Cambozola can be a bridge to your blue cheese enjoyment! Sat Apr 11 19:33:22 -0700 2009 4579199 249664 kattyeyes 2 4588497 I do like Cambozola well enough. I also enjoy small amounts of good Stilton with a nice port for dessert. I find Bleu de Bresse milder and therefore easier to enjoy than other stronger blue cheeses. I can appreciate small slivers of good roquefort. So i am slowly getting there. But I can each much larger quantities of things like Epoisses, a good Brie, Morbier, aged cheddar, Manchego, Parmesan, Conte, Ossau-Iraty, Dom Villas, chevres of all varieties, Taleggio, aged gouda, double Glouchester, and many other non-blue cheeses, including my new love, Vacherin Mont D'or Lait Cru. It is surprising to me that I love so many cheeses, and yet still can't fully appreciate blue cheese. I prefer it straight, a hunk of cheese, rather than as an ingredient to a sauce or salad. Sat Apr 11 21:02:53 -0700 2009 4588372 89969 moh 3 4588772 I seem to prefer the milder blues also. My current favorite is Fourme d'Ambert--raw (unpasteurized). When I picked some up yesterday, our cheesemonger explained that the raw vs. pasteurized is so different that some people who've tried it pasteurized don't like it at all. I love it raw. We're having it atop our filets today. Let's face it, from a fat/cholesterol perspective, consider yourself lucky that you only desire it in small slivers. ;) Yours truly, the cholesterol kid. http://www.cheese-france.com/cheese/fourme_ambert.htm Sun Apr 12 04:59:23 -0700 2009 4588497 249664 kattyeyes 4 4588804 I also like Fourme d"Ambert! And I am also a huge fan of raw milk cheeses of all varieties. As for the fat/cholesterol, unfortunately, I make it up in triple creme cheese like St. Andre... I love cheese! I'm not very Asian that way. Very happy to be in a province that appreciates good cheese. Sun Apr 12 05:29:21 -0700 2009 4588772 89969 moh 5 4588814 We are kindred cheese spirits. ;) Bet you love L'Edel de Cleron, too. Don't get me going on triple cremes--I love St. Andre as well. I don't think I've ever met a triple creme I didn't like. Sun Apr 12 05:41:09 -0700 2009 4588804 249664 kattyeyes 6 4589083 Love Edel de Cleron! Really delicious! If you haven't tried it, i am sure you would love Vacherin Mont D'or lait cru. I think it is out of season now, but if you can get your cheeseloving paws on this stuff next fall/early winter, you really must do so. It needs to be runny, so runny that you spoon it out to eat it... Sun Apr 12 08:23:56 -0700 2009 4588814 89969 moh 7 4589089 Oh, yum...your last sentence drew me in. I will have to see if I can get some in the fall. I will tuck it into the back of my brain till then. Have a nice weekend! :) Sun Apr 12 08:26:57 -0700 2009 4589083 249664 kattyeyes 2 4591593 I too don't like blue MUCH, small quantities. I enjoy cambozola and gorgonzola both. Pretty much any other cheeses I love. Recently went to a cheese party and they had 4 varieties of blues and 3-4 of other varieties. Lots of fun but tried all the blues and didn't like any. Cambozola and Gorgonzola are about all I enjoy. Otherwise in very small quantities is all I can handle. Mon Apr 13 10:43:54 -0700 2009 4588372 232829 kchurchill5 3 4599896 I hear that- I don't like Danish blue as a rule, kind of a weird flat-off-taste that I don't like, but think that's the only blue cheese I've ever had that I don't like. Even ones that didn't start out being blue. Just kiddingabout the original blue,, sort of Wed Apr 15 19:33:36 -0700 2009 4591593 105625 EWSflash 2 4630675 Cambazola was definitely a bridge to my blue cheese enjoyment. It was the first blued cheese I ever liked. Now I love many blue cheeses, although I'm not fond of the really pungent ones. Mild/accessible blues I like include the Roaring Forties blue others have mentioned, the Bayley Hazen blue from Vermont, and Buttermilk Blue from Wisonsin. My favorite blue cheese for a treat is Rogue River Blue (Rogue River creamery makes several blue cheeses, but there's only one Rogue River Blue and it's divine -- and expensive!). http://www.wisconsinmade.com/gift-ideas/Buttermilk-Blue-Cheese-2274.aspx http://www.jasperhillfarm.com/ourcheese.html