Colston Bassett Blue Stilton

You know how much my wife and I love cheese. Most Saturday mornings we head to the Farmers Market to buy some ingredients for the weekend and pick up a tasty cheese with a loaf of Italian bread for our morning breakfast. My new friend Bill, whom I affectionately call Bill the Stinky Cheese Guy, is my new cheese mentor who turns me on to new cheeses every week. This week I want to talk about Blue Stilton.

Blue Stilton, also called the King of English cheeses, is one of the most spectacular cheeses to come out of England and is the only English cheese that enjoys trademark protection. In fact, there are only five dairies located in three counties licensed to produce Blue Stilton. They include:

• Colston Bassett Dairy
• Cropwell Bishop
• Long Clawson Dairy
• Tuxford & Tebbutt Creamery
• Websters

It is such a fantastic cheese that it even inspired a sonnet!

Sonnet to a Stilton Cheese

Stilton, thou shouldst be living at this hour
And so thou art. Nor losest grace thereby;
England has need of thee, and so have I -
She is a Fen. Far as the eye can scour,
League after grassy league from Lincoln tower
To Stilton in the fields, she is a Fen.
Yet this high cheese, by choice of fenland men,
Like a tall green volcano rose in power.
Plain living and long drinking are no more,
And pure religion reading “Household Words”,
And sturdy manhood sitting still all day
Shrink, like this cheese that crumbles to its core;
While my digestion, like the House of Lords,
The heaviest burdens on herself doth lay.

–G. K. Chesterton

Blue Stilton In Short

Type: cow’s milk
Origin: Nottinghamshire, England
Process: blue mold, Penicillium roqueforti, is introduced at the outset; new cheese is drained, salted, molded and drained some more. Pierced after four to six weeks of aging to allow the mold to grow.  Cheese is mature and ready for sale approximately ten weeks after starting the process.
Texture: unpressed, semi-firm blue
Shape: cylindrical
Color:  pale straw with delicate bluish-gray veining
Rind: rubbed, thin, mottled orange
Flavor: buttery, salty, rich and creamy, pungent and peppery veining

The Rest of the Story

You might ask yourself - I know I did

What’s the difference between Stilton cheese and blue cheese?

Blue cheeses are produced in many parts of the world using many different types of milk. For instance, Gorgonzola is a blue cheese made in Italy of sheeps’ milk.  All blue cheeses rely on the mold Penicillium roqueforti for their characteristic bluish-gray veins and sharp flavor.

Much like Champagne is a sparkling wine made in the Champagne district of France, Stilton is a particular type of blue cheese only licensed to be made in three shires (counties) in England–Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.  Interestingly, Stilton is not licensed to be made in Stilton, the town for which it is named, because Stilton is not in one of those three shires.

The natural question, then, is why is it called Stilton? While the town of Stilton produced a type of cheese (possibly blue), in the mid-1700’s innkeeper Cooper Thornhill of The Bell Inn in Stilton began “importing” this cheese from the surrounding counties. Over time, Stilton production localized in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, while Stilton was sold and exported primarily from the town of Stilton itself.

To read more about the history of Stilton, click here.

What Helps Make Stilton Stilton?

Of all of the most well-known varieties of blue cheese, Stilton has the lowest water content, the lowest salt content and the highest fat and protein content. This means that is the richest and creamiest of all the blue cheeses, which might be one of the reasons that I like it so much.

Making Stilton Cheese

To make Stilton, cows’ milk is first pasteurized and then cooled to 86˚F (30˚C).  It takes 17 gallons of milk to make one 17 lb  Stilton cheese. It is then mixed with rennet and the Penicillium roqueforti mold.  Once the curd forms, it is sliced both vertically and horizontally into long, thin pieces, kind of like julienne cuts.  The curds are milled, drained and salted by hand.  Once thoroughly mixed, the curds are placed in cheese molds, or hoops.  The curds continue to drain and the hoops are turned once a day to ensure even draining of the whey.

After five days, the cheese makers remove the hoops and then smooth the outside of the cheese with regular kitchen knives. The smoothing step not only makes the outside of the cheese look more finished, it also seals it so no air can get inside the cheese. This is important because the cheese is then aged for four to six weeks before being pierced with long stainless steel needles.

Piercing introduces air to the interior of the cheese, allowing the mold to start growing.  While some blue cheeses let the mold begin growing at the beginning of the cheese making process, the makers of Stilton want the cheese to mature for a certain amount of time before the mold begins to grow, hence the smoothing of the cheese.  The piercing step is repeated a week later, and then the cheese is allowed to ripen a further three weeks before being graded and passed for sale.

