Stichelton

In 2006, cheesemaker Joe Schneider and Neal's Yard Dairy founder Randolph Hodgson set out to resurrect a traditional unpasteurised blue cheese. Once upon a time, all English blue cheese would have been made with unpasteurised milk. In pursuit of the sensory complexity and length of flavour that come from milk that has not been heat-treated, Joe and Randolph found a farm on the Welbeck Estate near the edge of Sherwood Forest and set to making cheese. Thus Stichelton was born: a traditional blue cheese made only from the morning's milk, with very little starter and a long make – 24 hours – to draw out the milk's natural flora and delicate flavours. The curds are hand ladled and milled, giving a more delicate texture, and the flavours are further enhanced by the careful maturation process which takes place both at Stichelton Dairy and in our arches in Bermondsey.

As cheesemongers we are constantly looking to further our understanding of the techniques and recipes of farmhouse cheesemaking. It took a year for Randolph and Joe to find a farm that met their requirements, and another year before they were producing cheese of a consistent quality, using timeworn techniques such as hand ladling and milling, rubbing up and piercing, and the process of gradual refinement continues to this day. We continue to work closely with Joe, visiting regularly to provide feedback. The complex nature of Stichelton's make means there can be a great deal of variation in how the cheeses taste from batch to batch and season to season. Throughout the year, each batch is evaluated for ripeness before leaving our maturation arches, based on sight, smell, flavour and feel.