First of all, I can't believe this is the fifth official Wednesday cheese, and probably the third blue cheese of those Wednesday cheeses. Something about Wednesdays and blue cheese. Will have to research that a little bit more, next Wednesday...with some more blue cheese...Anyway, in honor of the upcoming Wedge Festival celebrating the artisinal cheeses of the West Coast (October 3 in Portland, OR for those able to get there. Take notes and eat lots of cheese!), I asked Andrew for something from the Pacific Northwest , and he gave me this amazing Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue. Isn't it pretty in its aluminium foil wrapper?
I hear you wondering "How can a blue cheese be a smoked cheese? I've never heard of that before." Well, the folks at Rogue Creamery aren't called rogues for nothing! They've been in business since 1935 (so you know they aren't trendy). They made the first blue cheese on the West Coast. And now, they are making the first ever smoked blue cheese. Yowza!
Now, if you as much of a BBQ novice as I am, you might wonder, as I did, "But wouldn't the cheese melt if you put it in a smoker?" Well, yes, as it turns out, if it is a hot smoker, and not a cold smoker like they use at Rogue. They use smoke up some hazelnut shells to give the cheese a great nutty, smoky flavor, and its cool enough in the smoker not to melt all this delicious cheese!
Click here to see how to make your own cold smoker. Let me know how it works...I don't think I'll be trying that one soon.
So, this tasty smoked blue was so tasty, both on a baguette, and in the grilled steak and onion salad with tomato and avocado.
Sweet blue cheese dreaming!
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