Monday, May 31, 2010

Valdeón Cheese- Best Spanish Blue Cheese

Currently, this has to be my favorite cheese and maybe all time favorite Blue cheese.

Selling at Baltimore's Whole Foods for $11.99/lb.

Made with Cow's or Goat's milk. Wrapped in Maple or Chestnut leaves. From the Leon region.

What is so surprising about this blue is its pockets of caramel like sweetness. It is of course very salty first off but as you let this cheese melt in your mouth you feel the creaminess and embrace the earthy, mild stink (in comparison to other blues) and then you find these spots of nutty sweetness. I would compare it to how some aged Goudas had tiny almost crunchy sweet crystals.

What to pair this with:

Strawberries & Balsamic glaze
Figs & Steak
Cherries & Pork Chops
Candied Walnuts & Radicchio
Fresh Spinach & Toasted Hazelnuts
Caramelized Onions & Morels

Wine: Fruity Pinot Noir, CA Zinfandel, Round Cabernet, Albarino

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