{"title":"Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eBlue cheese runs from gentle and creamy to genuinely fierce, and the trick is knowing which end of that range you want.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIreland makes some of the best blues anywhere — Cashel Blue and Crozier among them — and they sit here alongside Roquefort, Stilton and Gorgonzola. Some are mild enough to convert a sceptic; others are for people who already know exactly what they are after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlue is the easiest cheese to pair well. Something sweet and fortified alongside it — a Sauternes, a port, or honey straight from the jar — turns the salt into an asset.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee also \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/sweet-fortified\"\u003esweet and fortified wines\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/jams-honeys-compotes-syrups\"\u003ehoneys\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/strong-cheeses\"\u003estrong cheeses\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bleu-dauvergne","title":"Bleu D'Auvergne","description":"\u003cp\u003eBleu d'Auvergne is a blue-veined cow’s milk cheese from Central and Southern France. Perhaps uniquely amongst the French AOC cheeses, the development of Bleu d'Auvergne may be traced back to a single individual, Monsieur Antoine Roussel. Roussel was a cheesemaker from the small town of Laqueuille, west of Clermont-Ferrand. Upon his father’s death Antoine, as the eldest son, was forced to take over the day-to-day running of the family farm. The Roussels made a simple fourme-type cheese, the sale of which supplemented the meagre income they derived from farming. One day Antoine noticed that some of the cheeses had developed a natural blue veining. He was struck by how dramatically the blue mould improved the flavour of his product and decided that he would endeavour to encourage the growth of the mould in his cheese. After much fruitless experimentation with various aspects of production, he noticed that the rye loaves he kept near his cheeses were also turning blue. He hit upon the idea of using the mould on the rye loaves as a means of getting the blue moulds from the atmosphere into his cheese. By 1854 Roussel had a run-away success on his hands. As demand increased the price of Roussel’s cheese soared, and the family simply couldn't produce enough. Neighbors were quick to get in on the act and production soon spread throughout the region. Roussel’s cheese received the ultimate accolade in 1973 when Bleu d'Auvergne was awarded the AOC\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g (Serves 2-4)","offer_id":57674138714447,"sku":"ONL21","price":6.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"600g (Serves 8-12)","offer_id":57674138747215,"sku":"ONL23","price":19.8,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Bleu-Auvergne.jpg?v=1780667634"},{"product_id":"boyne-valley-blue","title":"Boyne Valley Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eBoyne Valley blue is made by Michael and Jenny Finegan in Co. Meath and is one of the few blue goat’s milk cheese produced in Ireland. Indeed, blue goat’s cheeses are truly a rarity on the worldwide market, as it is a difficult balance to strike to ensure that the delicate goats milk flavours are still apparent with the presence of the more assertive blue flavours. The mottled brown rind encloses a semi-hard opaque - white paste containing cavernous, mould-lined holes from which the cheese derives its strength. The paste of the cheese appears quite dry and crumbly, but there is a certain pleasing elasticity to the texture.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":57674145956175,"sku":"ONL44","price":8.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Boyne-valley-blue.png?v=1780915717"},{"product_id":"cashel-blue-mature","title":"Cashel Blue Mature","description":"\u003cp\u003eCashel is such a pleasure to sell; its creamy texture and sweet, salty flavour are appealing even to customers who would normally be a little scared of blue cheeses. When matured to the right age, the texture is buttery and almost spreadable, and under the rind it is bulging. The milk used in the production of Cashel comes from the Grubb’s own select herd of Holstein-Friesians, along with milk coming from carefully chosen local herds. Through the use of Penicillium Roqueforti during the cheesemaking process and piercing of the cheese before maturation, Cashel develops a lovely blue pattern throughout the cheese.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":57674161258831,"sku":"she4","price":5.8,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5kg","offer_id":57674161291599,"sku":"ONL72","price":48.