Stilton

It stands to reason that a product made from cows milk will be affected by that milk - and that milk will be affected by the diet of the cows! It takes between six and fifteen weeks to make a Stilton, so by the mid-winter months a lot of the milk used to make it comes from cows that have been eating richer winter fodder - and this adds a richness that perfectly compliments the Christmas period!

There is some debate as to whether or not the cheese was first made in the village that gives it its name, or simply first sold there - either way it was noted for its quality from as early as the 1720s and now has EU protected name status, meaning it can only be made in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Tips

Look for evenly distributed blue veins and good contrast between the cheese and blue veins
Keep it in a cool place, ideally wrapped in cling film or foil to keep it moist.
If keeping it in the firdge, unwrap it and leave it at room temperature for a few hours before serving
Just add port...