Oxford Blue (cheese) facts for kids
Oxford Blue is a special kind of blue cheese made in Burford, Oxfordshire, England. It was first created in 1995 by a French cheesemaker named Robert Pouget. This cheese is known for being soft and creamy. It has a tangy, strong, and slightly spicy taste. Oxford Blue is made in a way that reminds people of Stilton cheese, but it's often creamier, especially when it gets older. By 2013, cheesemakers were making about five tonnes of this cheese every month!
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What is Oxford Blue Cheese?
Oxford Blue is a delicious blue cheese. It's made from cow's milk that hasn't been pasteurised. The cheese is then aged for about 14 to 16 weeks. This aging process helps it develop its unique flavour and texture.
How is it Made?
To make Oxford Blue, cheesemakers use fresh cow's milk. After the cheese is formed, it's left to ripen, or age, for several months. This aging time allows the cheese to become soft and creamy. It also helps the blue mould grow, which gives the cheese its special look and taste.
What Does it Taste Like?
Oxford Blue cheese is very soft, creamy, and moist. It has a strong, tangy, and spicy flavour. Some people even say they can taste hints of white wine and chocolate in it! It's often described as a "French-style English blue cheese." It can be a great choice if you like cheeses like Dolcelatte or St Agur. It's also a good alternative to Stilton cheese, but it's usually not as strong as cheeses like Roquefort.
The Story of Oxford Blue
Oxford Blue cheese was first made in 1995 by Robert Pouget. He wanted to create a new kind of blue cheese.
From Derbyshire to Oxfordshire
The cheese was first made in Hartington Creamery in Derbyshire. This was until 2009, when that creamery closed. After that, production moved to Carmarthenshire, Wales. In 2013, the cheesemakers decided to bring Oxford Blue back to Oxfordshire. They set up a new, small dairy in a converted barn in Burford. Making cheese creates a lot of liquid waste called whey. At first, they had a problem with how to get rid of about 50,000 litres of whey each month! They solved this by using a special machine called an anaerobic digester. This machine helps break down the whey safely. By April 2013, they were making about five tonnes of Oxford Blue every month. In 2015, the Oxford Cheese Company started distributing this popular cheese.
