Our expert's weekly look at the world of cheese.

Those mourning the loss of their beloved, stinky French Roquefort (which just saw a hefty tariff bump) will delight in this wallet-friendly blue from the good old U.S. of A.

Mineral Point (Wis.)'s own Tilston Point is not the most attractive hunk of cheese we've ever seen, with a yellow-orange hue and blue veins that lend it the appearance of a past-its-prime cheddar. For its unctuous flavor, though, it's worth it: Tilston Point features the complex, luscious texture of its French counterpart along with the earthiness of a Stilton. Its refined flavors range from sweet to mineral-like and linger on the palate. Tasting this fromage is like getting stuck to a bench, enraptured, in front of Monet's water lilies. (OK, maybe we're getting a little carried away. Long story short: It rules.)

Hook's Cheese Company's Tony Hook and wife Julie have been handcrafting cheese including cheddar, Colby and Monterey Jack for more than 30 years. In 1997, they began perfecting a series of blue cheeses and in 2004 created Tilston Point, their sole washed-rind cow's milk blue, aging it for 10 months to a year. The company gets all of its milk from family-owned small local dairy farms boasting anywhere from 11 to 50 cows.


And yes, the "Tilston" name was inspired by "Stilton," Hook says, though he's clear to point out the many ways in which his cheese differs from the famed English blue. "We use a completely different procedure to make ours," he explains. "[It's] a little denser, and we wash our cheese with b. linens." B. linens (brevebacterium linen) is surface bacteria cultivated by the solution (usually saltwater brine) applied to washed rind cheeses, such as French Muenster and Hooligan. Sounds delicious, right? This bacteria is responsible for the orange reddish color of the rind as well as its stinky aroma, and is OK to eat. Will Hook divulge his method for washing the rind? Nope. "That's one of our secrets."

Tilston Point is widely available in the Midwest and at specialty stores nationwide for about $12 per pound. Check its Web site to locate a vendor for a tasty, well-priced blue that'll wow guests without making you take out a loan.

Max Shrem, a former cheese seller, writes Cheese Course weekly on Slashfood.