The Source
Beautiful writing about delicious British food. Articles, comments and musings from our contributors.
A creamy textured, mellow blue cheese made from raw cow’s milk. Flavours range from tangy green apples to savoury beef stock, with toasty notes toward the rind.
Blue cheese made with raw milk to a Stilton-recipe had been extinct for 18 years after a dairy had wrongly been linked to an outbreak of food poisoning in 1989 and there was a ban on production. Despite the cheese being incorrectly blamed, Stilton went on to be awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the EU in 1996, but with the caveat than only pasteurised milk is used… until American cheesemaker Joe Schneider came along
Schneider began a partnership with Randoph Hodson of Neal’s Yard Dairy and in late 2004 they discussed the possibility of recreating an unpasteurised Stilton-style cheese. Unable to be described as a Stilton due to the PDO, so they looked into an early name for the village of Stilton and choose Stichelton instead which was found in a record dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived for the old English ‘Stichl’ meaning a style and ‘Tun’ meaning village or hamlet.
The first Stichelton cheese was produced in October 2006, reportedly from a starter culture from the original producer by Hodgson’s colleague, and subsequently kept alive for eighteen years.
Today, Stichelton is still produced by Randolph Hodgson in small batches in a dairy on Collingthwaite Farm on the Welbeck Estate on the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. He uses raw milk from Friesian-Holstein cows from the morning milking, very little starter and it takes 24 hours to make the cheese, allowing the natural flora in the milk to bring out the flavours. The curds are hand ladled, which gives a delicate texture. Each cheese is tested for ripeness before it leaves the maturing room. There can be a great deal of variation in how the cheese tastes from batch to batch and seasonal variation is a factor too.
Like many other regional British cheese, Stichelton is in danger of being lost forever if people don’t buy it. Please support small British producers and enjoy this unique and tasty cheese.
Blue cheese made with raw milk to a Stilton-recipe had been extinct for 18 years after a dairy had wrongly been linked to an outbreak of food poisoning in 1989 and there was a ban on production. Despite the cheese being incorrectly blamed, Stilton went on to be awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the EU in 1996, but with the caveat than only pasteurised milk is used… until American cheesemaker Joe Schneider came along
Schneider began a partnership with Randoph Hodson of Neal’s Yard Dairy and in late 2004 they discussed the possibility of recreating an unpasteurised Stilton-style cheese. Unable to be described as a Stilton due to the PDO, so they looked into an early name for the village of Stilton and choose Stichelton instead which was found in a record dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived for the old English ‘Stichl’ meaning a style and ‘Tun’ meaning village or hamlet.
The first Stichelton cheese was produced in October 2006, reportedly from a starter culture from the original producer by Hodgson’s colleague, and subsequently kept alive for eighteen years.
Today, Stichelton is still produced by Randolph Hodgson in small batches in a dairy on Collingthwaite Farm on the Welbeck Estate on the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. He uses raw milk from Friesian-Holstein cows from the morning milking, very little starter and it takes 24 hours to make the cheese, allowing the natural flora in the milk to bring out the flavours. The curds are hand ladled, which gives a delicate texture. Each cheese is tested for ripeness before it leaves the maturing room. There can be a great deal of variation in how the cheese tastes from batch to batch and seasonal variation is a factor too.
Like many other regional British cheese, Stichelton is in danger of being lost forever if people don’t buy it. Please support small British producers and enjoy this unique and tasty cheese.
Share:
You may also be interested in...
For centuries Britain has celebrated the harvest from the land. This autumn, for the first time, the nation will come together to celebrate the harvest of the sea.
From community gardens springing up on forgotten patches of land to school cooks inspiring the next generation, local food heroes are changing lives in communities across the UK – and Love British Food wants to find them.
Love British Food has welcomed Red Tractor as its Lead Assurance Partner for 2026, bringing the two organisations together to champion British food.
Fresh Direct Strengthens Commitment to British Produce with Renewed Support for Love British Food
Harvest Torch on Tour Across Cheshire ahead of National Harvest Service As Love British Food celebrates 25 years of championing British food, its symbolic Harvest Torch is making a special journey across Cheshire, bringing communities together in celebration of British farming, food and harvest.
British Food and British Beer – Perfect Partners By Jane Peyton, Love British Food Ambassador If you are reading this, you support British food so this’ll make your mouth water. Welsh lamb, Cromer crab, Cornish stargazy pie, Aberdeen Angus steak, Gloucestershire Old Spot ham, blue Stilton cheese, marsh samphire, Eton Mess with English strawberries, Worcestershire apple crumble and clotted cream. Now imagine your favourite British dishes served with a perfectly matched British beer. I’ll lead the cheers to that suggestion!
Love British Food Champions Supply Chain Collaboration During Panel Discussion Love British Food brought together leaders from across farming, foodservice, hospitality, retail supply and public sector catering at the Royal Three Counties Show 2026 for a positive and practical discussion on the future of British sourcing.
Alexia Robinson, CEO and founder of Love British Food responds to the School Food Standards consultation launched on 13 April 2026. The government’s nine-week, England-only consultation runs until 12 June 2026 and sits alongside proposals for tougher compliance, online publication of menus and food policies, and a lead governor for school food.
