Rogue River Blue

Rogue Creamery in Oregon makes several amazing blue cheeses, including Oregon Blue and Smokey Blue. However, their crown jewel is Rogue River Blue. Rogue River is made from all Brown Swiss and Holstein cow's milk that is certified sustainable. This cheese is completely seasonable, being produced only during the autumnal equinox and winter solstice, aged, and then usually released during the month of September.

The flavor of Rogue River Blue is sweet, creamy, and complex. The wheels vary to some degree because the cheese expresses the terroir of the Rogue River Valley in Oregon. The cows graze on grass, herbs, and wildflowers, supplemented by some hay and grain grown at the ranch. Then, rather than inoculating the five pound wheels with P. roqueforti (the Roquefort mold that is most commonly used to create the bluing in blue cheeses), the cheesemakers age the Rogue River in caves made to resemble those in France that are used for the aging of Roquefort. This aging exposes the wheels to naturally occurring molds from the Rogue River Valley.

As the final touch, the wheels are wrapped in Oregon-grown Merlot and Syrah grape leaves which have been macerated in Clear Creek Pear Brandy. This wrapping influences the character of the cheese, giving it a softer texture and a juicier, sweeter, fruitier flavor.


Rogue River Blue has won several awards, notably Best Blue Cheese and Best American Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in London.

We have managed to acquire several wheels of this great but hard-to-find Oregon cheese. Call us, check out the website, or come on down to the shop to try a taste of it yourself!

Hook's 12 Year Cheddar

One of our newest cheeses is a 12 year aged cheddar from Hook's Cheese Company. Hook's has been making outstanding aged cheddars in Mineral Point, Wisconsin since 1976. The 10 year aged version won the American Cheese Society 1st place in 1996, and their newest cheddar, the 12 year, is an exceptional treat!


It is a pasteurized cow's milk cheese made with vegetarian rennet. Colored with annatto seeds, at first glance Hook's 12 Year Cheddar appears to be a standard orange brick cheddar, but once you taste it, its individuality shines through. The 12 Year Cheddar is rich and complex flavored, and has pockets of crystallized proteins that make an amazing addition to the flavor and texture of the cheese. It is still sharp, but its sharpness is tempered by its smooth savoriness.

We are selling Hook's 12 Year Cheddar in quarter pound increments. Come into the shop or check out our website to purchase!

November 2007 Classes

Coming up in November, we will have two new classes.

Monday, November 12, we will have a cooking class featuring holiday entertaining recipes.

Tuesday, November 13, we will have a wine and cheese pairing class on California wines and cheeses.

Cooking classes feature chef Jeremiah Timmons from Ambrosia Bistro and Wine Bar, and the wine and cheese pairing classes feature John Allen from Vino! A Wine Shop. Both of them are extraordinarily knowledgeable and make for an informative, entertaining and sociable evening.

All classes are $45.00 per person and are held at Saunders Cheese Market from 6pm-8pm. Call or come into the shop to sign up!

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog for Saunders Cheese Market. We are located at 210 S. Washington in beautiful Spokane, Washington. This blog will chronicle our newest cheeses, highlighting our favorites, and will also cover other products we carry and gourmet foods in general. Visit our website if you would like to learn more about us!