Stilton with PortHome >> Experiences
Text-only version printed fromhttp://FXcuisine.com/default.asp?Display=233 I bought a whole head of Stilton and soaked it in the finest Port wine for a most memorable drinking session. What does he know about Swiss Cheese, who only Swiss cheese knows? Last week I decided to treat a few Swiss colleagues to a British cheese for once. Stilton with port may be a thing of yesterday for the jaded palates who stroll about in Harrod's food court, but to us Swiss it still is a stunning and delicious novelty. I bought a 17 pound head of Stilton from Clawson at my local cheesemonger's. It came wrapped in blue paper. I am sure that at Colston Basset I'd get an even better cheese, but such is the life of he who depends on imported cheese. Back home, I started unwrapping the giant cheese like one who acquired an ancient work of art from some remote land, sight unseen, and is about to see what is his. Blue Stilton cheese is a bit like a cheddar touched by the grace of penicillium roqueforti, one of my favorite fungi . It has been created in a small farm North of London sometimes during the 18th century. Blue cheese works best when eaten with a sweet ingredient. The French serve Roquefort with acacia honey or strawberries. The English have this unique way of serving Stilton by injecting it with Port. Although I can buy Stilton with Port in several shops here in Switzerland, I decided to do it myself for the enjoyments of my readers, and of my stomach. First place your cheesehead on the flattest of its two extremities, and cut off the top ... ... so as to obtain a flat surface on top too. Scoop off a rill all around the top using a silver Stilton scoop if you have it (I don't). The cheese you have removed is called FX's share and should be sent to me for eating. Prick the cheese from top to bottom using a thick skewer, so that the Port will freely flow and irrigate the blue cheese veins. Continue to prick until you have 9 holes. In shops you will often see the port bottle stuck in the cheese upside down, like some dark traffic light. I prefer to use a funnel. Start pouring the port slowly. As long as the cheese is flat and the rill well made, you can also pour the Port directly on top. The cheese is full of veins and the Port will start seeping through tiny holes on the surface, like a ship taking water. You absolutely need to place the cheese in a deep bowl because most of the port will come down under the cheese, and fast too boot. The cheese need to be tightly wrapped in plastic foil ... ... until it is fully covered. You need to make additional holes and pour the port that seeped through back on top several times over the course of a few days. I am told that a head of Stilton will take 2 weeks to drink a bottle of Port, considerably longer than me. I invited a few colleagues for an early Christmas round of drinks. How surprised they were to see me donning my kitchen apron with my giant cheese! I sat everybody around a large table and served the Stilton with another bottle of fine Port and a huge box filled with walnuts. Each guest was given a nutcracker and a nut pick, as I presided over the session with my nut hammer. An hour well spent, no doubt. As the session drew to an end, I sliced large pieces of Stilton and bagged them with a ladle of Port so that each guest could take home a little piece of the English countryside. The next day, I started hearing what people had done with their Stilton. Pasta sauce was popular, a bruschetta with pears and my humble caramelized onions and Stilton quiche. 380321 views |
99 Comments
- #1
- Comment by FX Cremel
Hi FX,I see thta you keep smelling the good things... Who ate the rest of the cheese??
Cheersss
FX
- #3
- Comment by Rosa
A fantastic cheese with a very special and delightful taste! My grandparents live close to a dairy which produces this stilton as well as Cheddar (Hartington, derbyshire)... I've never eaten it with Port, but I'm sure I'd love it that way!Cheers,
Rosa
- #5
- Comment by mich
OK - you (and your site) are amazing!Can I be invited to your next Stilton/Port party?
Cheers from snowy Canada.
- #7
- Comment by Pascalle
What a stilton, yam!But then in the end you mention: "my humble caramelized onions"...
Now I'm curious what the recipe is of the onions!
Nice blog!
Regards from cold Amsterdam!
Pascalle
- #9
- Comment by Lord Best
Stilton is a lovely cheese, I am lucky enough to have a decent cheese shop nearby which imports it. I have yet to try this, despite knowing the tradition as a full Stilton is rather expensive.- #11
- Comment by felix
'' is called fx's share and should be sent to me for eating''haha u really are il cappo di tutti cappi
- #13
- Comment by Jason Sandeman
Fine cheese you have there. What to do with that? Stuff a thickly cut pork chop? Reduce the port to a syrup?Now, I am curious as to what port you used. My family namesake would go well, I daresay. Hmm... Sandeman port and Stilton cheese. A match made in heaven?
