Styles
Blue cheeses come in many guises. Some have natural rinds, others are rindless or waxed; there are Ashed Blues, Blue Bries and extra-rich Triple Cream Blues; you will even find Blue Cheddars and Cheshire-style Blues.
Textures vary from soft and creamy to firm and crumbly.
You can buy them cut from the wheel, in wedges or individually waxed rounds. Each deserves to be experienced at its best, so make sure you serve them at room temperature.
Classic Blues, such as Stilton, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Danish Blue, each have their own style based on individual cheesemaking methods.
Blue cheeses can be grouped based on strength of flavour, from mild and mellow to mighty!
Mild - Blue Brie
Soft, creamy and mild in flavour, Blue Brie is a soft white cheese with the addition of blue. With all the creaminess and softness of Brie and a really delicate blue flavour, it is an excellent beginner’s cheese.
Look out for Tasmanian Heritage Blue Brie, South Cape Blue Brie, King Island Dairy Lighthouse Blue Brie or the very mild Australian Gold Creamy Blue.
Medium Blues
There are a variety of medium-strength blues that have a soft and buttery texture and a distinctive but mellow blue flavour that becomes more intense with time. These cheeses are the next step up for the blue cheese explorer!
Try Tasmanian Heritage Traditional Blue or Blue Opal; South Cape Blue, King Island Dairy’s Discovery Ash Blue or perhaps a South Cape Danish Blue.
Triple cream Blues, like King Island Dairy’s Blue Triple Cream, are extra-rich due to the extra cream added during making. They have a custard-like texture and gentle buttery, blue flavour that develops with age.
Strong Blues
For the experienced blue lover, the strong, piquant flavours of these well-developed cheeses are sought-after. These blues have a complex flavour profile and each cheese is unique – they can be strong, sharp, creamy, salty, tangy, spicy, and/or peppery – and definitely worth discovering!
Choose from Tasmanian Heritage Deep Blue, King Island Dairy Bass Strait Blue, King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue, or King Island Dairy Endeavour Blue (which is made in the Gorgonzola-style).
Cheddar and Cheshire-style Blues
For something different, look out for this most unusual crossbreed, tasty Cheddar or Cheshire-style cheese with a hint of blue throughout. King Island Dairy Netherby Blue is a good example.
Classic Blue styles
To understand the differences between blue cheeses, it’s helpful to look at some of the classics.
Blue Stilton originated in the UK, and has a crusty, natural rind with very evenly dispersed veins and comes in a cylinder shape in varying sizes.
Gorgonzola from Italy is made in a large drum-like wheel, with a natural rind, a creamy body and rich, blue/grey veins throughout. Available in the stronger ‘piccante’ and sweeter ‘dolce’ varieties, it is said to be the world’s oldest lue cheese.
Danish Blues have a moist body, dark blue veins and a salty, tangy taste. They are usually lighter and milder than other Blue styles.
Roquefort from France is made from sheep’s milk, has a white body and complex sweet and smoky blue flavour with greenish veins.