http://www.roguecreamery.com/pilot.asp?pg=RogueRiverBlue Sun Apr 26 17:07:06 -0700 2009 4588372 10159 Ruth Lafler 3 4630698 Rogue River rocks. And yes, Ruth is correct. Cambozola is the "gateway" blue. Sun Apr 26 17:11:51 -0700 2009 4630675 18222 maria lorraine 3 4663994 Nice call on the Roaring Forties blue, which is the only name I could remember when I was at the cheese shop today. It's a little sweet--very tasty. Picked some up and will be enjoying it in a panko crust tonight atop my filet. Thank you! Will remember to look at this thread again before my next cheese shopping endeavor for more goodies. :) Thu May 07 15:40:49 -0700 2009 4630675 249664 kattyeyes 1 4589282 moh, I'm with you on the blue cheese in mac'n'cheese. I don't even like the stuff on burgers. But - if it's available in your part of the world, you owe it to yourself to try Humboldt Fog from here in Northern California. All by itself, please. (Okay, a slice of baguette or a table water biscuit would be acceptable.) One of the great blues of all time. Sun Apr 12 10:06:50 -0700 2009 4579199 58743 alanbarnes 2 4589337 I had the great fortune to try Humboldt Fog when I spent a couple of years in the States. It is indeed a delicious blue, very high quality, a world class product. Again, I enjoy it in smaller quantities than other cheeses, but can recognize its excellence. Sadly, I have not seen it here in Montreal, our American cheese market is rather small I think. Quebecois tend to stick to their French or Quebecois cheeses, which makes selection of these cheeses much greater. I guess I can't really complain! Sun Apr 12 10:39:32 -0700 2009 4589282 89969 moh 3 4589377 Humboldt Fog is not a bleu cheese. It is a soft ripened goat cheese made, classically, with layers of ash. http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/cheeses/PDFs/humboldtFog.pdf Sun Apr 12 10:57:30 -0700 2009 4589337 10312 applehome 4 4589398 The ash is visible on the outside and as a streak through the middle. But I've been told by a reputable cheesemonger (not an infallible source, but a pretty good one) that the blue streaks near the ash are penicillium. Which would make it a blue cheese, albeit a mild one. Sun Apr 12 11:06:26 -0700 2009 4589377 58743 alanbarnes 5 4589431 Memory is a funny thing... it has been years since I had Humboldt Fog, and I always remembered it as a blue cheese. But perhaps this is why I liked it so much! I recall that it tasted like blue cheese, but that indeed it was fairly mild. And I seem to recall buying it thinking, "well, not such a fan of blue cheese, but this is supposed to be delicious, let's give it a try". Still, looking at various site online, it doesn't mention this being a blue cheese. Very interesting comment about the penicillum. Hmmm... curiouser and curiouser. Sun Apr 12 11:26:14 -0700 2009 4589398 89969 moh 6 4589497 Speaking of blues, the Hubbardston Farms Blue Goat and Blue Cow are awesome cheeses. More nutty than pungent. Sun Apr 12 11:59:49 -0700 2009 4589431 10076 limster 7 4589529 I shall have to be on the lookout! Thanks for the tip. BTW, loved your posts about the teas down below. Very interesting information, I am intrigued by the Scarlet Robe.... Sun Apr 12 12:19:50 -0700 2009 4589497 89969 moh 8 4589547 Here's another somewhat recent thread about Scarlet Robe (see links from Xiao Yang's posts), and I would bet there are more buried in General Topics: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/480977 I've been fortunate to have a tea shop that sources Scarlet Robe from a cutting grown ~300m away from the original and made by the same tea master that makes the original. It's much more affordable (iirc £5 or 6 a cup). Sun Apr 12 12:32:34 -0700 2009 4589529 10076 limster 9 4589579 Limster, thanks so much for that link! Camelia Sinensis in Montreal does indeed carry this tea, and should have a new batch soon. Thanks so much! Sun Apr 12 12:49:06 -0700 2009 4589547 89969 moh 10 4589791 How about cashel blue from Ireland? Sun Apr 12 15:02:34 -0700 2009 4589579 259263 bigfellow 11 4591412 2 other blues to try; St Agur and Roaring Forties. The Roaring Forties has a slightly sweet note to it that many "I'm not a blue cheese lover" find much more palatable