Blog & News

News Statement

21 March 2006

FOOD STANDARD’S AGENCY’S SALT GUIDLEINES ANNOUNCED

The FSA has today announced by category its proposed levels of salt in food. For now, no target has been set for the amount of salt in home produced British blue cheese. There is an ongoing, constructive dialogue between the two parties about what the salt level should be and there are no time limits in place for when the final decision will be made.

For further information about the FSA and its salt campaign please visit www.foodstandards.gov.uk.

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For further media information please contact Rick Guttridge at Brazen PR on T 0161 923 4994 E stilton@brazenpr.com

STILTON CHEESE IS THE SECRET TO AN AMOROUS EVENING

Forget talk of chocolates, champagne or oysters as the key to unlocking the lust within your loved one this Valentines Day, a piece of blue Stilton is the answer!

Fiona Marshall, author of Natural Aphrodisiacs comments:

“Cheese contains PEA - phenylethylamine, which releases the same feel-good chemicals as sex - and is considered an aphrodisiac in Italy ”. 

Dr Sidney Crown, psychologist and expert on human sexual behaviour comments: “People respond to the taste, texture and appearance of food, along with the psychological anticipation of foods historically deemed romantic. Stilton, and the other blue cheeses, have very distinctive and sensuous tastes and textures which can help stimulate the senses when enjoying a romantic meal”.

Nigel White of the Stilton Cheese Makers Association comments, “Stilton is the ideal food for love. Casanova famously swore by blue cheese and red wine as a powerful aphrodisiac with properties that can ‘restore an old love and to ripen a young one’.  Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to start experimenting with sumptuous and sensual foods such as Stilton and it contains substantially more PEA than chocolate”! 

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For more information contact Rick Guttridge at Brazen PR,

T: 0161 923 4994  

E: stilton@brazenpr.com  

CUT THE CARBS THIS CHRISTMAS – EAT CHEESE!
SERVE UP A DIET TO STICK TO WITH STILTON’S GI CHRISTMAS PLAN

Christmas is a time when dieters feel most miserable, either piling on the pounds they fought so hard to keep off or missing out on all the food they want to eat.  Perhaps surprisingly cheese could be the answer to stopping the cravings that cause so much misery over Christmas.

Christmas classic Blue Stilton cheese is a naturally low carb food and, using the acclaimed GI (Glycaemic Index) diet, the Stilton Cheese Makers Association has created a selection of Christmas dishes that are not only healthy and delicious but will also help food lovers to beat the bloat on Christmas Day.  The ideas include Stilton dip and the intriguing Stilton ice cream!

The GI diet has taken the world by storm and is backed by nutritionists and doctors alike, offering an effective long-term approach to weight loss, which can also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and raised blood pressure. The diet rates foods on the effect they have on blood sugar levels.  Cheese has no carbohydrate and actually slows the absorption of sugar into the blood meaning it is a very low GI food.   Low GI snacks help to keep you feeling fuller for longer than high GI foods, providing a sustained release of energy.

Unlike carbohydrates, which change the blood sugar, sometimes dramatically, proteins and fat based foods like cheese do not have a negative effect on the blood sugar level.

Nigel White of the SCMA comments, “At Christmas many people feel they cannot eat the things they enjoy and look on at other guests with envy.  Our meal plan allows them to eat interesting food that at the same time stops the cravings and snacking that is so tempting at this time of year.

“Stilton has always been thought of as a Christmas cheese, but these recipes not only allow people to stop snacking and beat the carbohydrate bloat over Christmas, but also to experience Stilton in a whole new way.”

Stilton is also a good source of calcium, which is integral in keeping bones healthy, a 50g piece of Stilton will provide you with one fifth of your daily allowance. When dieting, many people skip out dairy foods as they are thought to be high in fat, but this can leave the diet lacking important nutrients.  

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For more information please contact  Rick Guttridge
T: 0161 923 4994 E: stilton@brazenpr.com

Notes to Editors

• Images available on request
• All recipes have been checked by the National Osteoporosis Society nutritionists.
• Recipes for each dish at the end of this release 

STILTON DIP
75 g Stilton,
225g of low-fat crème fraiche or low-fat yought (slightly whipped),
2 tsp of chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper
Blend the ingredients season, and chill for an hour or so.
Dip in carrot, celery, pepper and cucumber sticks, courgettes slices, broccoli florets and mange tout.
 