I can also imagine the stilton in a warm mushroom salad, perhaps with a glaze of honey and dried drunken cranberries.
Hmm... I *could* put in an order... I am hungry now, thanks!
- #15
- Comment by Foodycat
I prefer stilton with a glass of sauternes, but your presentation is lovely! And your nutcracker has inspired great envy in my house.- #17
- Comment by Pietro
Francois, beautiful pics as usual!I'm a serious fan of Stilton, which ranks high up there with Epoisse in my Paradise of Cheeses, but I've never had the opportunity of soaking it. Partly bacuse I never had a whole head at my disposal but also because I kind of like to decide how much Port to go with each bite. I can undoubtly confirm , however, that Port is the best to go with it.
Once we tried, as we were a group of about 15 people, to experiment "in vivo" if a better, or at least as good, match could be found.
We tasted it, in a sequence, with Passito di Pantelleria, Moscato from Sicily, Picolit from Friuli, Sauternes, our own 15 years old Vinsanto and a 1967 LBV Port.
It was a very interesting experience, all in all. Everybody thought that the Picolit was the best wine " per se" but the Port was unanimously declared the best, and ONLY, match for the Stilton.
Thanks and take care.
- #19
- Comment by Maria
Being from Portugal, I'm naturally familiar with good Port. I live in the United States, where good Stilton is hard to find, and while I often have Port with some other poor attempt at Clawson's quality, I was not at all familiar with the process of injecting a full bottle of my beloved potion into the whole wheel! Gee! I've always had the Stilton as an accompaniment, on the side. Who knew! I'll be sure to try Port your way at my next big party. Oh, and, didn't you forget the dry figs???- #21
- Comment by Paul Mckenna
And there I was thinking you only put port into stilton to kill the worms...Now putting vodka into a melon is cool but quality port into quality cheese I will need conversion.
I am sure it was great but to an englishman its still wrong.
Paul
- #23
- Comment by Mauro
Felix & FX,A tiny correction the phrase "Il cappo di tutti i cappi" you should loose two unnecessary P's..... Capo=Chief and Capi=Chiefs.
If not not you run the risk of describing Francois(in an abbreviated form and a bit slangish) as "Il cappone di tutti i capponi".....not that flattering, even if the holidays are coming up soon.
Cheers,
Mauro
- #25
- Comment by Mauro
FX,I am sorry if my intent of making a lighthearted comment, in tone with the humor of some of the other postings, has offended you.
Please delete my two postings. Your blog is much fun and interesting to read and I do not want to feel in the future that I have to have a backdoor access and not been able to post.
Sorry again and thanks for such a professional blog.
Happy cookings.
Mauro
("cheers" was my previous salutation because it was in following the cheerful intent of the post)
- #27
- Comment by Andy
I have to say I am English and have never seen Stilton soaked in Port. I do rather enjoy drinking Port with Stilton though (or either on their own!!). Oh and also to make you jealous I live in Nottinghamshire (one of the three Stilton producing counties) and there is no shortage of good stilton :-)- #29
- Comment by trish
As usual - you've made me want to lick my screen. Your food always looks wonderful and the story that goes with it sublime...Trish
Omaha, NE USA
- #31
- Comment by AmandaJo
Your website is purely inspirational! Read this mouth watering article and got me to google up local artisan cheesemongers out of curiosity as to see IF there were any. I was quite surprised and excited with the choices but not so surprised considering I live in Washington state. We have quite a variety of agricultural businesses booming here. We have a very good riesling wine from Columbia Valley that is a family favorite. Not to mention the world class Pike's Farmer Market with everything ranging from homemade jam to fresh produce to various artisan products to hundreds of fish varieties that boggles the mind! Have you ever been to the US?Anyways I discussed this with my co conspirator my mum and we decided we want to try doing this for our upcoming christmas family get together. Our family is quite the cheese connosieur! We usually get quite a few blocks of cheeses just for the holidays. We just spend a week cooking and baking and eating it all ofc!!! Along with drinking copious amounts of various wines and a bit drunkenly arguing about the best wines for what dishes :-) I will let you know how it turns out for us and our reactions!! :-) Wish us luck!