Mon Apr 13 09:56:58 -0700 2009 4589791 96905 bubbles4me 12 4593088 Had some Roaring Forties recently, and it is very worth trying. About the only blue I don't care for is Cabrales--the one I had was too strong--perhaps too old. And Humboldt Fog is indeed fine, but I don't think of it as a blue cheese. Mon Apr 13 18:54:25 -0700 2009 4591412 11791 DonShirer 12 4596523 I haven;t had the pleasure of trying the Cashel Blue and the Roaring forties. More cheese to add to the list of stuff to try. Heard good things about both. Tue Apr 14 19:19:46 -0700 2009 4591412 89969 moh 5 4600329 Alan, my comrade to the east: "the blue streaks near the ash are penicillium. Which would make it a blue cheese, albeit a mild one." Penicillium is a genus of fungi that includes many different species that make types of cheese and many, many other things. Penicillium camemberti makes Camembert and Brie cheeses; Penicillium candida makes Brie and Camembert; Penicillium glaucum makes Gorgonzola cheese; and Penicillium roqueforti, which is used in making Roquefort and many other blue cheeses. Yes, the genus Pencillium also includes the Penicillium chrysogenum, which makes the antibiotic penicillin. Other genera (plural of genus) used to create many different types of cheese are Lactobacillus and Streptococcus. And yes, species within each genus produce many things other than cheese, just like the genus pencillium. Thu Apr 16 02:58:33 -0700 2009 4589398 18222 maria lorraine 6 4603126 So is this settled Maria Lorraine? Is it consensus that Humboldt Fog is not a blue cheese? So funny, I've spoken to a few others who also recall this cheese being marketed as a blue cheese. Enough people seem to have the same experience, so I don't believe this is a memory lapse on my part (although it certainly still could be). Is it possible that there was some erroneous marketing in the past? Thu Apr 16 20:15:38 -0700 2009 4600329 89969 moh 7 4603404 Hey, Moh, I've chatted with the owner/cheesemaker of Cypress Grove, Mary Keehn, a few times. From my recollection, this is both a terroir cheese and an innoculated cheese: Indeed, it's the thick fog teeming with microorganisms coming in from the Pacific Ocean that gives the cheese its name and characteristic flavor, along with a couple of innoculated cultues. I've always seen it marketed as a goat cheese, and when it's gooey ripe, oh baby, is it good. My guess is that it's not a blue cheese, partly because when one uses p. roqueforti (or one of the blue bacteria), that bacterium takes over the cheesemaking facility, and innoculates every cheese. So if you make blue, that's all you make. And clearly that's not the case with Cypress Grove. On the flip side of that, however, the cheesemaking facilities along the northern California Pacific coast all know that p. roqueforti is in the air. It can invade a batch of milk. I don't know about the blue color; my sense is that it's the ash reacting with the milk. Janet Fletcher, the cheese (and food writer) wrote a nice article on Humboldt Fog in the San Francisco Chronicle, and there is no mention whatsoever in the article about any"blue-ness" in the cheese. Link to the Janet Fletcher write-up: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/12/WIG6R85TPE1.DTL BTW, that ash in Humboldt Fog is the same ash as that used in Morbier -- white-pine ash -- and its presence in the middle of the cheese is purely for decoration. I'll still give Mary a call. Maria Thu Apr 16 22:44:07 -0700 2009 4603126 18222 maria lorraine 8 4604422 Maria Lorraine, thanks for the link and the info! I clearly need to make more of concerted effort to have this cheese again. Maybe I'll start bugging some of my favorite cheese shops here. Worse comes to worse, I have some conferences coming up in NYC and San Francisco, surely I'll be able to find it there! Fri Apr 17 09:46:47 -0700 2009 4603404 89969 moh 9 4612968 OK, reporting back. I've just spoken with Mary Keehn, and Humboldt Fog, lest there be any doubt, is not a blue cheese. The milk is first coagulated with a proprietary blend of airborne and other bacteria, but that affects the interior of the cheese and its flavor. The exterior of Humboldt Fog is treated with