Fourme d'Ambert, The Other French Blue

I realize that I've not yet given the fair readers of this blog a review of The French Blue, that being of course Roquefort, but this will soon be rectified. For now, something completely different:
Fourme d'Ambert is made in the Auvergne region of France, home to such other greats as Cantal, Salers, and Saint Nectaire, and the quality of the milk present in those classics is equally strong in this ancient-of-days blue. Dating back to even before the English were crafting wheels of their own Blue claim to fame, Stilton, Fourme d'Ambert has a strong and balanced flavor that I just can't get enough of. Alternatively it's a cheese of which I just can't get enough.

Origin: Auvergne, France
Milk: Cow, unpasteurized
Rennet: Animal

Affinage: 1-4 months

Notes: There is a large of industrial production of Fourme d'Ambert that used pasteurized milk, so seek it out in the States, but I was fortunate enough to find an unpasteurized artisanal AOP version. It really is the little things in life.

Thoughts:  Far from the salty spicy burn of Roquefort, this French blue is a creamy but fully developed masterpiece. The rich veining  provides for a noted and perfectly measured kick that appears alongside just enough of a burn to give it complexity, but both are kept constantly in check by the really impressive milky smoothness of the paste. It somehow splits the middle between the ferocious blues Roquefort and Cabrales and the tame, if perfectly delicious, Gorgonzola Dolces of the world. Rustic and hearty in a comforting way that not many Blues can pull off, the nuanced, raw, pale paste, generous veining, and rich creaminess make for a blue cheese that I'd give to blue cheese snob and novice alike, eat any time of the day, and still never get tired of. 

Caution

I realize, looking into the brief but busy archive of this blog, that there's quite a few more French cheeses on file than others. I've always said I'm not partial to cheese from any particular country, but you can't fight a tidal wave: they've just got some incredible curd.