Stilton
Joel Olson
Stilton, considered by many people to be the finest English cheese, is a
hard, mild, blue-veined, cow's milk cheese. It was first made about 1750
in Leicestershire but acquired its name and excellent reputation when it
was made and served at Stilton, in Huntingdonshire. It is now made
also in other parts of England. Attempts to make high-quality cheese of
this type in the United States have not been successful.
Stilton, which is one of the mold-ripened group of blue-veined cheeses
that includes French Roquefort and Italian Gorgonzola, is rich and mellow
and has a piquant flavor; however it is milder than either Roquefort or
Gorgonzola. Its distinguishing characteristics are the narrow blue-green
veins of mold throughout the curd and the wrinkled, melon-like rind that
results from the drying of the molds and bacteria that grow on the surface.
The open and flaky texture of the curd in Stilton cheese provides conditions
suitable to mold growth, so holes are not usually punched in the cheese
as in Roquefort and Gorgonzola. At one time the desirable open, flaky
texture was obtained by preparing curd in the evening and in the morning
and mixing the two curds together. Some dairies still make the cheese
twice a day, but the curds are not mixed.
The cheeses usually measure about 8 inches in diameter and from 8 to
12 inches thick, and they weigh from 12 to 15 pounds. However, in some
localities, smaller cheeses weighing about 10 pounds and also larger
cheeses weighing 16 to 18 pounds are made.
Originally cream was added to the whole milk used in making Stilton,
usually cream from one milking being added to whole milk of the next.
However, it is now common practice to make "single-cream" Stilton rather
than the so-called "double-cream" type. Usually the milk is ripened
slightly; if not, a small quantity of lactic starter is added. The
temperature in the manufacturing room is maintained at about 65 to 68 F.
The milk is warmed to about 85 and enough rennet is added so the curd
will be firm enough to dip in about 80 minutes.
The curd is broken carefully, and about 10 minutes later it is dipped in
thin slices into cloth-lined draining tins where it remains in the whey
for about an hour and a half. Then the whey is drained off, and the
cloths are tightened frequently around the curd to aid in draining the
whey more completely. Sometimes the curd is removed from the cloths and
cut into cubes, and the cubes are turned frequently as the curd develops
the desired acidity and firmness. When the curd has drained and matted
sufficiently, it is broken into coarse pieces and salted at the rate of
1 pound to 60 pounds of curd. Then it is put into tinned, perforated
metal hoops, 8 inches in diameter and 10 inches or more deep. The hoops
of cheese rest on cloth-covered drain boards and are turned frequently
the first day and then daily for 6 or 7 days. Then the cheeses are
removed from the hoops, scraped to smooth the surface, bandaged tightly,
and they may be replaced in the hoops. This process is repeated one or
more times, until the cheeses are sufficiently firm, at which time the
bandaged cheeses are moved to a cool, ventilated room. They are kept in
this room until a moldy coating forms on the surface, usually about 2
weeks; then the bandages are removed and the cheeses are transferred to
clean shelves in a cool, moist curing room. The mold, said to be
Penicillium roqueforti, gradually develops in the curd. The cheeses are
kept clean and are turned frequently. The usual curing period is 4 to 6
months, but the cheeses may be wrapped and shipped earlier.
Analysis: Moisture, 33..5 to 35 percent; fat, 32 to 34 percent; protein,
23 to 33 percent; and salt, 1.5 percent.
"
USDA Ag. Handbook No. 54, 1953
Bonky
Joel Olson
"Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
news:240408.231...@sqwertz.com...
> Bonky <a2...@ra44sfdf.com> wrote:
>
>> stilton freaks me out
>
> Stilton is one of the mildest of the stinkiest cheeses.
> I've never found it too useful.
>
> I want a nice goopy full-fat, stinky soft 45% cheese.
>
> -sw
>
The new cheese shop down in Norman has Red Hawk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hawk_(cheese)
just joe
> I can't find Limburger around here. Where's the best place to order
> it?
nick?? you live in a major metropolitan area and can't find good stinky
cheese? i thought i was stuck in a wasteland....
dearest christina and i usually travel in april as it's a break in my work
season. there's a goat farm/cheesery a couple of miles from chris' relatives
in boulder, co that's always on the visit list as it's birthing season and
they make some richeous cheese. and a little further down the road in
longmont is a cheese importer (what the hell are they doing in longmont)
that has a cooler/display area three times the size of my house.
but when in seattle.............. http://amasci.com/pfi/
just walk in and ask 'got anything special?' they're used to us and a a
couple other cheese heads walking in carring a cooler.
joe
maybe i'll paste some photos on abf