penicillium candidum, which creates the white bloomy rind on it and many other cheeses. The bloomy rind becomes less fluffly with age and changes from a white to an ivory color, and of course, if you're shopping for Humboldt Fog that is what you want to look for. It's wonderful when it's perfectly ripe. I prefer the larger wheels of Humboldt Fog rather than the smaller formed version. Oh, by the way, any blue color near the ash is simply from the ash interacting with the milk. Best, all, Maria Mon Apr 20 16:51:12 -0700 2009 4604422 18222 maria lorraine 10 4613061 Thanks, Maria. As the person who started this bit of misinformation (at least on this thread), I appreciate you setting the record straight. But now that the subject has come up, I won't rest until I've had some Humboldt Fog. And maybe some Point Reyes Blue. And a wedge of Mount Tam. I sense a cheeseboard coming on. The low-fat diet can start next week. Mon Apr 20 17:18:54 -0700 2009 4612968 58743 alanbarnes 11 4613213 alanbarnes, as a professional cheeselady, I'll tell you a funny story. My uncle- Mr. Cordon Bleu Grande Diplome chef, got into it with me about the ash layer in Morbier- insisting it was blue spores, but like maria said, it's ash, like the Fog. So, it's a mistake that professionals have made... and one I hear a lot. Mon Apr 20 18:18:31 -0700 2009 4613061 181207 caviar_and_chitlins 11 4613227 I can without hesitation recommend Humboldt Fog, and a ripe Mount Tam. However, Mount Tam is often sold way, way too young, when the cheese is still firm, and it really should be sold and enjoyed when the cheese is gooey, like a ripe Epoisses. I can't recommend Point Reyes, sorry. It strikes me as an industrially made blue cheese, rather than an artisan one, despite claims to the contrary. I've visited the facility, and spoken with the cheesemaker, so I speak from a somewhat informed position. My rec would be to explore a truly artisan blue cheese. Alan, if you make it to my neck of the woods on a cheese/wine/food exploration, please let me know. Mon Apr 20 18:21:50 -0700 2009 4613061 18222 maria lorraine 12 4613331 One of my favorite things about Cowgirl is that they make small cheeses, so you can ripen them for a good long time. I've had less luck with cut wedges of blue cheese. Too much ammonia too soon. But I'm a relative novice on that front. As far as wine country goes, my own cluelessness and the pervasive buses and carloads of tourists have been a barrier to its exploration for more than a decade. I feel like a rube standing on Times Square holding a map of the Theater District. It's tough for a cheap bastard with an unrefined palate to catch a break in Yountville. But insider info might make things more viable (hint, hint)... Mon Apr 20 18:56:31 -0700 2009 4613227 58743 alanbarnes 13 4613419 Cop a ride on the clue bus sometime and try any of Boucher Farm's (Vermont) blues. Gore-Dawn-Zola is their principal product, but they do an aged, salty, Stilton -like blue that practically requires a coal chisel. Nary a trace of ammonia. Mon Apr 20 19:25:26 -0700 2009 4613331 57170 Veggo 12 4668464 Okay, so where does one find Humbolt Fog? Sat May 09 08:18:03 -0700 2009 4613227 105625 EWSflash 13 4668474 "Ask the man who owns one." Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/cheeses/section_3.0.html Sat May 09 08:23:40 -0700 2009 4668464 105235 wolfe 13 4668477 That depends on where one lives, does it not? Except, really, there are three places to look for it: a good cheese shop; Whole Foods; online. http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/shop/product.asp?P_ID=134 Sat May 09 08:25:00 -0700 2009 4668464 10159 Ruth Lafler 13 4668801 As Ruth said, a good cheese shop or online. But many good groceries in addition to Whole Foods will carry it. Others will order it for you, especially if you're willing to buy the entire 1-pound wheel. Given that a pound is a good amount to consume at a single sitting (just ... one ... more ... bite ...) that shouldn't be a problem. Sat May 09 10:49:39 -0700 2009 4668464 58743 alanbarnes 14 4669139 EWS, I can even buy it by the wedge in Sarasota at Mortons Gourmet, so check out gourmet/cheese shops in your area. It seems to have