Monday, December 15, 2008

winner: best blue cheese ever


Crema de Blue from Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley, NJ.  

Described as "addictive and dangerous" by its makers, it is a cave aged Blue made from raw mixed milk and is my candidate for best blue cheese.  Ever.

It lacks the up-front acidity of many blues but still has that palpable blue tang you're looking for.  It has a more sophisticated flavor than you'd expect from something just one step short of a triple-creme (a la Explorateur).  

But So Sorry, you have to go to the creamery to buy it, since they won't ship it to you. Hmm. Your other choice is to stumble across them at a local farmers market and trust they still have some left. Best you just go there.

For your convenience, here is a map.

My stars, it is crazy good. Better than a true-blood Roquefort, better than Maytag, better than Cabrales (new or aged).

In fact, I'll go so far as to say it is superior to all of the blue cheeses featured on the cover of culture magazine this month - Roquefort, Mountain Gorgonzola, Monte Enebro,  Oregonzola, Point Reyes Blue, Valdeon and Roaring Forties.

It Is That Good. And yes, there is now a magazine dedicated to cheese. You can buy it at Borders.

And when you do get some, make sure to share it.

Photo courtesy of Valley Shepherd Creamery.

NOTE - I have had about three of the blue cheeses on this list - see how many you've tasted.

1 comment:

Alain Breillatt said...

I don't know my friend, I find it hard to believe there could be a better bleu than Bleu de Gex. I've had 7 of the cheeses on that list and Bleu de Gex is an exceedingly fine cheese. Bleu de Bresse is rather good as well when you have guests who are looking for a less pungent experience (I find few who will try the "better" bleus). Raw milk cheeses can be either exceptionally sharp or heavily pungent and sometimes that interferes with the overall experience of the cheese.