Sqwertz wrote:
> Over rated.
>
> England finally discovers something with taste, and declare it the
> best cheese in the world. Hate to break it to you, but France and
> Italy have been doing this for about 1,000 years longer and have a
> lot better blue cheeses. Stilton isn't any better than many
> American made blues (St Pete's, Marin French Cheese Company). and
> they certainly can't complete with other European blues. There's
> nothing special in it's process that differentiates it from any
> other cow's milk cheese made from penicillium roqueforti ("foot
> odor" in English).
>
> The best blue, IMO, comes from Ireland - Cashel blue. But I know
> tastes in cheese vary wildly. I'll spare you the "fruity
> undertones" and "burnished tannins"-type descriptions.
>
> And don't get me started on the Roqueforts. The best one out there
> was on sale for limited time at Newflower/Sunflower market and I
> can't recall the name of it or recognize it from any lists available
> online (it sounded like a womans name - Like "Maria").
>
> I do have to take back my, "Societe' is a perfectly fine Roquefort"
> statment. Somebody told me it was near the bottom of the list, and
> of course I huffed and puffed and probably called him tasteless.
> But once I tasted it again after trying many of the others, I agree.
> It's not in the top half of the list.
>
> -sw


I bought a pound of English Stilton for Christmas. I still have
about half of it; it's good but not as good as Maytag blue. I may
try out this recipe:


Celery and Stilton Soup
(from http://suzette.typepad.com/the_joy_o...oplereal_soup/)

1 bunch celery
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 tablespoons of butter
3 3/4 cups light vegetable or chicken stock
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup of half and half
1 cup of crumbled blue cheese
salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve the inner leaves from the celery and chop the remaining
celery. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Gently cook celery and
onion, covered, until soft. Add stock and bring to a boil. Simmer
20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly. In a food
processor fitted with a metal blade or a blender, process mixture to
a puree. Return puree to pan and reheat gently without bringing to a
boil.

To finish the soup, beat egg yolks and half-and-half in a small
bowl. Stir a small ladleful of hot soup into the egg mixutre and
pour back into the pan. Stir in crumbled blue cheese, stirring
constantly until soup thickens. Season with salt and pepper and
garnish with inner celery leaves. Serve immediately.

Cathy writes these additional tips: "The recipe calls for Stilton,
but gorgonzola works fine as will any strong blue. It's far easier
to use a wand blender [to puree], and you don't have to wait for the
soup to cool. If the soup is to be held, be sure to reheat gently."