Barren County Bleu
- Producer
- Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Kentucky
- Website
- www.kennyscheese.com
- Milk
- Cow
- Treatment
- Pasteurised
- Classification
- Firm
Blue - Rind
- Natural
- Style
- Cheddar-like
Named for its home, this rustic blue cheddar hails from the rolling hills of Barren County, Kentucky, where father-and-son team Kenny and Jared have run Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese out of their family farm since 1998.
The mixed-breed closed herd at Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese—which includes Holstein, Jersey, and Brown Swiss cows—spends most of its time grazing outside on fresh pasture, or munching on high-quality alfalfa hay. The farm is no longer growing any GMOs on its land, and hopes to meet a GMO-free qualification within the next few years.
Barren County Bleu is made in cheddar style, but it’s also cultured with blue mold spores and poked to allow the growth of veins over five months of aging. The rind is rubbed in lard, a traditional method that prevents wheels from cracking and maintains the right moisture content.
Tasting Notes
This fudgy, crystal-studded cheddar-blue is fruity with notes of mushroom and forest floor.
Pairings
Pair it with a dry-hopped IPA or a mineraly red wine. If you're feeling adventurous, sprinkle it over some dark chocolate ice cream. (Seriously!)
Photo by Ashley Stinson
