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A Little Background about our Tuxford and Tebbutt Stilton
by
Zoe Brickley
Tuxford was the Stilton man, Tebbutt was the pork pie man. The duo specialized in these regional favorites, popularized in the 1700s by taverns in waypoint towns throughout England. One tavern in particular, The Bell Inn, served a luscious, creamy blue cheese remembered by travelers for the town in which they ate it. Thus Stilton Cheese
was named. Apparently, though, a pork pie is a pork pie the world around and sadly, the company dropped the pies when they modernized in the 1960's.
Stilton grew in popularity to such a degree that in the 1996 Parliament decided to grant the legendary cheese name protection, thereby banishing all imposters. Similar to the French AOC protection this legislation ensures that the famous blue will always be made with the specific traditional recipe, in a designated shape, and always in the original geographic locations. Only three counties were included in this region, but the town of Stilton lies just outside the area. So a Stilton made in Stilton cannot legally be called Stilton! Very Cheeky.
The guidelines are so exacting that only 6 main manufactures enjoy the right to make and sell the self-proclaimed 'King of Cheese'. T& T is the one we chose to carry at Murray's based on countless blind tastings. We pitted the four most commonly exported brands against one another, and found the winner to be consistent in its richness flavor and classic appearance (it was almost dubbed 'too pretty' for the normally rustic looking category).
These major producers have been busy in trying to keep up with Stilton's international celebrity. If they all made as many pork pies as they make 20 pound kegs of Stilton, then they would be making over a million pork pies annually. One reason the UK is so cautious with manufacturer approval, I think, is so that their compliance agencies can monitor fewer producers much more closely.
To ensure the noticeable quality and consistency in each wheel while cranking out such immense quantities, T&T has installed a 'non-invasive infrared moisture management system'. This instrument can actually measure moisture, fat, and protein content of a cheese, or pork pie I suppose, without having to open it up. However, all of these factors are especially important to a cheese's end texture and trademark flavor. It's crazy to think about how innovation and technology are the main players in preserving and old-world, pre-modern-science tradition like Stilton.
So the next time you find yourself crumbling that versatile royal blue over your pear salad, or mounding the dense and fudgy goodness on your backyard burger, take a moment to appreciate Tuxford's legacy and what it has become. But also doff a cap, or in our parlance, pour one out for Tebbutt - the pork pie man. Big ups.
Want to work with Zoe and learn the ways of the Murray's Cheese caves? Check out our job listings to learn about becoming an affinage intern!
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