Cheese of the week: Smokey Blue

Name: Smokey Blue

Brand: Rogue Creamery 

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Organic Co-op in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: Oregon

Price in Iowa: $21.67/pound

Milk: organic raw cow

Processing: Typical bleu processing, coupled to a 16-hour smoke over hazelnut shells.

Texture: semi-firm

Color: pale yellow with bleu veining

Rind: Natural

Aroma: Nutty, bleu, vanilla

Taste: Smokey, strong bleu, umami, nutty, beefy, sweet

Mouth feel: Smooth and silky
 
Notes:  There is a lot going on with this cheese.  I love bleu cheese.  The stinkier and stronger, the better.  But this bleu is something else.  I've had a few unusual blues (blue jacks and blue goudas and cheddar blues).   This is a transformed blue.  The smoking adds so many complicated flavors that every mouthful is different.  Try it.  You'll like it.