To be called "Blue Stilton" the cheese must be made from local pasteurized milk in Derbyshire, Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire counties. Currently only six dairies are licensed to produce Stilton Cheese. Blue Stilton must be unpressed, allowed to form its own crust, and produced in the traditional cylindrical shape, with blue veins extending from the center and "have a taste profile typical of Stilton". Blue Stilton is aged for a minimum of nine weeks which creates a semi-soft creamy cheese that gets crumblier as it ages. Blue Stilton gets its distinct blue veins from "penicillium roqueforti" (blue mold spores) created by introducing air into the core of the cheese with stainless steel needles. Blue Stilton provides a milder flavor than both Gorgonzola and Roquefort, and is ideal in soups, salads and dips, dressings and sauces. Sweet wines pair particularly well with Stilton such as Port or a sweet sherry.
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