We often get asked for advice on how to look after Stilton. We’ve come up with these easy pointers to help cheese lovers make the most of our best known cheese:
- Make sure you remember to take your cheese out of the fridge up to 2 hours before serving to reach room temperature (20 degrees C or 68 degrees F); Like a good red wine Stilton needs to come up to room temperature and be allowed breath in order to develop the perfect flavour and texture.
- Sweet wines go especially well – Port being the favoured choice of many; but also try with a sweet sherry, sauterne or muscat.
- Stilton freezes beautifully. Simply cut into easy to handle portions, wrap in cling film or foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Defrost in the fridge or a cool larder for about 24 hours before use – slow defrosting is essential to stop the cheese becoming too crumbly. Once defrosted use as normal but eat within a week and do not re-freeze.
- Stilton crumbles effortlessly for use in salads, soups and dips. If taken straight from the fridge it slices easily for sandwich use. Grating straight from the freezer is also possible and is perfect for last minute recipes.
- Always keep your Stilton well wrapped in the refrigerator and preferably in an air tight container. This prevents the cheese tainting any other foods in the fridge and also stops it being tainted by them in return.
- Properly wrapped Stilton will keep perfectly in the fridge for a couple of weeks after opening. During this period, it will continue to mature and will become creamier in texture and develop a more mellow flavour.
Happy snacking!