Cheese

Stilton is the seasonal king of cheese. If you are buying a whole Stilton, make sure it is satisfactorily blued by asking the cheesemonger to iron it (insert a hollow metal spike which draws out a bore of cheese for checking). The only non-pasteurised one still produced is Colston Basset, which has a milky white body, dense, blotchy royal-blue veining and a robust un-salty taste of old carpets. An excellent pasteurised one, such as Long Clawson, may have a yellower body, meaner violet-grey veining and a softer saltier flavour.