It may be marketed where you by Kerrygold but it is very much a small production farmhouse cheese. It’s one of the cheeses sold in the UK by Neals Yard Dairy (which has a shop in London but also sells across the UK by its online facility). This is from the shop’s website:
"When Tipperary farmers Louis and Jane Grubb created Cashel Blue in the 1980s, there were very few soft blue cheeses being made on the British Isles and no blue cheese at all being made in Ireland. So, in their embrace of blue mould, the Grubbs metaphorically broke the mould. Theirs remains very much a family operation: Cashel Blue is made in a purpose-built dairy designed by Louis’s brother Brian, and the couple’s daughter Sarah and son-in-law Sergio now oversee the business. All of the milk used to make this richly creamy cheese (which is named after a nearby landmark, the Rock of Cashel) comes from within a 25km radius of the farm, including the Grubbs’ own herd of pedigree Friesians. "
Very cool!
I work in a cheese & wine shop. Yesterday a cheese rep came by and we tried an Italian buffalo milk blue. Not quite as creamy as the St. Agur, but close and lots of layers of flavor. We’re in the middle of revamping our blue cheese selection, so I’m looking forward this new one and hopefully bringing back the Cashel Blue. Roquefort has special associations for me since my Mom makes an amazing dressing for our holiday meal with it.
I second St. Augur. Hands down my favorite blue cheese!
Would you care to share the blue cheese recipe?
There is a salad dressing thread. It would be nice for you to share there so others that are not on this thread might enjoy.
Also here because it has to do with blue cheese?
Here’s the link to the favorite salad dressing thread if you wish to share:
point reyes original blue is an excellent blue. Quite a bit different but also very good is gorgonzola dolce. Can’t go wrong with either.
Please do share your Mom’s recipe for the amazing dressing with the Roquefort. I lost my favorite recipe and am trying to find one to replace it.
I’m not @BigWoodenSpoon, but here’s an old one from Tyler Florence which is terrific:
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. + 1-2 T. good blue cheese (Maytag, for instance)
1/4 + 1-2 T. whole buttermilk
1/8 t. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. celery seed
10 cranks (+/-) freshly ground black pepper
Pulse everything in a food processor to desired texture. If you like, whisk in a few more chunks of blue cheese after processing for a chunkier texture.
I’ve tried many different blues over the years, including Pt. Reyes, Stilton, St. Agur, various Spanish and Italian blues, etc., and enjoy many of them. When I was in Montreal a few years ago, I found there was a large variety of blues just from that immediate area. Still, none beat Roquefort to my taste. Of course it all comes down to personal preference. Very important to try them all at room temperature if possible – of course that goes for just about all cheese.
From above, we have tried Point Reyes, St Agur, Cambozola, Maytag, and the whole family’s favorite is Rogue River Blue. My personal fave of their line is the smokey blue, which is smoked over hazelnut shells. Trader Joes sometimes carries wedges of their original for $20/lb which is amazing considering most stores carry that brand for $30-35/lb. The past few years, around winter holidays, Whole Foods has carried a special made for them Rogue River Blue called Enraptured. The cheese is finished in a soak of white or red wine and sold by the wheel. Also delicious, but not readily available at other times of the year.
I bought the Smokey Blue and the Rogue River Blue when we drove through Oregon in November. I also bought Enraptured at Whole Foods because of the recommendation here on HO. All were so good! I look forward to eating more of their cheeses.
Might’ve been my suggestions. I’ve been singing their praises for awhile! Glad you enjoyed.
Really enjoyed this Guffanti 300 day aged gorgonzola. Thought it might be dry but it was super creamy, and softened up nicely after about 20 min.
What we didn’t eat with the crackers, we ate with the steak. Crackers are overrated really. If there’s a better pairing for blue cheese than rare beef lemme know!
I love pretty much all of them. For cooking, dressings, etc. I like Maytag. Rogue and Pt. Reyes are superb. Roquefort is transcendent. So is Stilton. I remember fondly the days my parents made a mixed salad to follow the main course, tossed it in olive oil and a smidge of red wine vinegar, and tossed in liberal amounts of Roquefort, crumbled into pretty large chunks. Of course fifty-five years ago the world was quite different.
