Dairy
Blue Stilton
Blue Stilton is the blue-veined cow’s-milk Stilton made by inoculating the curd with Penicillium roqueforti and piercing the formed cylinders so air feeds blue mould growth. The paste is creamy yet crumbly, ivory to amber near the rind, laced with blue-green veins and a savoury, peppery, saline aroma under a natural crust. It is the classic English blue for cheeseboards, Christmas tables, and sauces: served at room temperature with port, pears, or celery; crumbled over salads and steaks; or stirred into cream and soup. PDO rules confine genuine Blue Stilton to approved dairies in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire.
Also known as: Blue Stilton
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Early Stilton trade on the Great North Road included richly veined blue cheeses that became the style’s signature.
Piercing of cylinders to encourage internal blue mould became standard practice among leading Leicestershire makers.
Association standards defined blue development, moisture, and cylindrical form for commercial Blue Stilton.
Blue Stilton gained Protected Designation of Origin, legally separating it from generic “blue Stilton-style” cheeses.
Export and supermarket lines expanded while specialist makers offered extra-mature, stronger blue wheels.
Craft and raw-milk projects within the PDO area emphasised deeper blue character and longer cellar ageing.