Product Review: Colston Bassett Shropshire Cheese

To be honest, I bought this cheese because it looked kind of scary and I was feeling a little adventurous. Before this point the only blue cheeses I'd tasted were Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and the unidentified "blue cheese" found in salad dressings. As far as I've been able to determine, they're all made with the same mold: Penicillium roqueforti. Since Leann couldn't (Lillian still hadn't been born at this point [1]) and wouldn't (because of her taste preferences) eat blue cheese, I also bought another cheese that she could eat with me.[2]

The cheesemonger at Harmons suggested trying it melted over a steak or a hamburger. I didn't remember at the time, but that evening we were scheduled to have hamburgers for dinner. So when I got ready to broil the burgers, I quickly cut a few slices and threw them onto my burger. Just the right amount of mold boiled off, leaving the burger with a tasty cheese with just a hint of blue. (It doesn't actually melt all that well, though.) Thrilled with the success of that venture, I tried putting some Shropshire on a ham sandwich a few days later. Alas, it was too much. I made it to the last bite, but then had to remove the cheese before proceeding. It was also a little strong for just eating with crackers.

My verdict: If you like blue cheeses, this one will probably treat you right. But if you don't, then you're better off avoiding Shropshire blue cheese (though I repeat that it was pretty darn good melted on a hamburger).

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Notes:

[1] See my post Unexpected Delivery. That probably gives you an idea of how far her premature arrival set me back with respect to this blog.

[2] My review of that cheese, Toma cheese, can be read here.