More Blue Cheese Advice

Thanks all for you info regarding Blue Cheeses. I have been tasting what my local gourmet grocers offer as far fo blue cheese and plan on going to the Cheese shop in 2 weeks to see if I can get some of the specific types you have recommended.

So far I have had a Stilton, Danish Blue, and a French cheese called St. Peters. Today, I tried a Gorgonzola Dolce. I have to say, that I was NOT a big fan. I am not sure if this is how the cheese is supposed to smell/taste, but all I smelled was barnyard. It was like literally eating a cow's behind. It's strange because none of the others tasted anything like this...they were maybe too salty or a little too tangy, but all had that distinct flavor that I associate with blue cheese.

Anyway, I have a nice wedge of this cheese and not sure what to do with it. If I cook with it, will that help some of the barnyard flavor/smell? Or is my resulting dish going to taste like cow dung risotto?

Maria, gorgonzola dolce MUST be fresh to be good, and when it starts to deteriorate, it goes in a hurry. Your cheese should not smell like the southbound end of a northbound cow, and if it does, I'm betting it's gone over the hill.
If you don't want to eat it, you're not likely to enjoy any dish you cook with it, either.
I would bring it back and see if you could get a refund.

I would also make it a point to go to a reliable cheese shop and ask to see, smell, and taste a sound sample. Compare it to yours, and I think you'll see a big difference.

I agree that sounds terrible. Something is wrong. I have never experienced anything like that. The shop should not be selling cheese in that condition!

Today, I tried a Gorgonzola Dolce. It was like literally eating a cow's behind.

Uh...I'm going to have to defer to you on that, never having personally experienced that activity. This reminds me of the people that say that NZ Sauvignon Blanc not only smells, but also tastes like cat's pee. I always marvel at all the people that seem willing to taste things I'd never even consider, in order to add to their range of taste experience.

Maria, if you say that's what it tasted like, I am willing to take your word for it! (hope you didn't get kicked by the cow....)

What, Bill, you've never tried a cow's behind before? You really need to expand your palate!!

You really need to ascertain whether a blue cheese is too old when you buy it.

Some of them have "sell by" dates. Stilton can be terrible when it starts to go brown and smell of ammonia.

I really think the window for perfect eating is narrower for blue cheese than for most other cheeses. The texture goes, and the smells start to get strong and strange as the cheese develops past its peak.

I am not sure that there is any part of the cow that I would want my cheese to smell like. The north end doesn't really smell all that much better than the south end. But fortunately that is not a problem in cheese that is the right age, not usually.

F

What, Bill, you've never tried a cow's behind before? You really need to expand your palate!!

Gee Maria, it sounded like it was you that was getting ..er...a little 'behind' in your work.....

As for blues that get old, try an over ripe Cabrales some time. Augh! Still can't rival the anti-personnel qualities of a Vacherin - maybe it's a combionation of smelling like that AND being furry?