Tastes change.
I used to hate mushrooms, though you’d never know it if you saw me inhaling the garlic mushrooms at a Tapas bar. I also turned my nose up at Brussels Sprouts until very recently and now I can’t get enough of the little cabbagy delights. As children, we often deem strong tastes repulsive, pushed to the edge of the plate and ignored, unless the threat of “no dessert!” forces them down. Sometimes these tastes last til adulthood and beyond, other times palates expand and embrace these new flavours.
Personal (non-food) tastes change too, sometimes at an alarming rate. Friends become friends no longer, or maybe you start to see through their hazy layer of deceit and catch glimpses of the nastiness, or vacuity underneath.
Blue cheese is one of those divisive tastes, I don’t always agree with “you either love it or you hate it”, but sometimes it’s right. Now, I neither loved nor hated blue cheese, I enjoy a sliver on a cracker at a party, or upon the end of my carrot stick when turned into a dip. I had tasted a divine blue cheese custard, but I feared tiring of the flavour. I was worried to make it the defining taste of a main course, scared that after a few mouth fulls i’d be blue-cheesed-out, like spending too much time with a friend who is no longer.
I finally took that lonely wedge of blue, which was on its last legs for sure, and turned it into a warming and savoury soup with cauliflower and thyme. I took the plunge and luckily me fears were unfounded. Rather than being like a blue cheese punch to the face, this soup is quite mellow and creamy with the cheese adding creaminess and interest.
Sometimes it pays to try those flavours that were once banished from your directory, because tastes change.
Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup
Adapted from A Year in My Kitchen by Skye Gyngell
Serves 4
1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small pieces, stalk included
15g butter
1 large onion, chopped
6 sprigs of thyme
1L chicken stock
250g blue cheese
100ml cream
Melt butter in a large onion and sweat over medium heat for a few minutes until softened and transparent. Add cauliflower and thyme and season lightly with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Add chicken stock and bring to the boil. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.
Crumble blue cheese into the soup, and stir to combine. Add cream and cook over low heat until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat, cool then blend until really smooth.
Return soup to the heat, when warmed thoroughly, re-season and serve.
9 Comments
i haven’t tried blue cheese before. it sounds like a really strong smelling type?
i think the most smelliest cheese i’ve tasted is .. some cracker barrel waxed cheese..which was crumbly & yummy hehe
Betty’s last blog post..Cream cheese & kiwi Tart
Sad about friends who are no longer, but it makes you value the lasting ones. This looks like a beautiful soup, and a great way to get started on blue cheese. I haven’t been game to cook with it since I sprinkled some and gave my audience hayfever!
Arwen from Hoglet K’s last blog post..Campsie Food Festival
Sounds delicious! I make a very similar soup – Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup.
Gail’s last blog post..Winter Entertaining on a Shoestring
Yes! I was just like you, I have only recently embraced brussel sprouts. And only very very recently started to enjoy blue cheeses…I’ve always liked cauliflower though, and their srong flavour would be a good balance for the blue cheese flavour! Looks rich and creamy, yum.
Steph’s last blog post..Bonta Vita, Sydney CBD
Tastes change indeed. I use to hate dark chocolate, cucumbers (lol ?) and rocket. This soup looks great btw, some crunchy bread would go down well with it. om nomonomonm.
Howard’s last blog post..Lao Village, Fairfield
beautiful photos. I have some blue cheese in my fridge that I need to use soon!
I agree, my tastes have changed a lot in the last few years, and I’ve become a lot more open minded when it comes to food.
Lisa’s last blog post..Brand New
i must admit…i still have to get round to liking brussel sprouts
otherwise, this soup looks yummy!
panda’s last blog post..pablo & rusty’s @ oxford st., epping
I can’t say I’m a big fan of blue cheese, but this soup makes it so delectable! I love the hint of thyme on both the recipe and photos – nice touch!
Trisha’s last blog post..Chicken Udon Noodle Soup
Betty: Blue cheese can be very strong, working your way up to it is essential
Arwen from Hoglet K: Hayfever! Oh no! Yes the waning of friendships can be sad but sometimes just different, a change like any other.
Gail: Broccoli and blue cheese sounds like a wonderful combination. I have a little issue with broccoli when it gets soft and grey though, like it brings back boarding school memories that I’ve never actually experienced. I’d just have to make sure to not cook the broc too much.
Steph: Yeah, it was really great and warming
Howard: Cucumbers? Dark chocolate? Isn’t it lovely to discover that you enjoy something new
Lisa: Thank you. I really value that joy of discovery.
panda: Maybe you will, one day
Trisha: Thank you