04/10/08 Food & Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Today is food and wine pairing and today we are going to talk about blue cheese, a few interesting ways to incorporate it into dishes and of course the wine that goes with it. Well Blue cheese is one of our very favorite cheeses and it is not just for crumbling on salads or making salad dressing. It can be an integral part of a side dish or a main dish. I love to make a deep soufflé dish of blue cheese bread pudding. It is fabulous as an accompaniment to a roast pork tenderloin or a grilled steak. That calls for a nicely balance red wine nothing too heavy though. The very same recipe can be topped with a warm pear sauce and serve with a semi-sweet Riesling as a dessert! If you are serious about blue cheese consider adding a little to your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. I have never thought it could taste better than when it was served with a dry Rose' or a nice crisp Pinot Gris. But I will make a shameless plug for one of my favorites  if you are ever in Kennewick WA, where I live, you must go to the Olympic Blue Restaurant and have the grilled cheese sandwich. It is truly an outrageous rendition of a classic. And yes as you guessed one of the cheeses in it is blue cheese. It is as close to the big "O" as you can have with your clothes on, and it is sublime with the Riesling they pour by the glass. Definitely worth the trip! When it comes to blue cheese, think outside the box. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.