- #33
- Comment by felix
its all good mauro dont worry about it..ca fait tellement longtemps que je ne suis plus ete en italie que l'orthographe m'echappe un peu!
we can all talk this through over a bottle of port!
cya guys
- #34
- Comment by Luke
Stilton is a wonderful cheese. Definitely among my favorites, especially served with or in chocolate.- #36
- Comment by Nick Savage
Excuse me, but in England this abomination has been derided by anyone the slightest bit interested in food for 50 years. What was once thought of as the best way to 'rescue' the sad and tired carcase of the Christmas Stilton after it had sat gently dehydrating for a fortnight in the dining room, is now a capital offence. By pouring port into the desiccated shell there was some hope that parts would soften enough to be edible - sort of. Unfortunately a good drink is sacrificed in a vain attempt to restore the terminally ruined. The only excuse for the vile practice was the extreme shortage of food in post-war Britain and consequently the huge luxury that a whole cheese represented. This should be labeled ‘DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! EVER!”- #38
- Comment by Philippe
Nick:I feel the same way about Brie de Meaux baked and smothered with a raspeberry coulis. :\
- #40
- Comment by Xavier
I have no idea of how authentic this association is, but it is definitely an appealing one ! At Globus they let a bottle upside down into the stilton and it is always tempting.- #42
- Comment by Luke
You can have chocolate with Stilton any way you want really. You can make coulant au chocolat with blue cheese, you can make a chocolate fondue and dip the blue cheese, you can make a more savory fondue out of both chocolate and the blue cheese, you could make a sort of ganache or fudge that incorporates blue cheese...To be sure, it's not limited to Stilton. I have yet to come across a variety of blue cheese that doesn't taste good with chocolate one way or another. If I'm not mistaken, Jean-Paul Hévin makes a chocolate appetizer that uses roquefort and walnut.
- #44
- Comment by Leon
Its not really done in England much anymore but I'm sure its delicious done well.The alternative for the professional english gentleman and full time idler is too take one half mouthful of good stilton and then follow it with the same amount of good port.
let it mingle in the mouth and then the stomach - and watch out for gout.
- #46
- Comment by Nick Savage
I recommend cutting the cheese in horizontal slices about 2cm thick - as many as you need - and dividing it among your friends. The remainder of the cheese can be kept in a cool place, the cut protected with plastic wrap. The port is great in a glass. As an Englishman, it is ghastly to see a moment of national madness paraded around as if it is an intrinsic part of our cultural heritage. How do you feel about Cuckoo Clocks?- #48
- Comment by Meramarina
The gentleman in the corner is literally alight with joy! So very nice to see. I feel happy just looking at this festive table scene.And the nut hammer, oh, that hammer! It looks like way too much, much too much fun. Better keep that thing locked up. Oh, if I had a hammer . . . a nut hammer . . .
If I had a nut hammer,
I'd hammer all the walnuts,
I'd hammer all the chestnuts--shells
All over the floor!
I'd hammer all the almonds,
I'd hammer all the peanuts,
I'd shatter 'em to bits, to pieces, to shards and smithereens
All over the floor!
Your guests are lucky folks!
- #50
- Comment by Chiffonade
Oh to be a lucky guest at one of your gatherings! Thanks for a great idea - especially with the holidays just "officially" begun here with Thanksgiving.<3 Chiffy
- #52
- Comment by tim - nice not dim
Interesting that you used aged tawny port - the very few times Ive had stilton as in your excellent article, a young ruby port was used - something to do with the red fruit / pepper attack of the young port ?I must admit, I'd very much like to try both options & decide!
- #54
- Comment by Clive
Great stuff Francois - guaranteed to make it onto my debauched Christmas menu! And I just love the view from that window in the last pic :-)Do you concur with the commenter who said Stilton with Port is a shame on Britain - I find this rather silly for it works really well.
