Led by Paul Fiorentino
VP of culinary and operator
support services, Ventura Foods,
Brea, California

Salads are the usual application for blue cheese dressing, but some operators double it as a sauce, sandwich spread or dip. The product you buy should have the thickness and crumble size that best suits its end use.
1. Open the jar and smell the contents. It should have fresh dairy notes and no strong odor of mayonnaise. You should pick up a pleasant blue cheese aroma.
2. Note the body of the dressing. It should be creamy and spoonable.
3. Apply the dressing to salad greens. It should exhibit great
clingability.
4. Notice the size of the crumble. A large crumble is desirable for salads and sauces. If you intend to drizzle the dressing through a squeeze bottle, choose a smaller crumble.
5. Taste the dressing. It should have a distinctive blue cheese flavor without being overpowering. Refrigerate the dressing and taste again. The flavor may actually improve and mellow later in the dressing’s shelf life.

(May 15, 2008)