STILTON

The quintessential English cheese – there are numerous stories, sonnets and songs devoted to its origins that go back at least to the early 18th century, but it’s probably much older.

Stilton is the cheese associated with special occasions, fine dining and celebrations, but it should not be overlooked in every day recipes.The only British cheese to have a Certification Trade mark and an EU protected name, Stilton can only be produced in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire and not alas- in Stilton, the town the cheese is named after. It’s made only from locally grown and produced pasteurised cows’ milk.

The cheese’s tall cylindrical shape adds to its sense of grandeur and the thick crust it forms naturally gives way to a distinctive pattern of blue veins that magically radiate out from the centre of the cheese.

Although its smell is not to everyone’s taste, its taste is soft, creamy and complex, making it a perfect dessert cheese.

If you have any left over, it adds a wonderful flavour to sauces, salads and dressings and is one of the few cheeses that freezes wonderfully well. Always wrap in parchment and seal in plastic first.