BLUE STILTON SALAD
Serves 4
225g Watercress
225g Chopped lean rindless bacon
1 pear, cored and chopped
50g walnut halves
2 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g Stilton cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper
Place watercress in large serving bowl.
Grill bacon pieces until crispy and leave on kitchen paper to drain.
Place the pear in a pan with walnut oil, juice and black pepper and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Spoon the mixture onto the watercress, add blue Stilton and serve straight away
 
STILTON STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Serves 4
Ingredients
200g Blue Stilton cheese, cubed
100g walnut pieces
115ml sherry, plus extra for deglazing
50g dried apricots, chopped
1 bunch of tarragon, leaves picked and chopped
2 egg yolks
8 garlic cloves, boiled and peeled
4 chicken breasts fillets, skin on (or turkey fillets for an Xmas feel)
Freshly ground pepper
olive oil, for shallow-frying
For the salad:
2 courgettes, sliced lengthways into shavings using a peeler
150g cherry tomatoes
2 handfuls of fresh greens – spinach, kale or Chinese lettuce
squeeze of lemon juice
olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions
1. In a food processor, place the Stilton, walnuts, dried apricots, 1 tbsp of sherry, tarragon, egg yolks and garlic cloves. Blend to a smooth paste.
2. Using a small sharp knife, cut a pocket in each of the chicken breasts and thighs. Fill each cavity with the Stilton mixture, sealing with cocktail sticks. Season each portion with salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.
4. Heat the olive oil in a hob-proof oven tray. Add stuffed chicken portions, fry until golden on each side.
5. Transfer the chicken portions to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. 6. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Toss together the courgette shavings, cherry tomatoes and leaves in a serving bowl. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil.
7. Remove the roast chicken and allow to rest. 
8. On the hob, deglaze the roasting tray with sherry, scraping the pan with a spatula to remove the roasting residue. To serve, slice the chicken portions and place on top of the salad, then pour over the sherried roasting juices.

BLUE STILTON ICE CREAM
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
100g Blue Stilton, crumbled with rind removed
200ml whipping cream
Walnuts to garnish
Instructions
1. Beat the Stilton and 100ml of the cream together until the mixture is smooth – use a food processor if easier
2. In a separate bowl whisk the remaining cream until stiff
3. Using a metal spoon, carefully fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture. Be very gentle and do not over mix. Freeze in a plastic container.
4. Remove container from the freezer a few minutes before serving to allow ice cream to soften.
5. Serve as a savoury with a knife, oatcakes and walnuts.

STILTON BIDS TO SIGN COMIC RELIEF STAR TONY CHRISTIE AS KING OF CHEESE

With a classic collection of ‘cheesy’ hits under his belt including ‘Is This The Way to Amarillo?’, ‘Avenues and Alleyways’ and ‘Drive Safely Darling’, the SCMA have approached Tony’s representatives in the UK to discuss involving him in a promotional campaign for the King of Cheeses.

Tony, who enjoyed international fame in the 1970s, shot to fame for a second time during this year’s Comic Relief celebrations. The Peter Kay recording of Tony’s single ‘Is This The Way to Amarillo?’ was one of the most popular items of the night and has now shot to number one in the charts.

Nigel White of the SCMA comments: "It is fantastic to see an artist like Tony being exposed to a new audience and the Comic Relief performance has become one of the defining moments of Red Nose Day.

"His success has really turned British music lovers on to easy listening and, far from being a derogatory term, cheesy music is now the hottest thing in the charts.

"We’re talking to Tony with a view to making him the King of Cheese in partnership with Stilton, the King of Cheeses!"

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The Stilton Cheese Makers Association have approached Comic Relief star and 70s pop legend Tony Christie to become the new face of the British cheese.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Rick Guttridge at Brazen

T: 0161 923 4994

E: stilton@brazenpr.com

SOS – SAVE OUR STILTON

STILTON DAIRIES SEEK INSURANCE TO SAFEGUARD CHRISTMAS STILTON

Producers of one of England’s national treasures are looking for an emergency £1m insurance policy to ensure that Blue Stilton is kept safe for cheese lovers around the world this Christmas.

After a summer of mixed weather and a string of sniffles and illness, Stilton makers feared that their highly trained cheese graders – of which there are only 21 in the world – might be unable to cope with the heavy demand on them in the run up to the festive period. So, bosses are looking to insure their nostrils for the whopping sum to ensure that the world’s supply of Stilton cheese will be available this Christmas.

