What to look for to make sure you're buying the best.
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.
- 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.
- Note the body of the dressing. It should be creamy and spoonable.
- Apply the dressing to salad greens. It should exhibit great
- clingability.
- 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.
- 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.
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