If you want to learn more about making Stilton and see photos, click here.

Characteristics

Colston Bassett Stilton has a brownish rind that can be dry and rough. The interior paste has an ivory color with it’s trademarked greenish-blue veins. It definitely has a strong smell, some may call it a stinky cheese, but I call that a compliment. It also has a strong taste that I love but the kids wouldn’t touch.

According to Steven Jenkins, one of the most knowledgeable cheesemongers in America who wrote Cheese Primer about Stilton, “The flavor of a great Stilton cheese is full, rich, and creamy, as complex as that of any other great blue. It reveals layers and folds of the flavors of honey, leather, tobacco, and molasses.”

Doesn’t that just make you want to go out and buy some and taste for yourself?

White Stilton

At the Colston Bassett Dairy, one of only five dairies licensed to produce Stilton cheese, they also make a white Stilton.  This cheese is made exactly like blue Stilton, but it isn’t pierced so the mold doesn’t grow.  White Stilton is mild and creamy and is often mixed with fruits and honey to make seasonal dessert cheeses, usually around Christmastime.   Like its more well-known sibling, white Stilton also has a Protected Designation of Origin and can only be produced in the same six dairies licensed to produce blue Stilton.

Serving Stilton

Like most really excellent cheeses, Stilton should not be used in cooking. It pairs very nicely with crisp apples, and it is often served with a luscious port or sherry. As I mentioned above, I like to serve this cheese on a fresh French or Italian baguette for breakfast.

The other day I was making cheese quesadillas for my girls using a generic American cheese but decided to make one for myself with a little Stilton Blue. It was fantastic and took quesadillas to a whole other level for me. I could also see cutting a thin slice and topping a grilled steak with it or using it in one of my demi based brown sauces. I know I said it shouldn’t be used for cooking but if it’s sitting in the refrigerator, why not?

Buying Stilton

There are a lot of great blue cheeses on the market and I hope to talk about many of them, but if you can find a Colston Bassett Stilton or one of the other name protected dairies version, give it a try and let me know what you think of it. Saying that, Stilton is not cheap. I think I paid around $28 per pound for it so I  purchased about 1/3 of a pound but this is strong stuff so a little goes a long way.

And be sure to buy Stilton from reputable cheese shops that know how to handle cheese and sell a lot of it. You don’t want to spend that kind of money expecting an incredible cheese only to be disappointed because the cheese purveyor didn’t know what they were doing. As I always suggest, ask for a taste. If you don’t get it, buy your cheese somewhere else.

Most Saturday mornings my wife and I head out to our local Farmer’s Market to buy some local produce, Amish egg rolls for the kids, eggs, meat, fish, fresh bread and some interesting cheese for our morning breakfast. This is where I learn about new cheeses to write about here on the Reluctant Gourmet cooking blog.

In the past I’ve told you about my buddy Cheeseman Jack who taught me a lot about cheese and how to buy it, but he’s now at his store in Philadelphia and is a little out of the way for us to go see on a Saturday morning. Now, I have Bill, who I may start calling Mr. Cheese, to help me find new and exciting cheeses.

For a while, my wife and I were really into Stinky Washed Rind cheeses, and we tried several great ones from around the globe including some wonderful examples made right here in the United States. Still, there are not many domestic producers, but the number is growing, and some of them are getting so much recognition that they are shipping their product to Europe. This is hard to believe given how much great cheese there is in Europe.

We are now into Stinky Blue cheeses, and again there are plenty to go around. Today we purchased a lovely Black Ledge Blue, a wonderful example of how a natural blue cheese is being made right here in the USA in Colchester, Connecticut by Cato Corner Farm.  I’ll tell you more about the Black Ledge in a few days, but today, I wanted to tell you what Mr. Cheese taught us about purchasing cheese.

Tasting Cheese Before Buying Is a Must

My wife wanted to try a hard cheddar-type cheese, so I asked Bill to suggest a few ideas. He grabbed a couple out of the case, unwrapped the cellophane and offered us a taste. One of them was a cheddar and the other a Cheshire cheese. Both were good, but when Bill asked me what I thought, I said that, while I liked them okay, they both had an aftertaste that I didn’t care for. I couldn’t put my finger on it right away, but the taste was familiar.

I didn’t want to hurt Bill’s feelings by saying that I didn’t like the finish but if I’m going to spend $20 plus per pound on cheese, I better be loving it. Besides, he only sells the cheese; he didn’t make it! Bill didn’t say anything and immediately grabbed another cheese, this time a Cabots Clothbound Cheddar, unwrapped it and gave us a taste. Amazing, and no funky aftertaste.

