Shropshire Blues

Welcome to Prudence Dapperling’s “Mouse in a Million” BIG CHEESE Blog!

Long time, no write. Sorry about that. I’ve been up to my whiskers in research and nibbles as part of my quest for the best in cheesy lore.

Today’s featured delight is another marvelous offering from my native land—

Shropshire Blue.

Shropshire Blue is a “new” cheese, which means it’s been in existence less than 25 years. Originally produced in Scotland, it was marketed in England as having come from the County of Shropshire, near Wales. This wondrous Blue is now actually produced in Shropshire and in Melton Mowbray in the County of Leicestershire.

Shropshire Blue is like Stilton in that it has a creamy texture, a rough, brown rind, and the same dimensions:  cylindrical shape, 11 to 12 inches in height, 7 inches in diameter, and weighing 14 to 16 pounds. Its similarity to its venerable and much esteemed counterpart ends there, however; its paste is bright orange, its blues are bluer, and its flavor is considerably sharper than Stilton's.

When buying Shropshire Blue, the most important consideration is its freshness. A fresh cheese has that bright orange hue I mentioned, with veins of vibrant blue/green running through it. Its texture should be creamy. No cracks, no crumbling, no slimy or powdery rind. The flavor should be quite sharp and tangy with a lasting, piquant aftertaste.

Shropshire Blue is a great cheese to serve after dinner with sweet fruit, crusty bread, and a robust red wine, sweet dessert wine, port, Madeira, or sherry. 

Buy yourself a hunk today and enjoy!

Like Cheese? Check out Steven Jenkins' blog here. 

And don't miss the latest installment from that wise and worthy cheese-loving feline, Spaulding Gray.

Like mice and bats and other critters of the night? Then you'll love Darklings! Buy it here...

Source: Cheese Primer, Steven Jenkins, Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 1996