My blue (cheese) heaven

I love anything inoculated with spores. I could talk about (and eat) blue cheeses all day long. Lots of ink has been spilled on the crumbly Roquefort and the creamy Gorgonzola, and how these–and all their variations–can be paired, matched and used in recipes.

Researching the blue world, and why opinions are so divided and discussions heated on the topic, it became clear that blue cheese is a religion. You either hate it, and need to plug your nose with a clothespin every time you come near it, or you adore it (I belong in this camp). There is no, "Meh" when taking a position in regards to blue cheese.

For non-nerds, blue cheese falls under the erborinati, or blue veined, cheese category. These possess varying degrees of texture, sharpness and flavors depending on milk, spores and age. I particularly like Italian blues with unconventional roots, particularly those made by small family-run dairies in remote pasturelands. Some of these producers create intriguing twists. Fore example...

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