The Story Of Stilton: A Distinctive Blue Cheese

Stilton is a semi-soft English cheese with a rich flavour and crumbly texture. It is one of the few cheeses to carry a Protected Designation of Origin Certification, meaning it can only be called Stilton if it's made from local milk in three counties in England: Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. It is best known for its strong smell and taste, with blue veins radiating from the centre of the cheese. The blue variety is more common than the white, and it is often eaten with sherry, port, walnuts, crackers, biscuits or bread.

How is Stilton made?

Stilton 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 art of making Stilton has remained very much the same since it was first produced. The entire process takes about nine weeks in total, from milk to shelf.

Fresh, local, pasteurised milk is poured into large, open vats at dawn every day, followed by a blend of cultures and rennet. A special yeast is also included in the mixture, which allows the mould to develop and grow at a quickened rate. Once the milk has curdled, it is cut, separated and left for the whey to strain off.

The curds are then divided and transferred into Stilton hoops or moulds. They are left to drain for several days at a set temperature and humidity. The hoops of Stilton are turned regularly to allow an even distribution of moisture to spread through the cheese.

The milling process breaks the curds down into small pieces, which form the basis of the cheese. The cheesemaker uses a knife to smooth the edges of the roundel, preventing blue mould growth at this point.

After five or six days, the hoops are removed and each cheese roundel is sealed by smoothing or wrapping to keep air out. The cheesemaker uses a knife to smooth the edges of the roundel, preventing blue mould growth.

The cheeses are now moved to a store, which is carefully controlled for both temperature and humidity. During this ‘ripening’ period, the cheese continues to be turned regularly, for about five weeks.

Once the five weeks are up, the roundels are pierced with stainless steel needles to enable the blue mould to develop and give the cheese its characteristic ‘veiny’ appearance. Piercing is repeated a week later, before each cheese is individually graded.

After about nine weeks, the cheese is ready to be sold. But first, it must be graded. A cheese grader is a highly skilled expert, often with years of experience in assessing the quality of cheese. Using a cheese iron, they take a core from the roundel of Stilton and, based on its smell, taste, appearance and texture, decide if it can be sold as Stilton, or just ‘blue cheese’.

What does Stilton taste like?

Stilton is a semi-soft blue cheese with a complex and unique flavour profile. It has a rich, creamy texture with a crumbly, slightly tangy taste. Its aroma is intense and pungent, a blend of sweet, savoury and sharp flavours. The cheese also has a hint of earthiness, with notes of blue mould that add depth to its taste. The blue veins running through the cheese contribute to its complex flavour, providing a delightful contrast to the creamy base.

The interior of Stilton is streaked like marble, and its texture is crumbly and almost soft. Its flavour is bold and intense, with a salty finish that lingers on the palate. The cheese is made from cow's milk and has a cylindrical shape, with blue veins radiating from the centre to the periphery.

Stilton's unique flavour and texture make it a versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes. It can be crumbled or melted, infusing its rich flavour into soups, salads, pasta or sauces. It is also a popular choice for cheese boards, often paired with sweet accompaniments like honey, walnuts, apples, cranberries, apricots and pears.

When it comes to wine pairings, Stilton goes well with sweet, fortified red wines like Port. The bold flavour notes of chocolate, dark berries, nuts and spice in vintage Port wines complement the strength of Stilton's savoury funk. For those who prefer less sweetness, a full-bodied red wine can also be a good match.

What is the history of Stilton?

The history of Stilton cheese can be traced back to the early 18th century. While the recipe has changed quite dramatically over the years, it remains one of the world's best-known and most-loved cheeses.

The village of Stilton, now in Cambridgeshire, is where the cheese gets its name from. It has long been sold there, but it cannot be made there because it is not in any of the three permitted counties: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire.

Cream cheese was being made and sold in and around the village of Stilton, possibly in the late 17th century and certainly in the early 18th century, and this was known as Stilton Cheese. Evidence suggests this cheese was matured for a period before being sold. A recipe for Stilton Cheese was published in a newsletter by Richard Bradley in 1723, but no details were given on its size or shape or for how long it was matured. From the recipe, it appears that this would have been a hard cream cheese (it was pressed and boiled in its whey).

In 1724, Daniel Defoe commented in his 'Tour through the villages of England & Wales' of Stilton being "famous for cheese" and referred to the cheese as being the "English Parmesan". A later article by John Lawrence in 1726 suggested that the perfect Stilton should be "about seven inches in diameter, eight inches in height and 18 lbs in weight." So it seems that some of the cheese being produced in the area was cylindrical and a similar size to that being made today.

Frances Pawlett (or Paulet), a cheesemaker of Wymondham, Leicestershire, has traditionally been credited with setting up the modern Stilton cheese shape and style in the 1720s, but others have also been named. According to the Stilton Cheesemaker's Association, the first person to market Blue Stilton cheese was Cooper Thornhill, owner of the Bell Inn on the Great North Road, in the village of Stilton. Tradition has it that in 1730, Thornhill discovered a distinctive blue cheese while visiting a small farm near Melton Mowbray in rural Leicestershire. He fell in love with the cheese and made a business arrangement that granted the Bell Inn exclusive marketing rights to Blue Stilton. Soon thereafter, wagonloads of cheese were being delivered there.

In 1936, the Stilton Cheesemakers' Association (SCMA) was formed to lobby for regulation to protect the quality and origin of the cheese. In 1966, Stilton was granted legal protection via a certification trade mark, the only British cheese to have received that status. In 1996, Stilton gained protected designation of origin status, and since then, cheese made from raw milk can no longer be sold under the Stilton name.

What foods/drinks complement Stilton?

Stilton is a rich and salty English cheese with a strong smell and taste. It is often eaten with sweet foods and drinks that contrast with its savoury flavour.

Drinks

The usual answer to which drink goes well with Stilton is port. This classic pairing works because the blue veins in the cheese make it quite savoury, and the sweetness of the port provides a nice contrast. However, there are other drinks that make great pairings. Full-bodied reds, barley wine, sweet sherry, Madeira wine, and damson gin all go well with Stilton.

Foods

When it comes to food, sweet things pair well with Stilton. Apples, pears, honey, and walnuts complement the cheese perfectly on a cheeseboard. It is also commonly added as a flavouring to vegetable soups, such as broccoli or cream of celery. It can be used to make a blue cheese sauce to be served over steak, or crumbled over a salad. Stilton scones, potatoes au gratin, and pasta are also delicious options.

Where is Stilton produced?

Stilton is an English cheese that is produced in three counties: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. These three counties are the only places where the cheese can be made and still be called Stilton. The name of the cheese comes from the village of Stilton, now in Cambridgeshire, where it has long been sold, but it cannot be made there because the village is not in any of the three permitted counties.

Stilton is made from locally produced pasteurized cow's milk. The process starts by adding rennet and cheese cultures to the milk, creating curds. The curds are then cut into small pieces and stirred gently before being further drained and pressed to remove excess moisture. After that, the cheese is pierced with stainless steel needles to facilitate the growth of blue mold.

The manufacturing and ripening process takes about nine to twelve weeks. The cheese is then aged for a minimum of three months, during which time it develops its distinct flavors and textures.

By September 2016, just six dairies were licensed to make Stilton, with four of them based in the Vale of Belvoir, which straddles the Nottinghamshire-Leicestershire-Lincolnshire borders. This area is commonly seen as the heartland of Stilton production, with dairies located in the town of Melton Mowbray and the villages of Colston Bassett, Cropwell Bishop, Long Clawson, and Saxelbye.

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