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Cashel-blue.jpg?v=1780666235"},{"product_id":"colston-basset-stilton","title":"Colston Basset Stilton","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlongside Cheddar, Stilton is the best known of all English cheeses. Unlike Cheddar, however, Stilton’s name protected status has prevented the proliferation of imitators which has blighted the image of cheddar as a quality, artisanal cheese. This is primarily because of the establishment of the Stilton Makers’ Association in 1910, a body designed to protect local cheese makers from outside competition. One of its first acts was to register Stilton as a trademark and limit production to the Midland counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire. In 1967 the Association rewrote their definition of Stilton. Whilst the definition gave very clear guidelines on what type of cheese could be called Stilton, how and where it should be made etc, it did little to define minimum standards of quality. Only eight dairies are permitted to manufacture Stilton today. \n\u003cbr\u003eTo make Stilton, it takes 72 litres of milk to make a standard 6.5kg wheel. The milk is pasteurized upon arrival at the dairy- all Stilton has been pasteurized since 1990- it is then cooled to 30 degrees and put into vats. Here starter and penicillium roqueforti, the blue mould culture are added. Vegetarian rennet is then used to set the curds, which are cut an hour later. The mixture is then left to settle, thus allowing the curds to separate from the whey. The whey is drained off and the curds are ladled into trays for the night. \n\u003cbr\u003eThe next day the curd is milled, salted, mixed and placed into hoops. The curd drains in the hoops for a further five days, after which time the curd has drained and solidified sufficiently to allow the cheese moulds (hoops) to be removed. The surface of the cheese is then rubbed over with a knife, thus smoothing the exterior and facilitating the later development of a natural rind. The cheese is then aged for 20 days to allow the surface to dry out. By the end of this period it is ready for the maturing room. \n\u003cbr\u003eThe young Stilton is kept in the maturing room for around six weeks. Towards the end of this period the cheese is pierced with long stainless steel needles at regular intervals around its circumference. This allows air to come in contact with the penicillium roqueforti and lets the cheese develop its latent blue potential. As the blue culture reacts to air it is concentrated along the lines left by the needles, thus giving Stilton its characteristic blue veining. The cheeses are given a second piercing about a week later, at which point they are ready for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"180g","offer_id":57674164896079,"sku":"P\/W28","price":8.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Stilton-square.jpg?v=1780665967"},{"product_id":"fourme-dambert-aoc","title":"Fourme d'Ambert AOC","description":"\u003cp\u003eFourme d'Ambert is a tall cylindrical blue cow’s-milk cheese. The dull yellow-grey rind encloses a loosely-textured ivory paste containing large crevices lined with bluish green penicillium roqueforti. Despite the abundant distribution of blue throughout the cheese, the flavour is surprisingly mild.  Whilst the aroma is immediately redolent of the cellar, the flavour is fruity, creamy with a rounded blue notes and a cow-y finish. Fourme d'Ambert is amongst the most ancient cheeses in France and can trace its origins back at least as far back as the eleventh century. Some sources indicate that the cheese existed in the mountains of Forez even prior to the formation of the Roman Empire.Like Munster and Munster Geromé, Fourme d'Ambert shared its AOC with a very similar cheese from a neighbouring region, Fourme de Montbrison. The AOC Fourme d'Ambert\/ Fourme de Montbrison was granted in 1972, making this one of the older AOC cheeses in France. A decree in 2002 separated Fourme d'Ambert and Fourme de Montbrison into two separate appellations. Fourme d'Ambert takes its name from a combination of the latin word forma, meaning shape or form, and the town of Ambert, which is the main town in the Livradois. Much Fourme d'Ambert is fairing uninteresting stuff and only really suited for the kitchen. Morin’s Fourme d'Ambert is a revelation by comparison. As with nearly all blue cheeses Fourme d'Ambert has a great affinity with apples, walnuts and raisins. Wine pairings range from sweet whites like Coteaux-du-Layon to rosés and fruity reds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"290g","offer_id":57674182918479,"sku":"ONL25","price":9.86,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Fourme-d-ambert.jpg?v=1780657086"},{"product_id":"gorgonzola","title":"Gorgonzola","description":"\u003cp\u003eGorgonzola is a blue cow’s-milk cheese made in specific areas of Piemonte and Lombardia in Northern Italy. This cheese is graded in accordance with the amount of blue in the paste, either sweet (dolce) or sharp (naturale, piccante, di monte or stagionato). Gorgonzola Dolce has a soft, creamy texture and a slightly blue flavour. Gorgonzola is a cheese with ancient origins, although there is some dispute as to exactly how old the cheese is. There is some evidence that Gorgonzola was being produced in the town of Gorgonzola, outside Milan, as early as 879 AD. Others claim that the cheese originated in Pasturo, in the Valsassina, where the low, constant temperatures in the surrounding caves were eminently suited to the maturation of cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Taleggio. The caves also contain moulds which naturally blue the cheese over time. Gorgonzola was traditionally made in the autumn using the milk of cattle returning from the high Alpine pastures where they spent the summer grazing. The long journey from the summer pastures to the flatlands would leave the cattle exhausted. This is why the cheese used to be known first as stracchino di Gorgonzola and later as stracchino verde or green stracchino. The term stracchino comes from the word stracca, local dialect meaning tired. \n\u003cbr\u003eTo make Gorgonzola; cow’s milk is pasteurized and heated to 30°C. Penicillium Glaucum (the blue-ing agent), starter culture and rennet are added at this point. 