pretty good distribution. I learned about it on C'hound, and it's a treat. Sat May 09 13:37:52 -0700 2009 4668801 57170 Veggo 1 4591552 I can definitely see how you may think blue cheese is strong. The first time I had Roquefort (a very strong blue), I was 11. At that age, my experience with cheese was limited with Kraft singles, mozzarella, ricotta, munster, brie, Swiss -- basically blander supermarket cheese (well, maybe with the exception of brie). Vile! It was way too pungent, and I thought I was eating poo! I spit it out and had to wash my mouth out with soda. I still couldn't get that nasty taste out of my mouth. So that scared me from ever trying any blue again for about 11 or 12 years. Then in my early 20s, I was in Philly with a friend and we went to this very nice restaurant where they had this steak topped with blue cheese. The steak sounded good, but I was a bit hesitant about trying blue cheese again. The waitress told me that a lot of people don't like blue because it's too strong. But that this one was pretty good, and that she'd put it on the side if I wanted to try it. So I was eating my steak with this hunk of moldy cheese just staring at me. Well, I decided to give it another go, and I really loved it! I'm so glad that I got over my fear and tried it again. Today, I can eat a lot of blues (I even have some Roquefort in my cheese drawer right now). But, like you, I don't like to eat it in large amounts because it is a bit too much for me -- that, and I'm allergic to molds, and find that when I eat blue cheese, I get all itchy. I can't just munch on blue cheese like how I could munch on something milder like a Comte. So I really limit it. And if I'm having people over, I never make something with blue cheese unless I know they love it -- because most people I know aren't huge fans of it. I remember ordering two fondues with a bunch of people -- stilton and a Swiss cheese blend. DH and I were the only ones eating the stilton fondue, and everybody else just kept eating the Swiss. I don't know if you ever tried it, but my favorite blue out there is Valdeon from Spain. To me, it's the perfect balance of salty, sweet and pungent. Mon Apr 13 10:34:20 -0700 2009 4579199 10763 Miss Needle 2 4596539 " Vile! It was way too pungent, and I thought I was eating poo! I spit it out and had to wash my mouth out with soda. I still couldn't get that nasty taste out of my mouth. " Exactly my first experience with blue cheese! It is such a different flavour profile from most Asian cuisine, I think it is hard to get over that bump for us Asians. My husband used to work in a lab with some Chinese scholars, and they had a lot of trouble eating any cheese at all. It really turned them off. I don't know a lot of recent Asian immigrants who can get into cheeses, let alone blue cheeses. It takes a lot to make that leap. I've also heard good things about Valdeon - I am playing with the idea of doing the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela (spelling completely wrong I am sure). Perhaps I will have to search this fine cheese out. Tue Apr 14 19:25:54 -0700 2009 4591552 89969 moh 3 4597252 "It is such a different flavour profile from most Asian cuisine, I think it is hard to get over that bump for us Asians. " True. But I was a bit surprised that I thought it was that gross as a kid considering how much daen jang (funky fermented soy bean paste -- similar to natto, but not as stinky) I was eating! : ) Wed Apr 15 05:48:14 -0700 2009 4596539 10763 Miss Needle 1 4591580 Try to get your hands on some Point Reyes Blue, excellent, even better with some Pinot Noir. It's strength is between Gorg and Stilton with nice veins. Mon Apr 13 10:38:59 -0700 2009 4579199 149836 cstr 2 4591615 My favorite as well, especially great with black figs. You can get it online if you have trouble finding it: http://pointreyescheese.com Mon Apr 13 10:49:33 -0700 2009 4591580 11160 Pablo 2 4593247 Our local Costco is now carrying this cheese at a very reasonable price. It is great! Mon Apr 13 19:52:38 -0700 2009 4591580 169832 NVJims 2 4593601 I find Point Reyes to be very SALTY...? Tue Apr 14 00:32:34 -0700 2009 4591580 74905 jaykayen 1 4591637 Also may not