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Cheese Expert
Mark Todd
Spring Cheeses
When the first warm days of spring arrive in the Bay Area, nothing tastes better than a cold hefe-weisse with a slice of meyer lemon. In fact, that refreshing combination inspired this month’s first pairing: white stilton with lemon rind and German hefe-weisse. As a second paring, blue stilton makes good sense—especially when joined by one of my current favorites, Australian Tokay wine.
Lucky for me, I came up with these ideas right in front of the cheese case at Mollie Stone’s Grocery in Marin County. Moments later—cheeses, beverages and flavorful extras in hand—I was well on my way to a flawless springtime feast! |
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Cheese and Beer
Pairing
White Stilton with Lemon Rind Cheese and German Hefe-Weisse Beer
The Cheese
White stilton is an old English cheese with unclear origins. Made with pasteurized cow’s milk, it is somewhat similar to farmhouse cheshire or lancashire, with a texture both buttery and crumbly. The flavor is mild, even milky, but it is the texture that is most memorable.
The only maker of white stilton commonly available in the US is Long-Clawson Dairy of the Melton-Mowbray district (the heart of traditional stilton production). The good news is that while Long-Clawson is a large factory producer, its cheeses are generally quite acceptable. Long-Clawson makes a number of white stilton products flavored with fruit embellishments including lemon zest, mango and ginger, cranberry, blueberry, strawberry and apricot. These fruit cheeses have always fascinated me. Previously, the best use I could find for them was as an ingredient in a rustic cheesecake (for which they are ideally suited), or as an accent on a cheese plate, for their unique appearance. In this pairing, my favorite Long-Clawson fruit cheese comes alive as a cheese to be enjoyed in its own right. |
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Cheese and Wine
Pairing
Blue Stilton and Australian Tokay Wine
The Cheese
While technically known as blue stilton, everyone just calls this gem “stilton.” Stilton is the sole Name Controlled cheese from England—an impressive fact when you consider the many other exceptional cheeses that hale from Britain. (Cheddar, cheshire, wensleydale and gloucester are just a few examples.) What’s even more surprising is that stilton has never been made in Stilton! Although it first rose to popularity at a roadside inn in the town of Stilton in the 1700’s, the cheese has always been produced in the surrounding area—not in Stilton itself.
Today, stilton is no longer made from raw milk or by small farmers, but rather from pasteurized milk in large factories. Much of the stilton available in the US is of questionable quality, so look carefully at the piece prior to purchase. It should be creamy, not dry and crumbly or wet and slimy. The rind should be dry to the touch, but not powdery. And stilton should have an even, bright cream-colored pate, not browning down from the rind into the body of the cheese. The blueing should be uniform from rind to center and bright blue, not grey and tired-looking.
Long-Clawson is the most common brand of stilton that is worth buying, but my favorites are Colston-Bassett, Cropwell-Bishop and Tuxford & Tebbutt, in order of preference. This is one of my two favorite cheeses in the world. (Watch future columns to find out the other!) |
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