30 minutes later the resultant curd is cut into cubes, left to stand in the whey for a further 10 minutes, then cut into walnut sized lumps. The curds are then lifted into cheese cloth and left to drain for 30 minutes. Afterwards the curd is transferred to cylindrical moulds and left to drain on slanted boards for 24 hours. The following day the moulds are brought to the ‘purgatories’, rooms at 20-22°C with 96% humidity, they are ripened here for 4-5 hours before being salted. Traditionally dry salting is used, although many larger operations use brine baths to cut down on labour. The cheeses are pierced about a month later, releasing the latent blue potential which they contain because of the initial addition of the Penicillium Glaucum. Although more traditional methods, such as natural fermentation (del nonno or antico) and the ‘two curd’ (due paste) technique persist in a very limited way, the modern method outlined above is far more common nowadays.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":57674185179471,"sku":"SHE3","price":7.8,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Gorgonzola.jpg?v=1780656787"},{"product_id":"montagnolo-blue","title":"Montagnolo Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eMontagnolo Blue is a creamy soft cheese ripened slowly at low temperatures. This cold maturation process slowly develops the aromas and flavour of cheese resulting in a very creamy interior and ever so slight hint of blue cheese spiciness. The Montagnolo wheels are covered in white mould and are pierced with a blue culture that produces a blue marbling throughout the creamy interior. Notes of mushroom, cream, earthiness and nice salt balance make this a great entry level blue cheese\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"130g","offer_id":57674201760079,"sku":"P\/W2","price":4.15,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Montagnolo.jpg?v=1780061530"},{"product_id":"roquefort-gabriel-coulet","title":"Roquefort Gabriel Coulet","description":"\u003cp\u003eRoquefort, probably the world’s best known blue cheese, is made using raw ewe’s milk. All Roquefort is legally required to spend two weeks in the ‘fleurines’ or caves of Mont Combalou in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the area of production. This is the natural dwelling place of the Penicillium Roqueforti moulds, from which most strains of blue cheese moulds have been bred. The most famous legend of Roquefort origin tells of a shepherd sheltering from a violent storm in the now famous caves. Soaked to the skin and with his tummy rumbling, the shepard discovered an old curd sandwich left there months before. The rye bread had disintegrated into a mouldy dust, which had spread through the sheep’s milk curd. The reluctant (but sufficiently hungry) shepherd ate the mouldy curd anyway and was surprised by how delicious it was. And so Roquefort was created.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"170g","offer_id":57674218078543,"sku":"P\/W15","price":8.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Roquefort.jpg?v=1780059323"},{"product_id":"roquefort-mini","title":"Roquefort Mini","description":"\u003cp\u003eRoquefort, probably the world’s best known blue cheese, is made using raw ewe’s milk. All Roquefort is legally required to spend two weeks in the ‘fleurines’ or caves of Mont Combalou in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the area of production. This is the natural dwelling place of the Penicillium Roqueforti moulds, from which most strains of blue cheese moulds have been bred. The most famous legend of Roquefort’s origin tells of a shepherd sheltering from a violent storm in the now famous caves. Soaked to the skin and with his tummy rumbling, the shepard discovered an old curd sandwich left there months before. The rye bread had disintegrated into a mouldy dust, which had spread through the sheep’s milk curd. The reluctant (but sufficiently hungry) shepherd ate the mouldy curd anyway and was surprised by how delicious it was. And so Roquefort was created.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"100g","offer_id":57674218111311,"sku":"ROQ2","price":5.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Roquefort.webp?v=1778596197"},{"product_id":"shropshire-blue","title":"Shropshire Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis relatively modern cheese was invented in Inverness in the 1970s, presumably as a means of producing a Stilton-style cheese that was not subject to the same stringent geographical restrictions. Colston Bassett Dairy make the cheese in the same-sized cheese moulds as Stilton and before the cheeses are opened they look very similar indeed. However, the orange annatto dye used in Shropshire Blue ensures that the visual similarity between the two stops as soon as the wheel is opened. Stilton and Shropshire are quite similar in taste. In equivalent conditions, Shropshire Blue is the milder of the two, with a slightly fruitier flavour and less bitterness and richness than their Stilton.