be how "strong" the veined cheeses are,but how SALTY .Some simply are past peak when sold far from point of origin.If it happens to be one of the saltier profile varieties strong is a polite adjective. Mon Apr 13 10:56:04 -0700 2009 4579199 203919 lcool 1 4593236 I used to hate blue cheese, then I had some Stilton.... Mon Apr 13 19:47:34 -0700 2009 4579199 146613 Evilbanana11 1 4593589 We are stinky cheese lovers; Blue, Stilton, Gorgonzola, bring it on! Tue Apr 14 00:10:12 -0700 2009 4579199 93538 Passadumkeg 2 4597008 This week for breakfast we are having sardines, warm baguette, poached eggs and blue cheese (w/ butter and jam on baguette for desert) for a little change from our fruit and yogurt norm. Oh yes, w/ Fair Trade coffee to wash it all down. Wed Apr 15 00:28:21 -0700 2009 4593589 93538 Passadumkeg 1 4597030 The Doctor was stupid... there is no way possble to eat an apple a day without sometype of blue cheese. Can't be done.... something has to save the leper apple. Wed Apr 15 01:12:42 -0700 2009 4579199 42572 Eat_Nopal 2 4606704 Right on, Eat Nopal, as usual. Sat Apr 18 08:16:52 -0700 2009 4597030 105625 EWSflash 1 4599884 High Five and God Bless, moh! Wed Apr 15 19:28:38 -0700 2009 4579199 105625 EWSflash 1 4599951 Moh, you da man whether you be da man or da woman! *hard to say sometimes with the names* I raise my glass to you in your glorious, accepting attitude about food and people's taste. Wed Apr 15 19:55:42 -0700 2009 4579199 105625 EWSflash 2 4603143 Very kind words, EWSflash! But I definitely benefit from the great variety and differences in taste. If everyone liked and ate the same thing, we would only have a small proportion of the dishes and cuisines we have access to. Viva la difference! I am loving the passion which all these posters have for blue cheese, and it motivates me to continue to try new things and expand my tastebuds. So I raise a glass to you and everyone for sharing your passion! Thu Apr 16 20:22:29 -0700 2009 4599951 89969 moh 1 4600756 I'm a bleu lover in all forms - and one of my favorites is a torta of mascarpone and gorgonzola dolce, which I get at an Italian deli here in the Bronx but which I've seen at other cheese shops as well. It's rich and creamy with a subtle gorgonzola flavor, and people who shy away when they hear "bleu cheese" have loved it. You might, too. Thu Apr 16 07:18:03 -0700 2009 4579199 12622 Striver 1 4600829 Two very different blues but delicious are Swiss Valley Mindaro raw milk Danish Blue from Wisconsin and Stichelton Dairy raw milk "Stilton." Thu Apr 16 07:43:18 -0700 2009 4579199 105235 wolfe 1 4600894 I'm learning to love the blues. My husband loves them all -- the stinkier, the better. I buy them for him, and I nibble a little. What I'm finding is that because there's so much variation in the blues, I can "work my way up." I can't wait to try the Cambozola. Thu Apr 16 08:08:24 -0700 2009 4579199 49600 CindyJ 1 4608225 I hated blue cheese until I visited Charleston, So. Carolina and had Clemson Blue Cheese. From then on I sought out blue cheese from other sources than my local super market. I'd love to try some again to compare it to Pt. Reyes Blue or just to relive the moment. Sat Apr 18 22:14:42 -0700 2009 4579199 13030 free sample addict aka Tracy L 1 4614274 I posted a recipe in the starter section for a Red Onion Tart with Blue Cheese. I was inspired by this thread. http://www.chow.com/recipes/21398?tag=main_body;item-Recipe-21398 Tue Apr 21 07:33:34 -0700 2009 4579199 259263 bigfellow 1 4628266 There are few more pleasing foods than a roasted sweet potato, split and topped with real Italian Gorgonzola Dolce Latte -- no other blue cheese for this, please. Sat Apr 25 14:13:07 -0700 2009 4579199 11995 pikawicca 2 4629351 Will have to try that--I've never had a sweet potato with blue cheese period and that sounds fab! Sun Apr 26 06:19:03 -0700 2009 4628266 249664 kattyeyes 3 4629697 Here's a recipe to combine several recent threads. Serve with a side of pretzel snacks. http://www.ilovepickles.org/recipes/superturkeyclub.html Sun Apr 26 09:28:27 -0700 2009 4629351 105235 wolfe 4 4630210 Funny--but disgusting! HA HA! Very clever combo of several recent threads. :) Sun