I asked him if I could try the Cheshire cheese again. He gave me another taste, and there was that funky aftertaste. The cheese starts out great. It really is a tasty cheese, but then I realized the finish I was experiencing is best explained when something has been in the refrigerator too long and has that “refrigeration taste.”

What Was That Funky Taste?

When I asked Bill about this, he didn’t confirm it but he did acknowledge that some people have similar reactions. He even went so far to blame himself for my tasting this particular taste, which is ridiculous.  He explained that some cheeses, like the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, are much more popular and therefore turn over more quickly. They don’t sit around as long in the refrigerated cases as some of the other less well-known cheeses like the Cheshire we sampled.

He went on to say that in France, cheeses are sold unwrapped on counters without refrigeration because they don’t have the same laws as we do about displaying foods. He described how cheese is much more popular in France so it doesn’t last that long on the counter as it might here.  So, in France, there is no chance of “refrigeration taste.”

This made sense, so I wondered what would happen to the taste if I let the Cheshire sit out for 20 or 30 minutes.  I guessed that maybe the refrigerator taste would dissipate.  I asked Bill to cut a small piece for my experiment. What happened next taught me something new when buying cheese. Bill took the remaining wheel of Cheshire out of the case, cut it in half and cut an inside piece from the wheel. When he gave me a sample to try I realized there was no funky aftertaste. None! Hmmm?

So What Did I Learn Saturday About Buying Cheese?

1. If you are buying pricey cheese, make sure you ask for a taste. Impossible if you are buying pre-wrapped or prepackaged cheese at the local market. The old expression, “Buyer Beware” never was more true than when buying cheese. If you are spending $20 plus per pound, you have every right to ask to taste the product.

Don’t be a jerk and ask for 10 tastes and then buy nothing. Save those tastes for the big box stores where they are offering you product tests at every corner.

2. If the cheese has an off taste like the “refrigeration taste” I experienced, speak up. Most customers don’t like complaining. I know I don’t. But it’s important to let the cheese person know what you are experiencing so they can offer you something else or cut you a piece from an interior part of the cheese.

I can’t imagine they like having to cut from the center since they’ll end up with a bunch of little pieces in their case but I say, “So what?” If you are going to spend that kind of money, you want the product to be just right.

Now, it may be that the cheese is perfect and you just don’t like the taste of it. Don’t confuse that with an off taste. The cheese monger should be able to taste if something is a little off. If the cheese is fine and you don’t care for it, move on and try something else. There are enough cheeses in most cheese shops to find a perfect fit.

3. Get to know your cheese person. I frequent this market every weekend, so I know Bill and he knows me. He is learning what I like and what I don’t like, and he makes a special effort to introduce me to new cheeses and to offer me samples to taste. The more I get to know him, the better service he is going to give me, and because I’m a good customer, he doesn’t mind cutting a cheese in half to make sure I enjoy what I buy. It’s really a great way for this market to do business, and I reward them with my patronage.

Saturday was the first time he asked me if I wanted to know what was on sale. This is where you can get real deals for great cheese or any ingredient you are buying. Stores sometimes purchase too much of one product so they have to “move” it. There’s nothing wrong with it, but they want to “move” it before there is a problem. Having a relationship with your cheese monger provides a much better opportunity for him to offer you these specials, especially if he or she knows what you like.

So Saturday was a good day. I learned something new about cheese and arrived home with some great new cheese to enjoy and write about. I can tell you already the Cabots Clothboud Cheddar is amazing. Look for a write up soon.

Burrata Cheese - Have you heard of it? I can’t imagine why not!

I’m sure you’ve heard people say “Everything old is new again” and , “There’s a difference between a fad and a classic.”  Usually these statements apply to fashion and design, but I think it can also apply to food.

It seems like every year there is an “It Food.”  The one that you can’t avoid, whether you’re at a 5 star restaurant or at a diner.  Foods that are whispered about reverently by foodies; foods that star in their own 12-page glossy magazine spreads; foods that all the television chefs are showing you how to make.

One year, the It Food was pesto.  It was on everything and in everything.  I’d be willing to bet that food processor sales went up that year because everyone was on the pesto train.  Don’t get me wrong, I do like pesto, very much in fact.  But you can only take so much of the same food before you start to suffer from palate fatigue. Except for extra virgin olive oil, an “It Food” made popular by Rachel Ray when she created the catchphrase “EVOO”.   But that’s for another post.