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":57674232463695,"sku":"ONL50","price":9.2,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/shropshire_blue.jpg?v=1780498951"},{"product_id":"st-agur","title":"St Agur","description":"\u003cp\u003eSaint Agur has a funky hexagonal shape and is ripened for 60 days developing its tangy flavour and its green\/blue hue on the rind. The blue cheese kick is tempered by the extremely buttery quality of the paste, coming from the addition of cream making St. Agur a double cream cheese. Because of its creaminess, it works great as a cheeseboard cheese but also for recipes and dips with fresh bread or vegetables.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"250g","offer_id":57674232725839,"sku":"ONL57","price":12.25,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/St-agur.jpg?v=1780053301"},{"product_id":"valdeon-blue","title":"Valdeon Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eValdeón is a cheese with a blue veined paste, made all year round with cow’s and goat’s milk. It has a rough, irregular rind in dark grey shades with little red and bluish marks. The paste has a soft texture and a pale-yellow colour and it is full of small cavities where a white and greenish blue mould is concentrated. Valdeón Valley is a deep tectonic trough hidden on the southern spur of the Europa Peaks in the province of León. The rich aromatic milk produced in these fertile green pastures makes of Valdeon cheese one of the best Spanish blue cheeses. Its main secret lies in the quality of the milk produced in this region\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":57674241278287,"sku":"ONL38","price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Valdeon.jpg?v=1780049180"},{"product_id":"wicklow-blue-brie","title":"Wicklow Blue Brie","description":"\u003cp\u003eMade in a blue brie style, it is not dissimilar to the French Bleu de Bresse, although Wicklow Blue is firmer and more buttery in flavour. The cheese is very similar to its sibling Wicklow Ban using milk from the Hempenstall’s pedigree Friesians, but the rind has been pierced with Penicillium roqueforti to promote a bit of blue growth throughout the cheese. The cheese’s high cream content goes some way towards facilitating the development of its velvety non-bitter rind. This is a great entry level blue cheese for those new to the blue cheese world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"150g","offer_id":57674245144911,"sku":"WIC2","price":5.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/wicklow-blue.jpg?v=1780048420"},{"product_id":"young-buck","title":"Young Buck","description":"\u003cp\u003eMike Thomson uses unpasteurised milk from a single herd of Co Down Holstein-Friesian cows. It has a strong salty flavour and is made in the Stilton style. Young Buck has a characteristic knobbly crust with a central smooth creamy blue-veined paste which becomes chalkier and slightly crumbly towards the edges\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":57674245767503,"sku":"ONL41","price":9.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Mikes-Fancy-Cheese-youngbuck.jpg?v=1780047886"},{"product_id":"mama-marisa-blue","title":"Mama Marisa Blue","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMamá Marisa is a large-format blue cheese made by Rey Silo in Asturias, using raw, whole cow’s milk from a single local farm. The cheese was developed in collaboration with chef José Andrés, and is named after his mother, who introduced him to Asturian blue cheese as a child.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is made entirely by hand, with the curd cut into very small grains before being drained, crumbled, salted and packed into large moulds. The young cheeses are then taken to Rey Silo’s underground cellar, where controlled temperature, humidity and airflow recreate the conditions of a natural cave. They are turned regularly and left to mature slowly, allowing the characteristic Penicillium roqueforti to develop into elegant blue veining while keeping the paste soft and creamy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe result is a blue that is made for eating rather than overpowering everything around it. Its soft, spreadable texture makes it particularly good with crusty bread and fresh orchard fruit to bring out its dairy richness and balance the blue character. It also works beautifully on a cheese board alongside firmer cheeses, or melted through sauces, stirred into pasta or crumbled over roasted vegetables.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","offers":[{"title":"200g","offer_id":58552817123663,"sku":"ONL47","price":12.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/4814\/9583\/files\/Mama-Marisa-Blue-Cheese.png?v=1787574015"}],"url":"https:\/\/sheridanscheesemongers.com\/collections\/blue.oembed","provider":"Sheridans Cheesemongers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}