The graders, highly trained cheese specialists who determine that every Blue Stilton produced meets exact prescribed standards of taste and texture, will have combined noses worth a potential £1,000,000 - that’s a whopping £25,000 per nostril!

The Stilton Cheese Makers Association is currently searching for a broker to fulfil the policy after fearing that the Stilton graders could suffer damage to their acutely trained senses of smell and taste as traditional winter colds kick in. The premium will cover loss of earnings for the dairies should the worst happen and all the graders fall ill.

Nigel White, of the Stilton Cheese Makers Association, comments:

"The Stilton dairies produce Stilton all year round but obviously are particularly busy in the months just before Christmas. This summer, as the weather was so unpredictable and many of our graders were off with summer colds, we began to have genuine worries about what we would do to safeguard the quality of Blue Stilton should illness befall our graders in the crucial weeks and months to come.

"Blue Stilton is a highly complex cheese and the graders have many years of experience of determining the exact point at which a cheese is ready to leave the dairy. Without this expertise and with so few qualified graders to call upon, we really feel we have to safeguard ourselves in case of illness at this crucial time."

Protected by a European Designation of Origin, Blue Stilton can only be made in six licensed dairies in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire with local milk and to stringent standards. A third of Stilton’s annual sales are made in run up to Christmas totalling up to 2,500 tons in the UK alone.

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For more information please contact Rick Guttridge

E: stilton@brazenpr.com

STILTON ICE CREAM:
WHAT MINCE PIES HAVE BEEN MISSING!

Fusion cookery is on the tip of every food fashionista’s taste buds with recipes mixing flavours to create surprisingly tasty culinary blends.

The Stilton Cheese Makers Association has teamed up with Churchfield’s Farmhouse to produce a new savoury Stilton ice cream, just in time for Christmas.

Perfect either as a starter, palate cleansing interlude or an accompaniment to a dessert such as mince pies, Stilton ice cream really is a new and different taste sensation. The subtle cheese flavours tempered with the luxurious cream create a velvety smoothness against the deep fruit flavours of the pie.  Just as many people love to eat apple pie with a slice of Cheddar cheese, so the rich mincemeat marries perfectly with the savoury Stilton ice cream

Nigel White of the SCMA says, “When we first made Stilton ice cream we had it in mind as a savoury course, but then we thought we’d try it with a sweet dish. Once we had tasted it we were all amazed.

“Stilton ice cream and mince pies is the perfect twist this Christmas as people are so used to the same old, traditional dishes that dinner parties over the season tend to be a little boring.  This dish allows people to surprise their guests and make their parties the toast of the town!”

Gillian Kerton, of Churchfield’s Farmhouse, comments: “We are constantly looking to add innovative new flavours to our range of ice cream. Stilton is such a versatile cheese we thought it may just work and we’re delighted with the result.”

The ice cream is a new take on the King of Cheese and is also very easy to make at home. It can also be enjoyed with bread or biscuits.

Blue Stilton Ice Cream:
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
125g Blue Stilton, crumbled
180ml double cream
Finely chopped almonds or walnuts for garnish           

Instructions
1. Beat the Stilton and 75ml of the cream together. Whisk the remaining cream until stiff
2. Using a metal spoon, carefully fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture. Be very gentle and do not over mix. Freeze in a plastic container.
3. Remove container from the freezer a few minutes before serving to allow ice cream to soften.

If you’re in too much of a rush this Christmas Stilton ice cream is available direct from Churchfield’s Farmhouse: a 500ml tub would be £4.50. A 2 litre container is also available for £7.60 + VAT.

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For more information please Rick Guttridge at Brazen PR
T: 0161 923 4994 E: stilton@brazenpr.com

Notes to Editors

Churchfield’s Farm is based in Droitwich, Worcestershire. For more information on it’s range of ice cream and stockists visit www.churchfields-farm.co.uk.

TARA LEADS CAST OF CELEBS CAMPAIGNING FOR OSTEOPOROSIS AWARENESS

Tara Palmer Tomkinson is joining a host of British celebrities in pledging her support for this summer’s new campaign to raise awareness of osteoporosis in the UK.

The campaign has been initiated by the Stilton Cheese Makers Association (SCMA) and jointly funded by the Milk Development Council (MDC). It is fronted by a number of British stars including Helen Mirren and Stephen Fry and aims to raise awareness of the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) with 12 new summertime recipes and serving suggestions presenting Stilton in fresh, light and accessible ways. Each celebrity has chosen their own personal favourite meal from the new summer recipe collection to support the joint initiative.