Apr 26 13:34:58 -0700 2009 4629697 249664 kattyeyes 2 4666978 wow that sounds fantastic. Fri May 08 13:36:08 -0700 2009 4628266 102095 vvvindaloo 1 4636682 is anyone aware of a blue cheese that is italian but not gorgonzola? i'm very sure it starts with an m. had it in a resto in philly a couple years back and it haunts me still. never was able to wrap my head around blue as i mostly had access to danish style mass product but when i got my fingers on a roquefort it was love at first bite. can only eat so much in one sitting but i don't hesitate to swirl it into several dishes. Tue Apr 28 13:41:14 -0700 2009 4579199 10634 pinstripeprincess 2 4636724 Monviso? I googled "italian blue cheese" and this was the fifth item: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/12/FD3716M8RD.DTL Tue Apr 28 13:51:00 -0700 2009 4636682 10159 Ruth Lafler 3 4636761 ha thanks! my googling was nearly not as informative. i'm not entirely sure if that's it though it seems like the only candidate so i will search it out to confirm. Tue Apr 28 13:59:29 -0700 2009 4636724 10634 pinstripeprincess 2 4637157 There are many Italian blues, you will rarely find them here, however. Blu del Monceniso is a favorite of mine, very like a french blue. rick and spicy, runs $30+/lb Castelmagno is a weird one- it's a harder cheese where the blue blooms in a different manner than a typical soft and pierced blue. Marbeld is a sheep's blue, I've never seen in US. Val Pusteria, sheep's milk blue from Trentino Tue Apr 28 16:06:34 -0700 2009 4636682 181207 caviar_and_chitlins 3 4637465 more names for me to consider... thanks! i figured there are many italian blues, so it's quite sad that the only exposure i get in toronto is gorgonzola! Tue Apr 28 18:12:48 -0700 2009 4637157 10634 pinstripeprincess 1 4702239 After seeing all the raves about Cambozola on this thread, I thought I'd try to find one. Didn't see one at the place where I usually get my cheese, but saw something else that caught my eye called Bavaria Blu. When I got home, I googled it, and I got linked to the Cambozola wikipedia site! "The cheese (originally called Bavaria Blu), was invented circa 1900 and is still produced by the Bergader family in the Chiemgau region of Bavaria." Wait. When someone says "originally called" doesn't that imply that the same thing is now called something else? But Bavaria Blu produced by Bergarder obviously still exists! So is Cambozola then some large industrial company's attempt to steal the recipe from Bergarder with a patent? Do the two cheeses taste the same? Inquiring minds want to know! Wed May 20 18:33:32 -0700 2009 4579199 124045 huaqiao 2 4702468 Cambozola and Bergader Blu are two different cheeses. The Bergader family in Baveria developed a blue-veined Brie-style cheese, but they were not alone in doing so. In fact, there were several producers of this style of cheese also in Bavaria, as well as all over Europe. More than 75 years later, the large Bavarian cheese manufacturer Kaserei Champignon began to produce this "regional" cheese industrially. So Bergader could never have claimed to have produced the first of this type of cheese, nor could they legally patent the idea for it. So there has to be something in Kaserei's manufacturing of Cambozola that is patent-worthy, perhaps a special way of inoculating the cheese that differs from the usual method of using long needles to inject mold into the cheese's interior. I've never had Bergader Blu so I can't tell you if it and Cambozola taste similarly. Both are made from pasteurized milk in Bavaria, and both appear to use a similar "cocktail" of molds. I do consider Cambozola to be one of the few excellent industrially produced cheeses. The Danish cheese Saga was the first of this type of cheese I tasted, and it is *very* similar to Cambozola, and, as such, the other "gateway" blue for blue-cheese beginners. Huagiao, since you have a source for Bergader Blu, see if you can also find Cambozola and taste it side by side with the Bergader. You might even try other cheeses in the blue-veined Brie pantheon like Saga or Ader Kase Reserve, Blu del Monviso and Blu de Breese. Wed May 20 20:52:04 -0700 2009 4702239 18222 maria lorraine