Speciality Food March 2026

specialityfoodmagazine.com 33 Young chefs explore newways with Stilton Crumbled over ruby-red poached pears, stirred into soup with broccoli or encased in buttery pastry with tender, slow-cooked beef – everyone knows the classic ways to cook with Blue Stilton PDO. Finding new recipe ideas, and different ways to present Clawson Farms’ famous cheese, was the challenge set to catering students fromCapital City College, London in a Creative Cook Off at the end of January. Budding chefs and future front of house stars were tasked with putting a fresh spin on Clawson Farms’ Blue Stilton, marking the 30th year of its PDO status. Creative takes included twice-baked Stilton and chilli soufflé, and roast pumpkin soup topped with Stilton-infused foam. Judges – including Clawson Farms’ managing director, Bill Mathieson, and the college’s chef lecturer, TomEgerton – awarded first place to Aritz Valtuena Repes for his starter, Stilton and beetroot asparagus cannelloni with black Chinese Stilton bread. “We liked the innovation Aritz brought to this dish,” said Clawson Farms’ farm liaison director, KimKettle, who was also on the panel. “Stilton remained the hero throughout the different techniques used.” Front of house ideas included ‘Fonblue’ –melted Stilton served with pastry twists, truffle honey and crudités – and a coffee cocktail with a Stilton-infused chocolate powder. All finalists will be hosted on a visit to Clawson Farms in Long Clawson, Leicestershire, with a dairy tour, cheese tasting and overview of the co-operative’s commitment to sustainability. Hot on the heels of reviving Derby Cheese and introducing Red Derby to the industry, Derbyshire’s Hartington Creamery has just launched a series of truckles featuring these base cheeses – the first Derby Cheese truckles in the world. The project has been spearheaded by Simon Spurrell, formerly of The Cheshire Cheese Co, working with Hartington Creamery owner Robert Gosling. “It’s a particularly poignant project for me,” said Simon, “as my daughter and her partner run the farmused by Hartington Creamery for dairy. I’ve also known Robert for a long time.” Traditional Derby Cheese was revived by the duo at the end of last year, following more than two decades of obscurity. It was originally made in Britain’s first ever purpose- built cheese factory in Longford, Derbyshire, with Hartington being the last remaining producer of traditional Derby Cheese until production closed in 2009. When the newHartington Creamery rose from the ashes in 2012, it benefited from the experience of old staff, who helped to revive its recipes, such as the original Stilton, andmore recently Derby Cheese. “We’re so lucky to have people like Alan Salt around,” said Simon. “He has 50 years’ experience in cheesemaking for Hartington, and remembers making Derby back in the day, and the cultures used. We would pretty much been lost without that knowledge.” Derby’s curds are scalded (increasing the ageing potential of the cheese), before being cut, turned, salted, milled and layered inmould with cheese cloth. They’re pre-pressed and pressed overnight, then trimmed by hand and sent for maturing, ready from three months onwards, but with the ability to be taken on for 12 months or more. Simon said the texture is similar to Cheddar, “but a bit firmer, with a unique flavour. It doesn’t taste like Cheddar. In fact, it doesn’t taste like anything else – but in a good way.” Red Derby uses a slightly different culture, coloured with annatto, and has a punchier flavour. The duo, alongside Hartington’s white Stilton (Peakland) and Cheddar, feature across the newHeart of Hartington truckle brand which is, added Simon, “quite different”, and matched with three chutneys made by Fruits of the Forage, and crackers fromPopti. Available now, the range has eight varieties, including flagship extra mature Cheddar Squadron, Chilli Derby, Smoked Derby, and Peakland White with Tomato and Garlic. Midlands cheesemaker brings a global first to the market