Have You Had Your Mold Today?

Did you know that September is National Mold Awareness Month? Ok, so probably not. Somehow I doubt your shower mildew does much celebrating. (Or at least, I would hope not. It might prove difficult to shampoo your hair with the shower fungus partying like frat boys.) But poor bathroom sanitation aside, I choose to celebrate this great month by enjoying some of life's moldiest foods - blue cheeses.

Blue cheeses can be made of cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk, range in color from moldy blue to... moldy bluish-green, and are known for their distinctly delicious aroma. Some of my particular favorites are Gorgonzola, Blue Castello, and Maytag Blue (from the same Maytags who brought us the washing machines and dryers). But in all honestly, I'll probably eat just about any intentionally moldy cheese. (Please note the use of the word “intentionally.” Though I must admit to the occasional ingestion of subpar dairy product, I would only recommend eating intentionally moldy cheeses. It's just safer that way. After all, the mold used in most blue cheeses is actually a variant of Penicillin.)

I like to serve blue cheeses with slices of pear, candied walnuts, and a drizzle of honey. It is great sprinkled on top of basically any form of beef. And most blue cheeses can easily be mashed up into a delightful toast-point-topping smear for the fancier National Mold Awareness Month shindigs. But no matter your preferred culinary usage, I hope you will join me this month in celebrating Cheddar's ugly stepsisters - the blue cheeses.