This sampler features four cheeses that are typical of four distinct regions of Italy:

• Provolone Piccante - The piccante (sharp) version of this classic Italian cheese is more complex than the younger dolce version. Provolone is great on sandwiches or chunked into an antipasto salad. (8 oz.)
• Grana Padano Stravecchio - The original hard Italian cheese, Grana Padano is a firm, dry, fruity cow's milk cheese from the Po Valley of Northern Italy. Stravecchio is aged for an optimal 20 months. Grate it over pasta, vegetables or soup, or serve it as a table cheese drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. (8 oz.)
• Mountain Gorgonzola - Italy's famous blue cheese comes from Lombardy. Made from whole cow's milk taken from local herds that graze on beautiful rolling pastures, no Italian Cheese Assortment would be complete without a cut of authentic Gorgonzola. (8 oz.)
• Pecorino Toscano - This soft, 3 month sheep's milk cheese is made in the hills of Tuscany. It is young, sweet and springy. A natural partner with pears! We find that this combination well represents the wide variety of flavors and textures found in Italian cheeses. (8 oz.)

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

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What could be better than to break out that prized bottle of wine you've been saving, served with some of the world's greatest cheeses? This Four-Cheese Sampler was created with everyone's palate in mind. The cheeses in the sampler are:

• Blue - From Italy's famed Lombardy region comes superb Mountain Gorgonzola. It is mild yet tangy cow's milk, creamy yet firm, with a pale interior laced with streaks of blue. Delicious served the Italian way (drizzled with honey), it is a real treat for connoisseurs.
• Nutty - Beemster Classic Exta Aged Gouda is ripened for a full 18 months to develop its nutty, caramel-like flavor. It is always a crowd pleaser.
• Aged - Gruyere de Comte Black Label Reserve has been produced since the reign of Charlemagne, when there were no separate entities named France and Switzerland. Contributing to Comté's unique flavor, morning and evening milkings are mingled before the cheese making process. The wheels are aged for a full year, resulting in a sweet and nutty raw milk masterpiece.
• Tangy - No holiday cheese assortment would be complete without authentic cheddar, and this one from Denhay of England is as good as it gets. Aged at least 11 months.

Whether entertaining or having an intimate night in by the fire, our selection of favorites is sure to be a winner.

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

The 4 cheese sampler plus: Malagon with Rosemary, Dorothea, Camembert & White Stilton with Mango-Ginger

igourmet.com is saluting blue cheese by offering this International Blue Cheese Assortment, containing four of the world's greatest blue cheeses. For creating blue cheese in the first place, we owe thanks to a micro-organism named penicillium roqueforti. This microscopic spore attaches itself to a young cheese and, assuming the cheese is laced with small cracks, multiplies and spreads blue mold throughout as the cheese matures. By the way, this little microbe is also the principal agent used in creating penicillin, the world's first antibiotic. And now, back to the cheese...

Royal Blue Stilton: This special Stilton, still produced in Leicestershire, is full, rich and creamy. Its shocking blue veins radiate outward from a natural, crinkly brown crust, revealing layers and folds of honeyed, cheddary flavor. (8 oz.)

Paladin Blue: This specialty from German Cheesemaker Paladin has an extremely mild and creamy flavor. Paladin does crumble, but has enough moisture to slice as well. Take it along with you on a picnic, or add it to your favorite green salad. (8 oz.)

Mountain Gorgonzola: With its white interior laced with streaks of blue, Mountain Gorgonzola is an attractive table cheese and a savory ingredient in your favorite salad. Or- try it the Italian way - on a plate drizzled with honey. (8 oz.)

Fourme d'Ambert: This AOC (name controlled) creamy blue cheese is a lovely French treasure. Fourme d'Ambert is cave-aged for a minimum of two months, made from raw cow's milk and has a tremendous, creamy, full-bodied flavor. (8 oz.)

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

The flavor of this popular, factory-made cheese is the product of a marriage between Camembert and Gorgonzola, hence, the name. It has a white, Brie-like, white, bloomy rind surrounding a rich, buttery triple crème (70% butterfat) interior with blue veining. Recommended wines are light- to medium-bodied Burgundies and Bordeaux.

A soft, double cream cheese with blue veins and a gentle pungency, Saga Blue is one of Denmark's most popular cheeses. It has a white mold that is mild as blues go, making this a lovely introduction to those who are not accustomed to blue cheese. Cows' milk.

