Blue Cheese

About

Blue cheese gets its color from the mold Penicillium roqueforti, and its dominant flavor comes from two compounds: the fruity, spicy ketone 2-heptanone and a green, fatty, metallic note from 2-nonanone. Beyond that, blue cheeses vary widely depending on the animal's diet, whether the milk is pasteurized, the cultures used, and how the cheese is aged. Roquefort is aged specifically in the natural caves near Roquefort-sur-Soulzon; Stilton ages in cellars where cool air reaches the cheese through small holes that let the mold develop. A notable exception to the usual mold is Bleu de Termignon, a rare French Alpine cheese that blues naturally without an added culture. Other blue cheeses include Gorgonzola, Cabrales, Rogue River Blue, Shepherd's Purse, Beenleigh Blue, and Fourme d'Ambert.

Pairs well with blue cheese

• EaMushroomBlue cheeses owe their color and some of their flavor compounds to the same fungi found in mushrooms.
• MeBeefThe tang of well-aged beef pairs naturally with blue cheese, as in the classic steak au Roquefort (or, in Spain, a similar dish with the…
• MeChickenBlue cheese and chicken appear together in Buffalo wings, but work better diluted, for example as a blue cheese dressing (mayonnaise, sour…
• BrBaconRogue Creamery in Oregon smokes its blue cheese over hazelnut shells, giving it caramel and hazelnut notes alongside a gentle smokiness…
• GrAvocadoSalty, deep-flavored blue cheese pairs well with avocado, whether as a retro-style dressing filling an avocado half, or spread with mashed…
• FrPineappleA less intuitive pairing, explored by the food blog Khymos as part of its "They Go Really Well Together" recipe series.
• WoWalnutA classic pairing; toasted walnuts can themselves develop faintly blue-cheese-like notes.
• EaCeleryBlue cheese and celery is a classic combination, seen in Buffalo chicken wings served with blue cheese dip and celery sticks, and in…
• SuCabbageA blue cheese dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, crumbled cheese, lemon and garlic works well on coleslaw, its tangy richness…
• FrPearPear's delicate flavor can be overwhelmed by strong blue cheese, but milder varieties like the sweet, milky Fourme d'Ambert work well.
• FrGrapeSweet wine with salty blue cheese is a classic contrast, as in port with Stilton or Sauternes with Roquefort.
• SuTruffleBlue cheese and truffle are often combined in a creamy sauce for steak, or in choux pastry filled with blue cheese, cream cheese and…
• WoButternut SquashPumpkin or squash ravioli is often served with a Gorgonzola sauce, the salty, complex cheese contrasting with the squash's plain…
• FfFigDried figs pair naturally with blue cheese: brown figs echo sweet sherry, while black mission figs suggest port, making them an especially…
• CrPeachPeach and Gorgonzola share a fruity, creamy quality and are commonly combined in salads or on bruschetta, needing little more than slicing…
• BeSageSalty-sweet blue cheese pairs well with sage's bitterness.
• MuWatercressSweet-salty Stilton contrasts nicely with watercress's bitter, peppery flavor, and both share a faint metallic note.
• SuBroccoliBlue cheese and broccoli combine in soups, macaroni and cheese, or a raw broccoli salad with a milder blue cheese dressing for those who…
• FfBlueberryBlueberries' sharpness pairs especially well with blue cheese in salads; one preparation layers a cinnamon-buttered toasted brioche disc…
• CiGrapefruitAn unusual but workable pairing, good in a salad with red onion, beets and bitter lettuce, or as a sandwich filling combined with…