Mama Marisa Blue

Mamá 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.

It 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.

The 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.