Roquefort is considered the "King of cheeses." It has a tingly pungent taste and ranks among blue cheeses. Only the milk of specially bred sheep is used and is ripened in limestone caverns. It has the cylinder-shape with sticky, pale ivory, natural rind. Ripe Roquefort is creamy, thick and white on the inside and have a thin, burnt-orange skin. The ripening of the cheeses is in the natural, damp aired caves found under the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon. It is the quality of the milk, the processing of the curd, the adding of Penicillium roqueforti and finally the ripening in natural caves that give us this unique and remarkable cheese. The exterior aspect of a Roquefort should be white and faintly shiny. They should be cohesive, at the same time slightly crumbly. This cheese has a distinct bouquet and a flavor that combines the sweet burnt-caramel taste of sheep's milk with the sharp, metallic tang of the blue mould.

Blue-veined Cheeses are marbled with a bluish-green mold. There are a variety of blue-veined cheeses such as Danish Blue, made from cows milk, and French Roquefort, made from sheeps milk. Blue Cheeses are pungent, sharp and peppery to taste, making them ideal for flavoring many foods.

Maytag blue cheese is a cow's milk cheese produced in small volumes in Newton, Iowa.It has a crumbly texture and a very spicy flavor.Nestled in among the rolling hills of central Iowa is the Maytag appliance factory. Down the road and arou nd the corner is the Maytag Dairy, which produces Maytag Blue cheese, among other, lesser-known cheeses. Yes, the two are related.

Huntsman, or Stilchester cheese is a combination of layered English Double Gloucester cheddar and Stilton (English Blue cheese).This creamy, cow's milk cheese is a modern marriage of two classics.

Blue Stilton English cheese: King of Cheeses , close textured un-pressed cheese with a pale ivory paste, grading to amber at the edges and marbled with white powdery patches.full, fruity,deep,intense,sharp, and buttery flavor. Its made fromwhole cow's milk, ripened 4 to 6 months,during which time it isskewered nimerous time to encourage the grouth of Penicillm roqueforti , creating a pale yellow interior with green-blue veins, the texture is rich and creamy 45%fat but slight crumbly.

Shropshire Blue cheese is a cow's milk cheese originating in Scotland, and has nothing to do with the county of Shropshire. Somewhat similar way to Stilton, it is a soft cheese with a sharp, strong flavour and a slightly tangy aroma. It is slightly sour but sharper than Stilton and generally creamier. Shropshire Blue cheese is a cow's milk cheese originating in Scotland, and has nothing to do with the county of Shropshire.Somewhat similar way to Stilton.

The extraordinary flavor of mature Stilton comes from careful aging for a minimum of three months. This mature Stilton is a pure table (eating) cheese; it is too precious and delicious to submerge in a dressing or dip.

Nestled in among the rolling hills of central Iowa is Maytag Dairy, which produces Maytag Blue cheese. Shortly before World War II, F.L. Maytag II began working with scientists at Iowa State University to begin making a great American blue cheese, modeled after those of Europe. The result was one of the first American farmstead cheeses of superior quality. Maytag cheese makers, however, are still hand making the same cheese that they created in the 1930's. Maytag Blue's popularity has taken off with the growing interest in American farmstead cheeses, and this wonderful, tangy blue cheese is now featured on menus across the country. Its wonderful flavor, moist yet crumbly texture, and lemony finish make Maytag one of the world's great blue cheeses.

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 4 lb form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the pound.
• We sell this item in whole form. (item 098W)

This blue from southeastern France is creamier than Roquefort, owing to the fact that it is made from cow's milk rather than sheep's. The terrain near Auvergne is craggy and desolate, and thus, better suited to raising sheep than cows. Even so, the region manages to produce enough cow's milk to eke out its small annual production of Bleu d'Auvergne. Bleu d'Auvergne is great crumbled on a tossed salad. You should also try a small piece on a slice of apple for a beautiful, healthy midday snack.

