The Best Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is a lot more controversial than white cheese. Some cheese aficionados will tell you that blue cheese is the absolute best, while others turn their noses up whenever they see those blue/green spots on a cheese board.

Those that do love blue cheese, and we’re definitely in that camp ourselves, can never agree on which is best. We all have our personal favourites, but with so many types of blue cheese, is there a definitive best flavour? Let’s find out.

But first, the basics.

What is Blue Cheese?

Blue cheese contains distinct veins of mould that give it the classic ‘spotty’ look and add extra sharp flavours that blend with the smoothness of the rest of the cheese.

When looking for some blue cheese for cheese boards, for cooking, or just to enjoy on its own, you want the most flavour possible. Blue cheese is known for having a bolder flavour, with the added mould creating a tanginess that nothing else quite matches.

How we Make Blue Cheese Special

The process of making blue cheese is similar to any white cheese, as milk is churned into curds, but penicillin mould is injected into the cheese, creating those blue/green veins. This is the process in its simplest terms; at Hartington Creamery we add multiple flavours and annatto colouring that makes each type of cheese distinct.

And that’s far from everything we do!

We pride ourselves on using traditional methods during our blue cheese production. We’ve been in business for over a century, and as the only UK cheese manufacturer that is also a working farm, we’re blending the old ways with the new.

This can be something as simple as stirring the cheese curds by hand. Stirring too much or too little can ruin the consistency of cheese, and since every batch is unique, this is not something you can rely on a machine for. Our team all have a lot of experience, and used their practiced eyes to judge how much stirring is necessary.

We also allow our blue cheese to dry naturally, instead of trying to speed up the process, which we find can affect the flavour. It’s the same for ageing; we never artificially age our cheese.

Our Blue Cheese Collection

That’s enough context, let’s talk cheese. Here’s our current selection of blue cheese:

Shropshire Blue – One of our best-looking blue cheeses thanks to the annatto colouring we add, which gives it an orange tint that complements the blue veins.

Blue Stilton – A blueish twist on one of the nation’s favourite types of cheese. Perfect for anyone trying blue cheese for the first time.

Dovedale Blue – This PDO cheese has been brine dipped instead of dry salted, which traps more flavour that perfectly suits its creaminess.

Baby Dovedale – A soft blue cheese with an edible rind, and like original Dovedale, you won’t find it anywhere outside of Derbyshire.

Skegness Blue – A bold flavour combination that blends the sharpness of stilton with the creaminess of brie, this is also available as a wrapped cheese wheel, for people who want a large quantity of cheese for events or to share.

Peakland Blue – One of our most successful cheeses, this multi-award winner is a beautiful pale yellow but with strong blue veins throughout.

Devonshire Gold – If you want a cheese that looks fantastic on a cheese board, look no further than Devonshire Gold, with its iconic gold colouration that enhances an equally bold flavour.

When shopping for blue cheese, it isn’t just the type you need to think about, but also the quantity. If it’s just for yourself, or you’re keen to try a new flavour for the first time, a small cheese wedge or square is plenty, and none will go to waste.

If you’re already a lover of blue cheese, a truckle might be better, giving you plenty to enjoy or to use on a cheese board. These are ideal for sharing, but they last long enough if it’s just for you.

For a big event, you need a large supply. This is where our blue cheese wheels come in. A fantastic amount of cheese that ensures that everyone gets to enjoy it, no matter the occasion. You can also select half-moon blue cheese wheels if a full one is a bit too much.

Choosing the Best Blue Cheese

If it isn’t obvious by now, there isn’t an indisputable best blue cheese. Each has their pros and cons, and it almost always comes down to personal preferences. However, there are a couple of factors that help you narrow down the search.

The first is your choice of accompaniments. Some blue cheeses are stronger than others, and can overpower or clash with certain chutneys or charcuterie. So if you want to enjoy some additional flavours, a mild blue cheese might be best.

If you’re not used to blue cheese, you also don’t want to dive in at the deep end if you’re not sure what flavours you’d like. A smoother cheese with a milder tanginess is rarely something you’ll regret purchasing.

We can’t tell you which of our blue cheeses is the best. In all honesty, we wouldn’t be able to pick a favourite even if we wanted to. But what we can do is nudge you in a certain direction, and at the very least assure you that every blue cheese we make by hand is some of the best you’ll ever taste.

Thanks to our dedication to traditional methods, as well as a dash of the human touch with every order, look no further than Hartington Creamery whenever blue cheese is on the menu. And if you have any questions about us or any of our cheeses, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!