Celebrities taking part in the campaign include Tara Palmer Tomkinson, Helen Mirren, Honor Blackman, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Terry Wogan, Gary Rhodes, June Whitfield, Melinda Messenger, Deborah Bull, Susan Hampshire, Nerys Hughes, Lizzie Webb, Lynn Faulds Wood, Trudie Goodwin, James Martin, Dame Mary Peters, Eamonn Holmes and Philippa Forester.

Nigel White, spokesman for the SCMA, explains the partnership: “We are always keen to promote the versatility of Stilton as a high quality food product whilst at the same time raising awareness of the health benefits of cheese. We hope the recipes will encourage people to be more adventurous with Stilton and also educate people about this debilitating condition.”

Trevor Reid, communication and fund-raising manager at the NOS, comments: “Much of our work is aimed at raising awareness of osteoporosis and this partnership with the SMCA will help us reach new and important audiences.

“One in three women and one in twelve men over the age of 50 will develop osteoporosis. Without treatment, it can cause painful and disabling fractures, particularly in the wrist, hip and spine. Foods high in calcium, such as Stilton, can play an important role in the fight against osteoporosis.

"A small piece of Stilton (1 oz or 30 grams) contains about one seventh of the average recommended daily intake of calcium for an adult. Nutritionists recommend three dairy portions a day, so your Stilton plus a 150 gram pot of yogurt and half of pint of semi skimmed milk on your breakfast cereal and in tea and coffee throughout the day will give you all the calcium you need.

“We are delighted that so many well known people are supporting us in this very important campaign.”

Tara Palmer Tomkinson explains why she was so keen to take part: “Osteoporosis is a serious condition which is often overlooked. It can affect anyone of any age, but through exercise and diet many of the symptoms of this illness can be greatly reduced. The partnership of the NOS and a wonderful English product such as Stilton is something I’m very proud to put my name to.”

The Stilton NOS campaign will run throughout 2004 and will include the production of recipe cards, sampling at high profile events and an ongoing media presence.

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For more information please contact:

Rick Guttridge

T: 0161 923 4994  E:stilton@brazenpr.com

1. EUREKA! Unfortunately no one can claim credit for the invention of blue cheese - the first story of blue cheese being created comes from France: some soft cheese was abandoned by a group of French peasants and left until it formed a firm crust and had blue mould running through it. The peasants later found it and being hungry made a meal from it - they discovered it to be extremely palatable and so blue cheese was born.

2. GIRL POWER -Stilton was Britain’s first blue cheese and it was a Mrs Frances Pawlett of Wymondham, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, who is credited with making it. She had built a name for herself as a supreme cheese-maker and supplied cheese to Cooper Thornhill, owner of the Bell Inn in the town of Stilton. The town was a staging post on the Great North Road between London and York.

3. TRADING STANDARDS - Stilton, a blue veined cheese, was first made in the early part of the 18th Century. Daniel Defoe, writing in his “Tour through England and Wales’ in 1727 remarked that he ‘?passed through stilton, a town famous for cheese?’.and yet stilton was never made in the town.

4. READ ALL ABOUT IT - another early literary reference backs up Stilton’s reputation as the King of Cheeses. Pope’s Satire VI, Imitation of Horace comments:

‘Cheese such as men in Suffolk make,

But wished it Stilton for his sake.’

5. BUY BRITISH - There are only six dairieslicensed to make Stilton in the whole world. They are based in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and there are very strict rules to which they must abide to keep the product pure. For example stilton must be made using local milk and can only be made in a cylindrical shape.

6. Each finished Stilton cheese weighs about 7.5 kg and requires 72 litres of milk. Stilton can only be made from whole cow's milk and is allowed to ripen for 10-15 weeks, during which time it is pierced several times to encourage the growth of Penicillium roqueforti mould.

7. 1 Million Stiltons are made every year. About 150 thousand of these are exported to over forty different countries worldwide - the biggest export market is the USA.

8. FREEZE IT - Stilton can be frozen for up to three months - just cut into portions, wrap tightly in clingfilm or foil - and defrost slowly in the fridge overnight.

9. OLD BONES - an old 19th Century saying from Wymondham quotes:

‘drink a pot of ale, eat a scoop of stilton, everyday, you will make ‘old bones’’

10. A STILTON A DAY? Stilton has always been used as an everyday cheese - often served after meals. Using Stilton as an ingredient can spice up lots of everyday dishes. For more ideas please refer to the Stilton website at www.stiltoncheese.com.

