Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-03
RARE OLD STr-TCN.
Some Information About the Cheese by
which Every EngIlshman Swears.

which Every Ensllshman Swears.
What il the state and what are the pros
poets Of Stilton? The parish, formerly a
market town in the county of Huntington,
which has given its name to that which was
once the nristocratic and ~gastronomic
cheese par excellence" has always been "A
mart for cheese. The article vended here
IS really made in Leicestershire, 70 miles
away, whereas Cheddar cheese Is manufac'
tured at the place from which it takes us
designation. although the inhabitants Of
the little Somersetshire tow bitterly com.
plain that an IA has been fOisted by mod
ern writers on the photography of the last
syllable of their home name, which IL prop
erly "Chedder." In any case, it must be
admitted Cheddar or Chedder, although
universally acknowledged to be a most
toothsome cheese, has never been coddled
and petted by the superior classes to the
extent which Stilton has enjoyed.
Rare old Stilton'' is generally preferred
by e%picures when n green mold appears IN
its texture. To accelerate this premature
decomposition pieces Of moldy cheese are
sometimes inserted into holes made for the
purpose with Il scoop, but the best cheeses
do not require this unhandsome treatment
and are in perfection when the inside be
comes "a soft rs butter, without any ap.
pearance Of moldiness. Ia making very
rich cheeses it is n canon Of the dairy that
the whey should be allowed TO run oil very
slowly, because if it were forced rapidly 1t
might carry off n great deal Of the fatty
matter Of the cheese itself.
n,,- f.sLn~a ~, tho rfIar hand ncn1 fO
play on their own account u great many
fantastic tricks with their rare old Still.
tons. Glasses Of port or Of burgundy were
frequently poured into the cheese, and
sometimes the article was placed underthe
tap Of a cask Of strong ale, so as to imbibe
the droppings thereof, and there are even
cases on record in which INSCRIPTIONS but
lers nave striyen to enhance the moldy as
pect OF the cheese 10y pushing into it cork.
ing pins of brass or copper, thus engender'
ing the p%erilOus presence Of yerdigris. 1t
is not quite impossible that some reason
for the decline in the popularity OF Stilton
may be due to the circumstance that it was
formerly almost invariably eaten to the &C
compartment Of port wine.
a gentleman" observed Beau Brum-
mel, always ports Win HIS CuttSci anu
port wine having gone TO a great extent
out of fashion since smoking after dinner
became general ut the very best tables
Stilton may have shared for atime in the
temporary observation which darkens the
bright chronicle Of the vintage of Oporto.
1t is a curious fact nevertheless that when
ever a parcel of remarkably fine port comes
on the market il is at once eagerly pur-
chased, and with regard to Stilton, who
shall say that there are not yet secluded
temples of %gastronomy where hoary adopts
treat the fine old cheese with all its ira
ditional rites, including the moistenings by
means Of port wine and strong ale, but
sternly prohibiting, it is to be hoped, the
r~eprehensible practice Of sticking a ripen-
ing cheese with corking pins?-London
Telegraph.