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk.
• Whole form is 3 lbs.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

Roaring Forties Blue Cheese is made by the King Island Dairy. King Island is situated south of Melbourne, Australia at the western end of Bass Strait. Dairying is the largest primary industry among this island's 1,500 inhabitants. According to local legend, grass seeds found in King Island's soil are believed to have been washed ashore in straw mattresses from some 60 eighteenth-century French and English shipwrecks that are strewn along the King Island coast. For almost a century now, dairy herds have grazed on these unique pastures. The quality of these pastures, combined with a pristine environment, combined with a year round growing season, enables the dairy farmers on King Island to practice traditional feeding methods. The cows are reputed to produce the sweetest milk in the land and from this milk comes a range of dairy products acknowledged throughout Australia and rapidly earning the same sort of reputation in the international marketplace. Roaring Forties Blue is a full-flavored blue with a sweet, nutty character. The cheese is matured in blue wax, thus retaining its moisture and creating a smooth and creamy texture.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 2.5 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

From The Rogue Creamery's inauspicious beginnings in 1935 has come one of the finest artisan cheese operations in the world today. In 2002, Ig (Ignazio "Ig" Vella, affectionately known as the Godfather of artisan cheese) hand selected Cary Bryant and David Gremmels as the new owners of what is now known as The Rogue Creamery. Of utmost importance was to carry on the tradition of hand-milled cheese. Bryant and Gremmels hit the ground running. Within a year, they were producing award-winning cheeses, one of which is the gorgeously named Crater Lake Blue.

Crater Lake Blue, the American Cheese Society's 2004 gold medal winner and more recently, June 2006, took home a bronze medal for foil-wrapped, blue-vein cheese made outside the United Kingdom at the World Cheese Awards. It is a contemporary blue cheese. Robust and sweet with a rich buttery finish, it is best described as a blend of Roquefort and Danish blue cheese recipes. Versatile on a cheese plate or in a special recipe. Its complexity of flavor makes it one of the rare blues that can pair perfectly with both Ruby and Tawny ports. Simply an outstanding cheese, Crater Lake Blue is a terrific example of the craftmanship exhibited by today's American cheesemakers.

Awarded 2nd Place in the American Cheese Society 2007 Awards in the Cow's Milk Blue Cheese Category.

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk.
• Suitable for vegetarians.
• Photo depicts whole 5 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

Mountain Gorgonzola is the Firmer, sharper version of Italian Gorgonzola, the most well known blue cheese in the world. It is mild, creamy, Firm, and slightly tangy.

Unlike typical French blue cheeses made from ewe's milk, Roaring Forties Blue Cheese is made from cow's milk which gives it a milder taste. Roaring Forties is a full bodied blue with a honeyed, slightly nutty quality and great aftertaste. It is a rindless cheese, matured in wax, which helps it retain moisture and creates a smooth and creamy texture.

White Stilton, the young, immature cousin to the world famous British blue cheese, is extra creamy and deliciously tangy but somehow unfinished all by itself - much like plain yogurt. Hence the need to introduce a fruit. Available with apricots, lemon, ginger, and several other wicked flavors. Each of these flavorful additions tames the brash White Stilton. After your first bite you will immediately recognize that the combination is a natural fit. The expert cheesemakers have added exactly the right amount of fruit such that the cheese is not overly sweet. Aged for a minimal time period, our family of flavored White Stiltons are fresh tasting products. Owing to their delicious flavors, beautiful presentations and wickedly scrumptious names, they are among the best selling blended cheeses in the U.K.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Suitable for vegetarians.
• Varieties are sold separately

The French gourmet cheese Bleu d'Auvergne has a wonderful aroma, a rich taste; the saltiness increases with the incidence of veining. The overall flavor is piquant but not overly sharp. Bleu d'Auvergne started life as an imitation of Roquefort, using cow's milk in place of sheep's milk. Legend has it that a peasant, around 1845, decided to inject his cheese with a blue mold that he found growing on his left-over bread (the motto being, waste not, want not). And thus, the gourmet cheese Bleu d'Auvergne was born. This French gourmet blue cheese comes from the region of Auvergne and the cheese is made from milk of Salers and Aubrac cows. The rind is very thin and so the cheese is usually wrapped in foil. The cheese is rich and creamy with a pale yellow color and scattered holes and well-defined greenish-blue veining. We cut and wrap this cheese in wedge of 8 ounces and 1 pound.

Long known as "The King of Cheeses", Blue Stilton is one of a handful of British cheeses granted the status of a "protected designation origin" (PDO) by the European Commission. Only cheese produced in the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and made according to a strict code may be called Stilton. There are just six dairies licensed to make Stilton, each being subject to regular audit by an independent inspection agency accredited to European Standard EN 45011.