- #56
- Comment by Joanna
We did this one Christmas and thought it tasted OK but still prefer to have them separately but together, we only put the port into the stilton when it was nearly finished and was looking a bit sad and in need of cheering up..... Waitrose has a recipe for potted stilton with port, again as a way of using up the leftovers.... but you look like you had a great time and it certainly sparked comments !PS I was just treated to the Swedish glug for Advent tradition: gluhwein with little bowls of blanched almonds and raisins and gingerbread biscuits, you put the almonds and raisins in the hot sweet spiced wine and then fish them out with a little spoon and eat them and dip your biscuits too. That was fun! I wish I had taken some photos of us popping the almond skins off....
- #58
- Comment by Vuilleumier Alexandre
Merci beaucoup pour la dégustation. Le Porto avec ce fromageest vraiment un joli mariage. Il y a une explosion de goűts
sans brutalité. Rarement j'ai mangé un fromage aussi "sensuel".
- #60
- Comment by Shu
I'm curious as to the constitution of the Stilton after all that soaking, Do you drink the cheese or eat the port?- #61
- Comment by Patrick
If you get the chance try this with another English blue cheese called a Dorset Blue Vinney. Its a little bit more creamy than a Stilton and for sheer snob value, its only made in one place; a small farm outside of Sherbourne.I'm a Dorset boy originally so I do have a slight bias!!!- #63
- Comment by Jennifer
LUCKY Collgeagues!!!! It looks wonderful, and thanks for reminding me that sometimes all you need are a few simple items to have a splendid time!- #65
- Comment by kurzhaar
I must thank Meramarina for that song, which is now rattling around in my head... :)FX, a simple port recipe is to pour a little port into a Charantais melon half. This is something we would sometimes do in California when we found a nice melon at the farmers' market. (As an aside, we also discovered instead of the usual melon and prosciutto combination, papaya and prosciutto are a fabulous pair.)
- #67
- Comment by Choosy Beggar Tina
Jeez, FX! That's THE BIGGEST STILTON I have ever SEEN! Wowza!!!I would have given my right arm AND my first-born son to be at that party with you....
- #69
- Comment by Marianne - Vaxholm
Wonderful article, Francois. I am also enjoying the fact that some British readers seem to think of this particular way of mixing stilton with port as a culinary faux pas, while the rest of us are quite happy to consider testing it :) In fact, the idea of a bottle of port stuck upside down in the cheese is in itself so hilarious that it's worth trying!Since Joanna mentioned Glögg, a Swedish seasonal, comforting and sweet drink to be had prior to and during X-Mas, here is a traditional recipe:
Glögg
1 bottle of red wine, for instance a ’Bordeaux correct’
2 cm each of cinnamon, dried ginger and Seville orange peel (aka Pomeranz or arancia amaria etc)
5 whole cloves
2 teaspoons of cardamom, whole
400 g sugar, bit sized or a cone of sugar
1/2 bottle (35 cl) pure Aquavit or Vodka, make sure it is not flavoured
1-3 small handful of raisins and peeled almonds
Preparations
Heat up the wine and spices in a pot, no cooking. When hot, add the Aquavit or Vodka
Place the pieces of sugar on a rack, put rack on top of the pot covering half the pot
Set the wine/Aquavit mixture afire and ladle the burning concoction over the sugar
The sugar will melt and drip into the Glögg
Add almonds and raisins and serve with gingerbread cookies.
The term Glögg is derived from an old Scandinavian verb for heating up = glödga, and the quicker method of preparing Glögg of course is to simply add the sugar to the drink!
Enjoy!
Marianne
- #71
- Comment by Richard
I'd love to see that recipe for stilton quiche, it would be a great thing to make over Christmas...- #73
- Comment by Cris
Wow,Stilton with Port, I cant think in anything better. This is my favourite post.- #75
- Comment by Cynthia Nelson
I need to move to your neck of the woods so that I can be invited to these get-togethers!- #77
- Comment by Mike Jones
Lovely blog and an interesting article. I have to agree with the other English comments about this practice not being a British tradition, but, some would say, a crime. I can imagine that this was first done by a restaurant who had an old Stilton (Stilton is at its best at 12 - 16 weeks old, much older than 20 and it dries out) who thought it would be a good way to bring back some moisture to the cheese, and then the idea/dish was sold to tourists as a traditional way of eating Stilton.I agree that Port wine is the perfect partner to Stilton, but I would always serve my Stilton on an Orkney Oatcake with a glass of port on the side. If you're ever in the Thalwil, ZH area, come and see my British cheese shop and try some of the 30 odd farmhouse cheeses we stock (we also have Burts chips!).