1600s Unpressed cream cheese with blue veins being produced in farmhouse dairies in the Wymondham area near Melton Mowbray

Stilton type cheese in different styles and sizes from various sources on sale at inns in the town of Stilton - an important trading post on the Great North Road between London and Edinburgh

1722 First published reference to Stilton cheese in William Stukeley’s “Itinerarium Curiosum” letter V. October 1722 T

1727 Daniel Defoe writing in his “Tour through England & Wales, wrote that he “? passed through Stilton, a town famous for cheese”.

1738 Two lines of verse from Pope’s Satire VI, “Imitation of Horace” praised the quality of Stilton in his verse:

“Cheese such as men in Suffolk make

But wished it Stilton for his sake”

1742 William and Frances Pawlett established a business supplying Stilton cheese to the town of Stilton. They supplied their own cheese, made by Frances, and also selected cheese from other local suppliers and arranged for its transport to Stilton. Their main customer was an East Midland’s entrepreneur, Cooper Thornhill, owner of The Bell Inn. The cheese was sold for trade in London as well as consumption on the road.

There is no evidence that Stilton was ever produced in the Stilton area - all the product came from farmhouse dairies around Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.

The golden age of the town of Stilton as a trading centre and staging post lasted almost 100 years. Huge quantities of cheese moved up and down the Great North Road - this lasted until the introduction of the railways.

1840 The Midland Railway Company connected Peterborough with London and the Midland’s market towns. Overnight a huge chunk of cheese trade in the town of Stilton was transferred to the railways.

1854 William Thorpe Tuxford - a cheese factor of Melton Mowbray - made an impassioned speech in support of a change of name for Stilton cheese - he suggested “Meltonian Cream Cheese” as all the Stilton was made within a 10-mile radius of the town. The name did not catch on!

1875 The first large scale Stilton factory established in the village of Beeby, near Leicester by Thomas Nuttall. Smaller dairies established in other parts of the East Midlands.

1876 Cheese dairy opened at Hartington in Derbyshire by the Duke of Devonshire. Subsequently purchased by Thomas Nuttall to make Stilton cheese in 1895

1883 First Stilton Cheese Fair held in Melton Mowbray in September. Almost 13,000 Stilton cheeses were sold at prices ranging from 10d to 1s 11/2 d per pound (4.2p to 5.6 p per pound)

1889 The Royal Agricultural Society of England published “The Practice of Stilton Cheese Making” written by Mr G Kemp, a famous local cheese-maker. This was a detailed description of the facilities, equipment and recipe required to make good cheese.

1911 The first farmer’s co-operative formed for the purpose of making Stilton was set up at Long Clawson

1912 Colston Bassett & District Dairy formed by 12 local farmers to become the second farmer co-operative making Stilton cheese

1936 Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association formed to raise standards and to represent the interests of the Stilton industry to government.

1966 Stilton granted a certification trade-mark (CTM) in the UK so protecting it from imitation. In the

1990’s this was extended to various countries abroad.

1996 Stilton granted an EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

TODAY There are just six dairies licensed to make Stilton cheese.

In total they produce around 10,000 tonnes of blue and White Stilton cheese a year.

Over 1,000 tonnes of blue Stilton are exported each year to over 40 countries with the USA and Canada being the two most important markets.

Stilton, the creamiest blue cheese on the market, is now turning heads with a sultry and sophisticated new image.

A true blue British product, Stilton is shaking off any trace of stuffiness with a new image focusing on Stilton’s sensual and seductive properties and the creation of a suggestive new look for the creamy cheese.

The new ‘sexy Stilton’ campaign is designed to encourage more people to use and enjoy Stilton every day - not saving it just for Christmas or the cheeseboard. As Britain becomes ever more a nation of ‘foodies’ Stilton is now being appreciated and used by an increasing number of people of all ages, with celebrity fans including Vic Reeves, Helena Christiansen and Gary Rhodes.

Nigel White of the Stilton Cheese Makers Association comments:

‘What we really want to communicate is that Stilton is one of the best and most versatile cheeses in the world. People often have the impression that Stilton is a strong taste but, unlike a lot of other blue cheeses, Stilton is very creamy and actually gets more mellow with age - just like a good wine.

‘We want to move away from the traditional language of cheese which uses terms like mature or vintage and create instead our own language of Stilton which focuses on the creamy, sensual texture and taste of the cheese.’

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:

Rick Guttridge

T: 0161 923 4994

stilton@brazenpr.com