Stilton Vs Cheddar: Taste, Texture, And Terroir

Cheddar and Stilton are two of the most popular cheeses in the UK. Cheddar, which originated in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, is now made all over the world and is widely popular. Stilton, on the other hand, is an English cheese with protected designation of origin status, meaning it can only be produced in the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. It is known for its intense and rich flavour and crumbly texture. In this topic, we will compare and contrast the two cheeses, exploring their unique characteristics and how they differ in terms of taste, texture, and production methods.

How does Stilton Cheese compare to Cheddar?

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Taste and texture

Cheddar cheese is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk that has been matured for several months. It can be white, off-white, or yellow, and its flavour ranges from mild to extra sharp. Cheddar is rich in vitamin K2, which is important for heart and bone health. It is the most popular type of cheese in the UK, originating in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset in the 12th century.

Stilton, on the other hand, is a hard cheese with a bold, pungent flavour and a crumbly texture. It is an English cheese named after the village of Stilton and has two varieties: blue and white. Blue Stilton is soft, crumbly, and tangy, with blue veins, while white Stilton has a milder flavour and is often sold with added flavourings such as dried fruit. The blue veins in Stilton are created by piercing the crust with stainless steel needles, allowing air into the core. The manufacturing and ripening process takes about nine to twelve weeks.

The taste of Stilton has been described as intense and rich, with layers of flavour. It has a salty finish that lingers on the palate. The interior of Stilton is streaked like marble, and its texture is relatively delicate compared to its strong flavour.

In terms of production, Cheddar is made from cow's milk that has matured for several months. Stilton, on the other hand, is made from pasteurized cow's milk and has a unique production process. Fresh pasteurized milk is mixed with rennet and Penicillium roqueforti for the mould, and the curds form in large vats. The curds are then cut, salted, and placed in cylindrical moulds. The moulds are turned daily without compressing the curd to encourage a flaky texture. After a week, the curd is smoothed by hand and aged for about five weeks before the cheese is pierced to allow the blue veins to grow.

Both cheeses have their distinct characteristics, with Cheddar offering a range of flavours from mild to sharp, while Stilton boasts a bold, pungent flavour and a unique production process.

Ingredients and nutrition

Cheddar cheese is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk that has been matured for several months. It can be white, off-white, or yellow, and its flavour ranges from mild to extra sharp. Cheddar is rich in protein and calcium and is a source of vitamin K2, which is important for heart and bone health. Vitamin K2 prevents calcium from building up in arteries and veins, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Stilton, on the other hand, is an English cheese named after the village of Stilton, where it was first made. It is produced in two varieties: blue and white. Blue Stilton, the more common variety, is soft and crumbly, with a tangy flavour and blue veins. It has a strong, pungent flavour and a salty finish. White Stilton has a milder flavour but a similar texture to Blue Stilton and is often sold with added flavourings such as dried fruit.

Both types of cheese have specific requirements for their production. Cheddar, as a widely popular cheese, is now made anywhere in the world. Stilton, on the other hand, has a protected designation of origin, meaning it must be produced in one of three counties in England: Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, or Derbyshire. Only a handful of dairies are licensed to make Stilton, and it must be made with pasteurised milk to meet health regulations.

In terms of nutrition, Stilton has a higher fat content than Danish Blue, at 35% on average, and 2.0g of salt per 100g. While the fat content of cheddar varies depending on the variety, it typically has a higher fat content than Brie, which has 29% fat per 100g (18% saturated). Stilton is made from cow's milk, so it has similar protein and lactose characteristics to cheddar.

History

Stilton cheese is an English cheese, produced in two varieties: blue, which has Penicillium roqueforti added to generate a characteristic smell and taste, and white, which does not. The blue variety is known for its bold blue mould veining and has a more robust flavour and a tangier taste compared to its white counterpart. The white variety is mild and creamy.

