In the world of fine cheeses, Great Britain can be proud to produce one of the most famous, acclaimed, and loved cheeses in the world: the king of blues, Stilton. The quintessential English cheese has a history very similar to its rich flavor. It is an indispensable guest at the end of Christmas dinner, but it also appears in many recipes.
Its illustrious history begins in the early 18th century in a rural area of Great Britain, the village of Stilton in Cambridgeshire.
There are some mysteries that have been lost in time regarding when and exactly where it was born. It is commonly believed that the name most likely derives from the village where it became famous and not from the place where it was produced. In fact, today the Blue Stilton DOP cannot be legally produced in the county of Cambridgeshire, but its production is limited to the counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Derbyshire. Perhaps because of the iron-rich and mineral-rich soils of these counties, which supported a mining industry and produced unique high-quality pasture for the cows.
In 1723, Richard Bradley, in his "Country, Housewife and Lady's Director," wrote a recipe for Stilton, but without providing too many details about the size and aging, only mentioning that it was a cooked hard cheese. In his notes, he also wrote: "Drink a glass of beer, eat a ball of Stilton every day, and you will become 'old bones'..." Daniel Defoe, during his travels in rural England, referred to Stilton as "famous for cheese." Indeed, around this priory, the production of a cheese cream is well documented. Richard Ford, who traveled through Europe, claimed that Stilton was regarded by Europeans as equivalent to Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Parmigiano Reggiano (this text can be found in the Oxford Companion to Cheese). It was the French who said that "the only problem with Stilton is that it is not French."
Cooper Thornhill - owner of The Bell Inn in Stilton, a famous town inn where travelers used to stop to eat and stay during their journeys between London and northern England and Scotland - made a business deal in 1743 with a renowned cheesemaker from Wymondham in Leicestershire, a lady named Frances Pawlett. She supplied cheese to Thornhill through a cooperative of farmers and convinced other cheesemakers from Leicestershire to produce Stilton cheese according to her recipe. As its fame grew, Blue Stilton began to be recognized in London as well, where it started appearing in local markets.
At that time, the blue cheese produced in Leicestershire did not resemble the Stilton we know today at all, as it could have different sizes or shapes and probably not all the cheese had a pronounced blue color. Although there are actual documents that show who created Stilton, most of the production was done at home and passed down genetically. Despite this, there are actual documents that certify who created Stilton.
During and after the Industrial Revolution, there was a shift from small local production to more industrial and large-scale production, a product available to a wider range of people and throughout the year.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the way to transport goods across the country was through the canals that led from the countryside to London for the exchange or sale of products. During this slow and sometimes long journey, the Stilton, especially in the warm months, was teeming with worms (like the famous Sardinian casu marzu) and it was customary to throw them into the canal before eating it.
In 1936, the Stilton Cheese Producers Association was established to advocate for regulations that would protect the quality and origin of the cheese. This was also a defense against counterfeits, such as those coming from America, copies so well made that they bore, alongside the name 'Stilton', the union trademarks on the labels.
If originally Stilton was produced with raw milk, by the end of the 1980s production switched to pasteurized milk. Only in 1996 did it obtain protected designation of origin.
Blue cheeses are fascinating because they are the only aged cheeses with internal molds. Unlike most soft cheeses and some hard cheeses that are aged by microbes that grow only on the outside, such as Brie and Taleggio. Many modern consumers may be horrified by the appearance or may associate these blue-green molds that grow in the cheese paste with something harmful. This harmless blue mold, penicillin (some variant of Penicillium Roqueforti or Penicillium Glaucum), actually plays an important role in the aging process and thus in the final texture, aroma, and flavor.
Stilton uses Penicillium Roqueforti mold. This is a completely harmless mold in cheese production because the molds that grow on or in cheese do not produce the same harmful mycotoxins that can be produced on other foods. In cheese making, the combination of acidity, saltiness, humidity, density, temperature, and oxygen flow creates an environment completely unsuitable for toxin production. This is the purpose of iterative fermentation: to preserve milk by protecting it from pathogens and true spoilage.
The blue veins, developing, enhance the flavor of the cheese.
Penicillium Roqueforti itself (and the enzymes it releases) aggressively breaks down the fats and proteins in the cheese to give it the texture, flavor, and aroma associated with blue cheese: sharp, strong, spicy, and above all savory or umami.
One of the most acclaimed and awarded Stilton producers is Colston Bassett and District Dairy, founded in 1913 based on an idea by Dr. William Windley who encouraged local farmers to raise the necessary capital to build a cooperative cheese factory. Additionally, Windley persuaded locals and patients to buy shares. After raising enough money from about forty people, they purchased half an acre of land and began producing milk.
In the beginning, there were 16 farmer members who supplied milk to the dairy, and the first cheese was a Cheddar, due to the restrictions imposed during wartime by the infamous Milk Marketing Board. It was thought that Stilton was too luxurious to be produced during the war years. In 1920, the dairy began producing Stilton, but stopped again during World War II and returned to producing Cheddar-style cheese. Gradually, starting in the 1950s, the production of Stilton became stable again, as it does today when cheese is produced year-round.
For the production of Stilton, cheesemakers add a powder of pre-made mold spores to the curd. Once the curd has been cut and ground into small granules, it is placed in a cylindrical mold. The curd is not pressed, leaving an open structure to allow the blue to spread through the paste. The blue mold added at the beginning remains inactive until the right conditions occur. Firstly, the mold needs oxygen to grow, so after a maturing period of over 8 weeks, the cheese is pierced with needles. The airholes created by this "needling" process allow oxygen to enter the cheese, enabling the blue to develop properly.
Stilton is the king of the Christmas table in the United Kingdom, often enjoyed with a glass of Port.
It has become popular during this time of year because the best quality milk comes from pasture during the summer, ready to be enjoyed during the holidays. Stilton has a complex, creamy, rich, and soft flavor, with a sweet and salty taste, nutty and earthy, with a slight spicy touch and aromas of tropical fruit. However, what makes it even more unique is its crumbly, open texture while being creamy and buttery at the same time.
Here is a recipe to serve a slice of English flavor from the 19th century during a dinner or a special occasion.
Stilton and Port terrine with pears and walnuts:
This terrine needs one or two days in the refrigerator before it is ready to enjoy, so start at least one day in advance.
Servings for 10 people:
200 g of granulated sugar
500 ml of water
1 pear
500 g of Stilton
60 ml of Port (for a complex and full flavor, choose a 10-year-old aged Tawny Port; for a younger and sweeter taste, select Ruby Port)
160 g of halved walnuts
1 heaping teaspoon of demerara sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove the core. Add them to the syrup in the saucepan, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are slightly soft but still crisp. The time needed depends on the type of pear.
Remove from heat and let cool in the syrup.
Once cool, remove them with a slotted spoon and slice thinly.
Next, crumble the Stilton into a bowl with your fingers, then add the Port. Mix with your hands until the Port is fully incorporated. Do not overwork the mixture.
Line a terrine or baking dish with plastic wrap. Add half of the cheese mixture and press it down well. Cover any empty spaces in the cheese with the cooked pear slices from the saucepan.
Top with the remaining cheese mixture and press down again. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, place the walnuts and demerara sugar in a dry pan over medium heat. Toast until the walnuts are well coated with caramelized sugar. Remove from heat and crush the walnuts, breaking them into small pieces.
Unmold the terrine and sprinkle the walnuts on top of the terrine, ensuring they stick to the sides. Slice and serve.
