Watermelon, mango, blue cheese and cayenne pepper create a sweet, savory spicy, colorful summer salad.
BLUE CHEESE—AND BLUE CHEESE DRESSING—HAVE BEEN STARRING IN MOST OF OUR SALADS LATELY. That got me thinking about one of our favorite blue cheeses, Maytag, made by heirs to the Maytag appliance makers on their farm in Newton, Iowa. And that got me thinking about this summery, tangy, spicy fruit salad we made after an Iowa road trip.
Further, it reminded me about an alarming story that Maytag had shut down production a few years ago after a listeria outbreak. They voluntarily closed for 10 months and spent the time renovating and improving their facilities, to “meet and exceed new regulatory requirements,” John Dannerbeck, chairman of the Maytag Dairy Farms board of directors, said when they were preparing to reopen. During the 10 months they were closed, they continued to pay their 100 or so employees full wages and benefits.
All of this makes us even happier to eat Maytag blue cheese. And want to visit their farm, something we failed to do on that previous road trip. You’ll find more about Maytag Blue Cheese—and the recipe for this summer salad—right here.
I haven’t used Maytag blue cheese in some time. So many other varieties available — I get spoiled by choice, I guess, and seduced by fancy imported cheeses. I need to try some again! And I love watermelon salads with tangy cheese. Just read the recipe from your post from 2010 — outstanding. Thanks!