The cheese was first sold in the village of Stilton, Huntingdonshire, in the late 18th century. According to tradition, it was discovered by Cooper Thornhill, owner of the Bell Inn, a stagecoach stop on the Great North Road. In 1730, Thornhill discovered a distinctive blue cheese while visiting a small farm near Melton Mowbray in rural Leicestershire. He made a business arrangement that granted the Bell Inn exclusive marketing rights to Blue Stilton. Soon, wagonloads of cheese were being delivered to the inn. As the village was on a main stagecoach route between London and Northern England, Thornhill was able to promote sales and the fame of Stilton spread rapidly.

In 1936, the Stilton Cheesemakers' Association (SCMA) was formed to lobby for regulation to protect the quality and origin of the cheese. Stilton was originally made from raw milk, but production switched to pasteurised milk after a health scare in the late 1980s. In 1966, Stilton was granted legal protection via a certification trade mark, the only British cheese to have received that status. Since 1996, when it gained protected designation of origin status, cheese made from raw milk can no longer be sold under the Stilton name. To be labelled as "Blue Stilton" in the EU, a cheese must be made in Derbyshire, Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire, use local milk and be pasteurised.

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Production process

Stilton cheese is a cow's milk cheese produced in the English Midlands. It is a sturdy, cylindrical cheese with a slightly moist and crumbly texture and a rich, creamy, nutty, and salty flavour. The name "Stilton" comes from the village of Stilton in Cambridgeshire, where it has long been sold, but it cannot be made there because it is not in any of the three permitted counties: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. To be labelled as "Stilton", the cheese must be made in one of these three counties and use pasteurised local milk.

The production of Stilton cheese involves packing curds loosely into moulds, turning them several times in the first hour, and then twice a day for the next few days. After 3-5 days, the mould is removed, and the cheese is wrapped in cloth for the next 5 days. Then the cloth is removed, and the cheese is moved to an ageing room. At this point, the flavour is medium-strong and permeates the entire cheese, and the texture is very smooth, creamy, and spreadable. Over the next 4-8 weeks, the flavour is expected to get stronger.

Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, is a natural cheese that is relatively hard and off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added). It originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England, and is now produced all over the world. The name "cheddar" does not have a protected designation of origin, but the term "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar" does and refers specifically to cheddar produced in Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Cornwall using milk sourced from those counties.

The production of cheddar cheese involves a "cheddaring" phase, where the cheese is kept warm (85-90F) and turned at 15-30 minute intervals for 2-3 hours. During this time, whey is drained, and the taste changes from slightly sweet to slightly acidic. After about an hour, the curd mass is cut in half and stacked with a drain cloth separating them. A board is placed on top of the draining curds with about 8 lbs of weight. The curds will begin to change shape due to changes in the protein structure.

At the end of this phase, the curd is broken into small pieces, and salt is added at a rate of 2% of cheese salt to the weight of the fresh curds. If the curd is too wet, there may be issues with late fermentation and leaking cheese; if it is too dry, it will be difficult to consolidate and will take longer to age.

Protected status

Stilton cheese has been granted protected status under the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) scheme by the European Commission. This means that only cheese produced in the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire may be called Stilton. The cheese takes its name from the village of Stilton, now in Cambridgeshire, but it cannot be made there because it is not in one of the three permitted counties. The PDO status also requires the use of pasteurised milk, which has been a point of contention for some producers who wish to use raw milk. Stilton is the only British cheese to have a Certification Trade Mark and an EU Protected Name.

Cheddar cheese also has protected status in certain countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. In the UK, the term "Cheddar" is protected under the EU's PDO scheme, ensuring that only cheese produced in the Cheddar Valley in Somerset, England, can be labelled as "Cheddar". The specific production methods and origin are crucial to maintaining the unique characteristics of Cheddar cheese. In the United States, the term "American Cheddar" is regulated by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), ensuring that only cheese produced from domestic milk and meeting specific standards can be labelled as such.

The protected status of both Stilton and Cheddar cheeses is important for preserving cultural heritage, supporting local producers, and providing consumers with authentic, high-quality products. It also helps to maintain the reputation and market value of these cheeses by preventing imitations and safeguarding their traditional production methods and unique characteristics.

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