Stilton

Stilton

The Stilton is a 100% English cheese with a rich history. Stilton has gathered many loyal fans over the centuries. This cheese is especially popular in Great Britain. For example, it can be found during many British Christmas dinners. Nowadays, there are more and more enthusiasts who want to buy Stilton to process it in all kinds of dishes or just eat it on its own.

The name of the Stilton cheese comes from its namesake: the British village Stilton. However, the cheese may not be produced there. Due to the protected status that this cheese has acquired overtime, it may only be produced in three specific regions in England. That honor has been bestowed upon Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. The production follows a traditional recipe.

There are two variants of the Stilton cheese: an old blue cheese and a young white cheese. The first one, Blue Stilton, has a spicy taste as you would expect. Surprisingly enough, this cheese is also labeled as soft. Thanks to the somewhat crumbly structure it is delicious in salads for example, or as a spicy addition to a soup, sandwich or pizza. But you can also enjoy this cheese raw. For example, the English like to eat it as a dessert, preferably combined with a good glass of port. The sweet port is a perfect counterpart to the spicy and creamy taste of the cheese.

The white variety has a very short maturation period of only one month. As a result the taste is very different from that of its blue veined brother. In comparison, a blue Stilton needs to ripen for no less than five months to achieve that spicy, characteristic taste. This blue vein variant is the most sold kind of Stilton. In fact, the English call him the 'king of English cheeses'. The excellent image of the Stilton is a logical result of the unique taste of this cheese.