Oxford Baby Blue Cheese

Description

Oxford Baby Blue Cheese

About Oxford Baby Blue

Oxford Baby Blue is a younger version of the Oxford Blue. It is softer, creamier and milder than its older brother, but it still retains a distinctive blue tang.

Oxford Blue first popped up in 1993, thanks to Baron Pouget at the Oxford Cheese Company. At that time, British cheesemaking was having a bit of a renaissance. After years of big factories edging out farmhouse traditions, a new wave of cheesemakers started reviving regional styles and putting their own spin on old favourites. Oxford Blue is a product of that movement; a modern English blue that’s milder and creamier than some of the more full-on blues you might have tried.

The Make

Oxford Baby Blue begins with cow’s milk, which gets a sprinkle of Penicillium roqueforti, the magic ingredient that gives it those lovely blue-green veins. Once the milk has set and been cut, the curds are gently ladled into moulds and left to drain at their own pace. The cheese is then pierced with needles to let in a bit of air, which encourages the blue to spread through the cheese.

The wheels are aged for up to 8 weeks, which is a little less than its big brother Oxford Blue. This is what gives Oxford Baby Blue its lovely moist, creamy texture. The rind is natural and pale, sometimes with a bit of mottling, and inside you’ll find a paste that ranges from ivory to pale yellow, all laced with delicate blue veins.

Oxford Baby Blue – Jen’s Tasting Notes

How to Serve and Pair Oxford Baby Blue

• Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
• Classic pairings: Surprisingly the Oxford Baby pairs really well with a rosé wine.
• Something a little different: I like it with a scrumpy cider, the sweetness of the cider cuts through the creaminess of the cheese like a knife.
• On the plate: Try it with a handful of mixed nuts and dried fruit. The added crunch complements the cheese perfectly.
• In the kitchen: Oxford Baby Blue melts beautifully into pasta, and is lovely cut into cubes and scattered over a salad with toasted pine nuts.

Jen’s note: Despite the name, Oxford Baby Blue doesn’t have roots in ancient monastic cheesemaking or grand university feasts. It was actually created in the 1990s, so it’s younger than plenty of the students who first tasted it. The name was chosen to give the cheese a bit of Oxford’s prestige and tradition from the get-go.

Buying Montagnolo

• Brand or Producer: The Oxford Cheese Company
• Product name: Oxford Baby Blue
• Milk: Cow
• Country: England
• Region: Oxfordshire
• Strength: Mild
• Vegetarian: Yes
• Suitable for pregnancy: No
• Allergens: MILK

Sizes and Prices

• Whole cheese (approx. 250g), £9.95

Storage Advice

• Keep refrigerated
• Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
• Remove from the fridge before serving
• Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening

Delivery and Collection

• UK wide courier delivery
• Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
• Free local delivery available for selected postcodes

Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)

MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt, Penicillium Roqueforti