Harbourne Blue, a hard blue goats cheese from Devon is my best cheese at the moment.
Mike Jones
www.cheeseclub.ch
- #79
- Comment by barbara
Yummy. I want an invite to your party.- #81
- Comment by Jamie M. Forbes
Incredible Web site here. Right now am in NEA [NorthEast Arkansas] and have to go to Kroger in Jonesboro for any semblance of cheese.However we'll tell you that something extraordinary can be made from that Silver Dyke creamy goat cheese infused with Post Family plum wine from Arkansas.Not exactly Stilton with Port.
Something else.
Wonderfully salacious in its own right.
You know, I've seen goats around here. I've seen sheep. No cheese from them in the markets, however.
Jamie M. Forbes
Media & Writers, Inc.
332 Bleecker Street F32
New York, NY 10014
- #83
- Comment by Rajesh
"Although I can buy Stilton with Port in several shops here in Switzerland, I decided to do it myself for the enjoyments of my readers, and of my stomach."..No fxcuisine website updates on my blackberry for a while now :( Your readers are missing you!
- #85
- Comment by Guđmundur Brynjólfsson
What a wonderful idea. I have never heard about this before, only the tradition to drink Port with the Stilton. This web side is incredeble! Thanks.- #87
- Comment by Shelley
What a wonderful dinner you must have had. And I think there is nothing wrong with your presentation whatsoever. I live in Alabama, where, unfortunately, most cheese is pre-packaged processed "cheese". But I will try to find Stilton, port-soaked or otherwise, in my local stores. When you mentioned port and melons, we have something similar that is quite tasty, and very potent. We take a large watermelon, cut a hole in the top, and invert a whole bottle of quality vodka into the hole. Then let it sit for a day in the fridge. The rind holds the vodka in, and when it's done, you have a sweetly refreshing treat that will knock you to the floor. Perfect for the triple digit summer days we get here. You should try it!- #89
- Comment by Shelley
That's right! The vodka is absorbed by the watermelon. You can cut up the melon into cubes, or if you're very creative, make a "basket" out of the watermelon rind and put the loaded fruit inside.- #91
- Comment by karen
I just bought a beautiful Stilton and am on my way to the wine shop for a port. I enjoyed your article on Stilton and port very much.- #93
- Comment by cantinerita
Me ha encantado tu reportaje!!!!!!!!!!! He llegado aquí porque una forera de mundorecetas nos mostró tu brownie con corazon de frambuesa (impresionande paso a paso....) y para un ratoncito como yo..... ha sido ver el nombre Stilton y no poderme resistir!!!! Como me habría gustado estar en esa mesa....Tengo una pregunta... żComo son esos tenedores para nueces?? Nunca había oído hablar de ellos y como somos consumidores habituales de nueces.. me gustaría hacerme con uno para probarlo!!
Me voy a seguir cotilleando tus recetas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- #94
- Comment by kim rees
when you have soaked the cheese with port were do you store it- #95
- Comment by david Neale
hi, I licked your article on feeding stilton with port and want to have a go myself for christmas, can you tell me how and at what temperature do you store the cheese after poring on the port- #97
- Comment by Walter
Hello FX,I was recently invited to try this amazing gastronomical delight by a friend who is originally from Wales. He served it with a wonderful Tawny Port. He of course gave me a slice to take home, which I devoured the next day! I found your recipe on line and I am proud to say my Stilton wheel is now curing in the basement and will be ready by Christmas day! I have friends coming over for Christmas and I can't wait to see their delight! I heard that this was Princess Dianna's favorite and it is now my favorite as well! Truly amazing... Thank you for sharing and I'll let you know how it turns out.
Merry Christmas! Walter Lewis, Roswell, GA
- #98
- Comment by Susanne Lamb
I think I have come to this very persuasive website rather late! My husband has always wanted to try this - we have just taken delivery of a beautiful Stilton (not difficult to source in England, as you know) and have started feeding it as per your instructions. We don't care what "purists" might think - if it tastes good to us, it won't be the last time! By the looks of concentration on your guests' faces, it'll be worth it. Your enthusiasm is infectious!