Featured Cheese of the Week: Valdeon

12/03/2012

This week we choose to feature the Spanish blue Valdeon.    This intense blue is produced in the North West area of the Castilla-Leon region in the Valdeon Valley.  Valdeon is made with a mix of cow and goat’s milk.  It is wrapped in leaves from the Sycamore tree.  The combination of the two types of milks gives it a sweet rich flavor from the cow’s milk and a little tang from the goat’s milk.  It is a delicate, yet strong flavored cheese with hints of dark berries and red wine.  Valdeon is slightly salty and has wonderful pepper notes that gives it a little spice.  The Sycamore leaves also gives Valdeon an added sweetness to the cheeses finish.  It is a great cheese to use in any sauce recipe that asks for a blue.  We recommend accompanying this cheese with a dry white or red wine.