Vermont Blue Cheeses

We had the pleasure of hosting Tom Bivins, Executive Director of the Vermont Cheese Council, yesterday for a tasting of three Vermont blue cheeses: Cellars at Jasper Hill's Bayley Hazen Blue, Plymouth Artisan Cheese's Red, White, and Blue, and Parish Hill Creamery's West West Blue. 

Tom told us that out of all the many cheesemakers in Vermont, only 6 or 7 are making blue cheeses. Tom mentioned that some people are hesitant to try, purchase, or serve blue cheeses because they don't know if everyone will like it or because there is such a variety in taste.  The three cheeses we tried, which we sell in our Cheese Department, definitely had diverse taste profiles that differed from each other, but all three were delicious in their own ways.  Wondering what blue cheese goes well with? Try them with honey, dark jams, berries, and beets.

Cellars at Jasper Hill's Bayley Hazen Blue: You may be familiar with Bayley Hazen Blue, as it was recently awarded the best raw milk cheese in the world and was served at the White House. It's one of the more accesible blue cheeses, as it's complexity is balanced by a mild sweetness and spice.  It has only a mild salty taste and a fudge-like texture.

Plymouth Artisan Cheese's Red, White, and Blue: This blue is a bit more robust than Bayley Hazen Blue, but not as heavy as European cheeses. It has a super creamy texture. It has a stronger salty taste and may be harder to match with other foods, however Tom suggested that this cheese is a good holiday cheese, as it pairs well with roasted walnuts and port.

Parish Hill Creamery's West West Blue: This is a sweeter blue with some bite. It's not as salty as the Red, White, and Blue, but is the funkiest of the three.  It's great crumbled on salads or mixed into pasta.

Interested in learning more about Vermont cheeses? Check out the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival at Shelburne Farms on July 19, 2015.