Case-o Azul

In which I explore the world of blue cheeses produced here in Argentina. I may have overdone it.

Something a little different today. A friend of mine here in town commented recently on how difficult it has been to find a really good blue cheese (queso azul, the title above is a bad pun) here in Argentina. I found the same thing years ago, and back in 2014 started on a search for a decent one. Over the years I’ve tried and retried various blue cheeses produced here and… do I have opinions? Of course I do. I also have more blue cheese in my refrigerator than anyone should. Ever. Come over and help me finish it off?

The “big four” in the blue cheese world are the titans of Europe: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Cabrales - each with its own personality and backstory. Roquefort comes from the caves of southern France, made with sheep’s milk and aged in naturally moldy limestone grottos that give it that sharp, salty kick. Gorgonzola’s Italian roots go back over a thousand years; it’s made from cow’s milk and ranges from creamy and mild (dolce) to firm and spicy (piccante). Stilton, despite the name, isn’t made in the town of Stilton - it’s an English cow’s milk cheese with a crumbly texture and a mellow, nutty flavor. Then there’s Cabrales, the intense Spanish entry, often made with a mix of cow, goat, and sheep’s milk, aged in mountain caves until it’s practically breathing fire.

Argentina’s versions rarely, as best I’ve found, live up to the legacy that they imitate, but there are some excellent attempts. Part of that is that even those that are traditionally made from sheep’s or goat’s milk, are usually made with cow’s milk here.

Based on the figures I’ve been able to dredge up, Argentina produces about 440 tons of blue cheese per year, which is a mere 0.1% of the total cheese production in the country. I couldn’t find the number of producers of blue cheese in country, but my guess is it’s no more than a hundred. Probably far fewer - searching various markets, gourmet food shops, and dedicated cheese shops, I’ve put together… forty one cheeses (fewer producers, as some produce more than one blue) that I’ve been able to find. I’m sure there are more, but they don’t seem to be readily available, at least here in the capitol.

One note - there are several here listed under the names of gourmet cheese shops - Valenti, Franco Parma, Piccolo Positano, and Cittadella. They don’t make their own cheeses, but they also, understandably, wouldn’t part with the information of who makes their private label cheeses for them.