According to a recent survey over at the Tasting Table, most readers prefer to see cheddar or gruyere on a cheese board. We were surprised to see that blue cheese had the least number of votes.
Why the bad rap?
In the cheese world, blue cheese gets a bad rap. One of the reasons is the noticeable blue mold. Growing up, we’re taught that mold is harmful, so there’s a preconceived notion that anything moldy must be bad for us. But the truth is that blue cheese is a good source of protein, calcium, and probiotics, which are suitable for gut health.
Mez Round Marble Wood Paddle Charcuterie Board, topped with assorted delicious cheeses. This tempting cheese platter includes the Colston Basset Stilton. Made in the UK, it is one of the last remaining hand-ladled Stilton cheeses. Hand-ladling produces rich and creamy cheese, and this Stilton is famous for its deep, complex flavor. A Twig Stilton scoop is ready to serve a delicious morsel on a piece of crusty bread. (Photo credit: Antoinette Erickson @cozycottageandgarden)
Many of our hand-forged cheese knife sets include a Stilton scoop. Not serving blue cheese on your charcuterie board? The scoops are handy tools for serving capers, nuts, and relishes.
Photo credit: Carrie Dault of Panty to Table
What is Stilton
Stilton, a blue-veined cheese, is one of the most famous cheeses in the UK and one of the most well-known blue cheeses from around the world.
It has a strong flavor, but it isn’t overpowering. Firm but slightly crumbly, this blue cheese is smooth and buttery. However, if you’re looking for a spreadable blue cheese, Stilton isn’t it.
How it’s made
It all starts with fresh local milk. Cultures and rennet are added, and the curds produced are drained before being milled and salted. The cheese is then placed in molds and left to age for about 5 weeks. After that, the cheese is pierced with stainless steel needles. This allows air into the core (middle) to develop the blue mold. This process creates the characteristic veiny appearance of the blue cheese.
Protected Designation of Origin or PDO: In the UK, Stilton cheese is only made in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. Authentic Stilton must be made using local pasteurized milk from one of those 3 counties. After about 9 weeks, the cheese is graded. Once the quality is assured, the cheese is ready to be sold.
Stilton after dinner? Perfect when paired with nuts, dried fruit, and crackers on the Ronda Small Acacia Wood Serving Platter.
How to Serve It
The traditional English practice, especially over Christmas, is to serve a round or wedge of Stilton, accompanied by a port wine. The sweetness of the port balances the salty, pungent flavors of the cheese.
The Stilton Scoop
This decorative spoon first appeared in the late 18th century. Early scoops often had bone or ivory handles, with scoops that looked somewhat like a garden spade. There were even some versions that had a sliding mechanism to help slide the cheese onto a plate.
Our artisan-crafted Stilton scoops have a straight end for breaking into the cheese and raised sides to hold your portion on the spoon until plated. Crafted from stainless steel, each scoop is hand-polished to a mirror shine and is available in assorted flatware styles.
Stilton scoops are a convenient way to enjoy Stilton, allowing everyone to help themselves with a portion of cheese.
How to use Stilton Scoops
Stilton cheese is served as a round or a wedge. Guests are provided with Stilton scoops to easily scoop out a chunk of Stilton.
Using a blue cheese scoop is easy and much easier than using a knife when dealing with crumbly cheese. Starting at the center of the wheel or wedge, dig out a chunk of cheese and place it on a plate.
Stilton cheese etiquette: If you’re a guest and the blue cheese is being served in a wedge, it’s considered poor etiquette to start at the tip of the wedge, as this is considered the best, creamiest part of the cheese.
Our Jason Stilton Scoops are ideal for scooping up delicious blue cheese morsels.
How to serve Stilton on your charcuterie boards:
To allow the flavors to develop, take the cheese out of the refrigerator before serving so it reaches room temperature. You can do this up to 2 hours ahead.
Drizzle it with honey and serve it with crusty bread or crackers.
For a sweet-flavored contrast, dried fruits like figs, cranberries, and apricots pair well. Fresh fruits are another great accompaniment, like pears and apples. Add some walnuts or almonds for crunch.
Sweet wines are a great match-up with Stilton, with Port being a favorite. Or try a dessert wine or any full-bodied red wine.
Can you bake it
Stilton filo parcels are perfect party food. Slice Stilton on 3 or 4 layers of filo pastry and fold it into parcels. Bake it for 10-15 minutes.
You can melt it on potato skins or crumble it over mashed potatoes. Replace the Swiss cheese you normally use in your quiche with Stilton for a delicious quiche. It’s also a great pizza topping!
How to store it
Keep Stilton well-wrapped in the refrigerator, preferably in an airtight container. If wrapped well, it can last for about two weeks.
It freezes well. Cut it into easy-to-use portions and wrap it well. It will last for up to 3 months. You can grate it frozen if needed or allow it to slowly defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Once it reaches room temperature you can crumble it in salads, soups, and dips.
If you’ve never tried Stilton, you’ve been missing out. We say, “Move over, cheddar and gruyere, Stilton is the new cheese in town!”
Head photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya: https://www.pexels.com
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