Stilton

Stilton carries a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) that restricts its production to Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. Ironically, the village of Stilton, after which the cheese is named, is in Cambridgeshire and therefore cannot legally produce Stilton under the PDO rules.

The blue-green marbling in Stilton comes from Penicillium roqueforti, the same mold species used in Roquefort cheese. The mold is introduced during production, and the cheese is pierced with stainless steel needles during aging to allow oxygen in, enabling the blue veins to develop.

Blue Stilton is the classic crumbly, strong-flavored cheese with visible blue veining, aged for a minimum of nine weeks. White Stilton is made using the same recipe but without introducing the Penicillium roqueforti mold, resulting in a mild, crumbly cheese often blended with fruit or sold young.

The thick crust of Stilton is generally not eaten and is typically cut away before serving or scooping from the center. The rind forms naturally during aging but has a tough, gritty texture that is unpleasant to eat.