To be called Stilton, a cheese must:

• be made only in the three counties from local milk which is pasteurized before use.
• be made only in a traditional cylindrical shape.
• be allowed to form its own crust or coat.
• be un-pressed.
• have delicate blue veins radiating from the center.
• have a taste profile typical of Stilton.

Made by the Long Clawson dairy, this product is perfect for snacking and as a part of the cheese course, but also is a wonderful cheese for salads and cooking.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 8 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

The French gourmet cheese Saint Agur originates in the village of Monts du Velay in the mountainous Auvergne region of central France, an area renowned for a centuries old tradition of blue cheese making. This lovely gourmet cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk enriched with cream; itâTMs a double-cream cheese. A rich blue cheese with a smooth, creamy texture that provides just the right reason to take and break and enjoy a fine cheese tasting session. Saint Agur is easy to recognize by its unusual octagonal shape. It is rindless and packaged in foil, a common practice that prevents further blueing. We are pleased to have this fine gourmet cheese in our assortment and feel confident that you will enjoy its rich creamy taste. We cut and wrap this cheese in wedges of 8 ounces and 1 pound.

With Roquefort's fine, milky-white body veined with emerald green, and its well-balanced flavor, this cheese has been appreciated for generations. The secret of Roquefort's manufacture lies in the cellars built in the 17th century. Thanks to the fleurines that allow the air to circulate in the cellars, Société's master cheese-makers are able to maintain the relative humidity near to saturation point. These are the ideal conditions for the development of the subtle and unequalled flavor of Roquefort Société.

In accordance with the AOC Roquefort regulations, the production of Roquefort requires whole, raw sheep's milk. In order to be used in Roquefort production, this milk must come from within the Roquefort region, and from the ewe's of the Lacaune breed. Roquefort Société is delicious on a baguette, salad, or melted on a steak. Enjoy with your favorite bottle of Sauternes for a delicious ending to any memorable meal.

• Made from unpasteurized sheep's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 3 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

One of France's oldest cheeses, Fourme d'Ambert is high in moisture and compact in texture. It has a milder, more delicate taste than other blue cheeses and is superb when included on a cheeseboard accompanied by a medium-bodied red wine , or in salads and souffls.

Cambozola, which is made by Kasseri Champignon in Bavaria, is a rich and creamy Camembert-type cheese with a bloomy white rind. Beneath its crust, one finds streaks of tangy blue. Hence its name: the marriage of Camembert and Gorgonzola gives us Cambozola. Very popular all over the world, Cambozola is the perfect addition to the after-dinner cheese course and pairs well with fruit and nuts.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 5 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

This world famous Roquefort is a noble, all-natural ewe's milk blue cheese from the Auvergne region of France. Papillon (which means butterfly in French) wraps their top-of-the-line Roquefort in black foil to distinguish it from lesser brands.

Ireland's Beechmount Farm makes this superb blue cheese. Louis and Jane Grubb own this farm in the rolling hills of Tipperary. This county is the heart of horse country and a center for outdoor activity, including pony rides, treks on horseback, fishing, riding, and bird watching. The folks in Tipperary enjoy the good things in life, including their cheese. Cashel Blue is a young, somewhat mild and extra creamy cheese that, unlike inferior blues, is not too salty. It is a fabulous alternative to Gorgonzola or Stilton.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole three lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.
• Suitable for Vegetarians.

From Italy's Lombardy region comes the most imitated blue cheese in the world. Many cheeses falsely claim to be gorgonzola, but they always leave you singing the blues. Authentic Italian Gorgonzola comes in two varieties; Dolce - meaning sweet; and Mountain - the sharper and firmer version. Dating back to ancient times, this member of the stracchino family is one of the world's classic cheeses.

Almost spreadable, Gorgonzola Dolce is supple and luxurious with an unmistakable tangy creaminess. Its pale white interior is laced with streaks of blue, giving Gorgonzola Dolce a striking appearance to match its piquant flavor. Enjoy Gorgonzola Dolce as a table cheese; spread thickly on a piece of crusty baguette; or as an ingredient in your favorite salad dressing.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 3 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

Dolce is Italian for mild or pleasant, and Gorgonzola Dolce is known for being both mild and creamy, with a slightly salty aftertaste. This younger version of aged Gorgonzola is also beloved for its soft, spreadable texture, which makes it perfect for spreading on bread and crackers.