Blue Ridge Bleu
|Bloo-Rij-Bloh|
Inspired by traditional British Stilton, Blue Ridge Bleu has the veined paste and zingy bite expected of a blue cheese—but this South Carolina native also has woodsy footnotes that come as a delightful surprise. The first aged cheese from Blue Ridge Creamery, it has a nuanced earthy flavor and unexpected aromas of apples, grapes, and rose.
Thanks to raw Jersey cow milk, this blue is plush and milky in the mouth. As flavor builds, notes of earth and bark give way to a well-rounded finish. The wheel calls to mind a sense of place: cows grazing in open pastures, and the dusky, blue-tinged foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
We love Blue Ridge Bleu paired with port or full-bodied red wine. Try it on a salad: During tomato season, plump heirlooms and a handful of herbs make bright accompaniments. Or, when root vegetables are abundant, crumble onto a bed of arugula and sweet potato pancakes.
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