Recently, by the way, pesto seems to be making a comeback as a way to use up parsley, cilantro or even kale.  Whir up some greens with Parmesan, some garlic, olive oil and nuts, and you have an simple sauce that can go with pasta or even be whisked into a salad dressing. I just read a great article about the origins of pesto so it may be making yet another comeback as an It Food and of course I’ll be writing about it.

Aioli Craze

Another year, everyone was singing the praises of aioli.  Even chain restaurants jumped on that bandwagon by blending a little garlic into their store-bought mayo.  True aioli connoisseurs would sniff at such a thing, but when you’re dealing with an It Food, tempers can get pretty heated.

Back in the mid-90’s Rick Bayless almost singlehandedly made Mexican food–the entirety of it–an It Food.  Bobby Flay did the same for Tex-Mex flavors back in the late ’80’s and early 90’s.  Remember the zigzag of sauces on a plate?  Credit that to, or blame it on, Bobby Flay.

A Couple of New “It Foods”

So what’s this year’s “It Food”.  I think it’s a tie between cupcakes and buratta. Everyone has heard of cupcakes and knows what they taste like, but buratta?  I had no idea what it was either until I had some at Vetri’s the other evening in a dish with Chanterelles and watercress.  I had to ask the waiter what it was.

Maybe I’m just out of the loop. I did a search for “burrata cheese” and found a recipe for heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese salad in Bon Appetit back in 2006. So it has been around in the US for at least five years, but I don’t remember seeing that much written about it before this year.

Now I’m seeing it everywhere! In cooking magazines, restaurants, featured at my local cheese shop. How did I miss this exquisite Italian cheese made with mozzarella and cream and named after the Italian word for buttery. (Who wouldn’t love a cheese whose name means buttery)?

I know it didn’t arrive in America this year. Was it hiding on the shelves or was I just not looking for it?   Regardless, as far as I’m concerned, buratta is the savory “It Food” for 2011.

So, if you’re not a part of the It Food cognoscenti, let me tell you a little about buratta.

It is made in Italy, and it is basically a hollow ball of mozzarella that is stuffed with bits of mozzarella and cream.  The mozzarella bits are left over from the cheese making process.

Buratta is wrapped in green leaves from a plant that is related to leeks.  If the leaves are green and fresh when you buy buratta, you know the cheese is fresh.  If the leaves are dried out, you know the cheese is at least a bit past its prime.  Pretty nifty, I think.

When you slice into buratta, the cream and mozzarella bits kind of ooze out, ready to be soaked up by some crusty bread or some fresh heirloom tomatoes.

Buratta is a young cheese in many ways.  It is a fresh cheese, which means that it is not overly rich, but rather milky, sweet and creamy.  And while many of Italy’s world famous cheeses have been produced for hundreds if not thousands of years, buratta was born in 1920.

A Little Buratta History

The Bianchini family invented this cheese, almost certainly as a way to minimize waste (and increase profits).  The Bianchinis farmed in the Apulia district of Italy, in the heel of Italy’s boot, and for years, folks who lived near the farm were the only people who could enjoy buratta.  It was truly a local product.

Eventually, some nearby factories began producing buratta, again as a way to use up scraps from the mozzarella making process.  And, like all good things, eventually word got out, and now it is exported to the United States.  But it is still a very delicate cheese with a very short shelf life.  If you are lucky enough to find some, you should eat it within 48 hours of getting it home.  Not that it should be a problem; it is really that good.

I served my buratta cheese as part of a classic Caprese Salad with olives.  As I said, at Vetri, they served it in a salad with chanterelles and watercress.  The sweet creaminess of the buratta pairs really well with earthy and/or sharp flavors, such as the Vetri’s chanterelles and my tomatoes and olives.

And remember the sentence, “There’s a difference between a fad and a classic?”  Buratta is definitely a classic.  And since it is still fairly rare in the United States, I don’t think it will be going out of style–or losing its status as an It Food–any time soon.

Here’s my photo recipe for Buratta Caprese Salad:

Start with some fresh heirloom tomatoes like the ones above.

Slice them up.

Add some fresh buratta cheese if you can find it, otherwise fresh mozzarella works too.

Sprinkle fresh cut basil over top. Season with good extra virgin olive oil and the best balsamic vinegar you can afford.  Not classic, but I added some pitted kalamata olives and then seasoned with salt and pepper.

How can you go wrong with fresh tomatoes, great olive oil and balsamic vinegar and then add freshly made baratta cheese? This is an amazing summer salad.

How to Make Burrata Video

I found this amazing video from Di Bruno Bros. VP Emilio Mignucci explaining how burrata is made at their warehouse in South Philadelphia.This is the same burrata that I purchase at my local farmers market.