Stilton cheese is a type of blue cheese. It is considered the king among English cheeses and occupies a leading position among their great variety. This product is the real pride of the inhabitants of England, most people appreciate the aroma of cheese, which interested perfumers. An interesting fact is that perfumers used Stilton in their products and turned the unique aroma into perfumes.
The cheese got its name from the name of the village. It was there that it was first prepared. Currently, Stilton is not produced there, as cheese making has become prohibited in the village. According to the laws of England, only 3 counties have a patent for making cheese. The name is protected by law, and the quality of the product is confirmed by a certificate that prohibits the use of the name in the production of any other cheese outside the county.
In total there are 2 varieties: white and blue. Blue is most popular among gourmets and cheese lovers. Before hitting the store shelves, Stilton goes through very strict quality and compliance checks. The head of the cheese has the shape of a cylinder; there are thin streaks of blue mold in the cheese mass. At the same time, in the original Stilton cheese, the veins are directed radially from the center. The product has a spicy taste and exquisite aroma.
To add mold, the manufacturer uses a penicillin culture. For raw materials, pasteurized milk of local cows is used. When ripe, a crust forms on the cheese. It is important that cheese is not subjected to pressure when it is made.
The story of
Back in 1730, Cooper Thornhill, the owner of an inn in a village called Stilton, bought a patent for cheese making from a farmer from Leicestershire. He began to buy cheese in bulk and sell it in his establishment. Since the establishment was located on a highway, the cheese was sold out at an instant speed, and soon became popular even in the capital of England. A few years later, all of Europe already knew about Stilton. Cheese production began in different parts of the UK and beyond. Of course, the production technology was different from the original, and the taste of Stilton was sometimes not at all similar to the original. It was only in 1966 that the product name was protected.
Cheese production
For the production of Stilton, morning cream and cow’s milk are needed. It is pasteurized and left to sour until whey appears. The resulting cheese mass is thrown into special linen bags and left until the whey has completely drained. After that, the cheese circles are filled with streaks of blue mold. Next comes the aging period, for Stilton cheese it is approximately 9 weeks. The finished product is covered with a crust, and its weight is approximately 7 kilograms.
White Stilton is an unripe cheese without blue veins. Its taste is not so sharp and sharp. It is softer and often filled with pieces of apricots.
Stilton pairs wonderfully with a variety of vegetables, especially celery and broccoli. It is often used by the British as an ingredient in first courses, vegetable casseroles and other gourmet recipes. It is also very good on sandwiches, especially in combination with port wine. According to tradition, a bottle of port wine is turned over and placed with its neck in a cheese circle.
Stilton is stored for three months, this period does not affect the taste in any way. In order for the taste and aroma of the product to be fully revealed, it should be taken out of the refrigerator in advance before use. As soon as the cheese reaches room temperature, the taste will become richer and more pronounced, and the aroma is simply stunning. For those who like more insipid food, you can eat the cheese cold.
Composition and useful properties
Cheese is very useful due to the presence in it of a large amount of vitamins B, C, E, K, PP, it also contains choline, minerals, including calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Regular use of Stilton improves metabolism, strengthens nails, bones and hair. The composition of the cheese includes ascorbic acid, which helps to strengthen the immune system and increase the protective functions in the body. The presence of choline in the composition normalizes the level of cholesterol in the blood. Iron in cheese can improve blood composition, and sulfur takes an active part in the body’s metabolic processes.
The interaction of calcium and phosphorus is aimed at the regeneration and strengthening of bone tissue, and sodium helps prevent dehydration. Potassium and magnesium, which are part of Stilton, have a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. The calorie content of cheese is 353 kilocalories per 100 grams of product. Stilton cheese can only be harmful to people with personal intolerance to the product.
Stilton cheese at home
There is also a recipe for Stilton at home. For cooking you will need the following ingredients:
- milk – 8 liters;
- cream (20% fat) – 0,5 liters;
- sourdough – ¼ teaspoon;
- penisillium Roqueforti – 0,03 grams;
- calcium chloride solution – ¼ teaspoon;
- liquid rennet – ¼ teaspoon;
- salt – 2 teaspoon.
First you need to pour milk into the pan and add cream, heat the mixture to 30 degrees and remove from heat. After that, you need to pour sourdough and mold on top of the milk. Let the mixture steep for 3 minutes, this will allow the powders to absorb moisture. Next, with smooth and careful movements from top to bottom, you need to mix the milk, cover it and leave for half an hour so that lactobacilli multiply and an acidic environment is created. At this time, you need to dissolve calcium chloride in 50 milliliters of water, as well as rennet in the same amount of water.
Both solutions must be added to milk, covered with a lid and left for 1,5 hours in order for fermentation to occur. After 1,5 hours, you need to check the formation of a clot, if the clot has not separated from the serum, then the mixture should be left for some more time until it is completely separated. Next, the resulting clot should be cut into cubes of about 2,5 centimeters and left for 5 minutes. After that, you need to stir the mass for about 20 minutes, so that the cheese grain is compacted and more whey is separated. After that, you need to take a pan or colander, put a drainage bag in it and transfer the clot into it. Next, the bag must be hung over the container so that the whey is glassed from it. This will take approximately 30-40 minutes.
Next, you need to take a cheese press, put down a colander or a tray with holes for whey to drain. It is necessary to tie the drainage bag well, put it on a tray, and put an ordinary wooden kitchen board on top of the drainage bag. You need to put a press on the board, the weight of which is 2-2,5 kilograms, you need to press the cheese for 8-10 hours. After this time, the cheese must be cut into cubes of 2 centimeters, salt and mix. Next, you need to cover the cheese mold with gauze and put the finished cheese there. The ends of the gauze should be put on the cheese, covered with a lid and again put under a press weighing 3 kilograms. Leave to press for about 5 hours.
Place a paper towel on the bottom of the maturation container and two drainage mats on top. Then you need to put the cheese in there. There Stilton must be kept for 3 days, turning 2 times a day. After that, the cheese must be kept at a temperature of about 10 degrees Celsius. The first week it must be turned over and wiped with a cloth previously soaked in brine. The brine is prepared in this way: 1 tablespoon of salt per 0,5 liters of water. It is important to wipe the container with a paper towel so that excess moisture does not appear. If the towel at the bottom is soaked with moisture, it should be replaced with a new one. In the second week, you need to stop wiping the product, but you should not stop turning it over. Two weeks later, with an ordinary knitting needle, about 2-3 millimeters thick, you need to make vertical and horizontal punctures with a distance of about 2-2,5 centimeters between them. Cheese must be kept for 4 months at a temperature of about 10 degrees Celsius. You need to turn it over every 3 days. After a while, a layer of mold forms on the surface, which then turns into a crust. Ready cheese should be wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator. The shelf life is 2 months.