WineLovers Discussion Group

The best blue cheese I've ever tasted is Spanish Cabrales. A good Cabrales will be creamy, sweet, tangy, buttery and nutty, and for my tastes nothing else comes close. Only problem is I rarely see it up here. So when I needed a blue a few weeks ago, I chose Cashel because I'd not had it before and I didn't see anything else compelling where I was shopping. And I discovered a cheese that is creamy, sweet, tangy, buttery and nutty in a way very similar to my beloved Cabrales! Going on memory alone I'd say there are some textural differences that would keep Cabrales in front for me (Cashel is a slightly wetter cheese), but as I'm unable to get Cabrales at all, this will do very very nicely.

Have you tried Saint-Agur?

What do you think about Point Reyes Blue, Jenise? I tend to be a Europhile, but Point Reyes is a blue that makes me very happy, more so than even the perhaps more famous Maytag blue.

Yes it's a very good blue cheese, that oddly we haven't had for a couple of years. Such is life.

Robin Garr wrote:What do you think about Point Reyes Blue, Jenise? I tend to be a Europhile, but Point Reyes is a blue that makes me very happy, more so than even the perhaps more famous Maytag blue.

Yes I've had it, but it didn't impress me as buttery-nutty in the way the Cabrales, alone in my experience until I met the Cashel, does. Good stuff, though.

And speaking of blues--is there anyone else who thinks that Maytag isn't as good these days as it used to be?

Going on memory alone I'd say there are some textural differences that would keep Cabrales in front for me (Cashel is a slightly wetter cheese), but as I'm unable to get Cabrales at all, this will do very very nicely.

I'm not sure I have ever seen this cheese but I was wondering why you don't order it online? There are several items I cannot find here in Redding so I order online and even though some shipping is involved, it is a treat to have that special ingredient. Just curious! Another thought, sometimes when I order from a company, I am able to bulk order several things and they give you free shipping.

Jenise wrote:
And speaking of blues--is there anyone else who thinks that Maytag isn't as good these days as it used to be?

The last couple of times I've had Maytag, I've been disappointed.

I do like the Saint-Agur a lot, too. Haven't had Cashel, to my knowledge.

I love Cabrales as well but I was totally bewildered when I saw at least 6 different offerings based on age in a store in Madrid. They ranged from totally hard, dry, dark discs to weepy, yellow, soft and everything in between. Would have taken a few months of tastes and trials to get to know the tastes and niche for each age.

I'm a big blue cheese fan and usually get some at least two times a month. Mostly gorgonzola for cooking (bleu d'auvergne is another core option) but will look into this today at the store for something different.

Karen/NoCA wrote:

Going on memory alone I'd say there are some textural differences that would keep Cabrales in front for me (Cashel is a slightly wetter cheese), but as I'm unable to get Cabrales at all, this will do very very nicely.

I'm not sure I have ever seen this cheese but I was wondering why you don't order it online? There are several items I cannot find here in Redding so I order online and even though some shipping is involved, it is a treat to have that special ingredient. Just curious! Another thought, sometimes when I order from a company, I am able to bulk order several things and they give you free shipping.

I'm no stranger to online ordering, Karen, but have to admit it never occurred to me to buy cheese this way. Seattle's Whole Foods Markets, when I'm down there, offer a fab cheese selection and so do several purveyors to the north in Vancouver. I have several smaller-scale sources here in town too to save me from resorting to the typical grocery store options--it's just that Cabrales, though it has been here in the past, hasn't been seen in some time. Too, I don't even think I would ever order enough cheese at once to offset the cost of cold shipping.

Jeff Grossman/NYC wrote:Have you tried Saint-Agur?

Yes, and it's great stuff. But it's not as nutty as Cabrales.

I don't even think I would ever order enough cheese at once to offset the cost of cold shipping

Yes, I know what you mean. The cold shipping, especially into Redding can cost more than the product itself. I usually have to wait until winter sets in and then try to find my product as close to Redding as possible. Oakville Grocery is a good outlet for me in the Napa Valley area.

FYI, the head cheese maker during Maytag's rise to glory (deserved, IMO) then moved to Point Reyes Creamery some years ago when they started their climb to fame.

I've been to the creamery and I've met the family. Excellent operation; fantastic cheese. And the family is devoted to quality. Nice people too.

I agree with Jenise on the Cabrales--richer, nuttier, creamier, somewhat akin to real Roquefort but more nutty, less salty.

Careful though, as pointed out, different aging really alters the profile of the cheese.