Our cheese of the month is Shropshire Blue.

It’s made at Colston Bassett Dairy in Nottinghamshire, the home of award winning traditional Blue Stilton and Shropshire Blue cheese.

Their dairy has been making outstanding cheese for over one hundred years and the farming co-operative which was first established in 1913, is still in operation today.

The Dairy developed from the vision of a local doctor, Dr William Windley – and they continue to make their cheese in the traditional way, using milk from local farms – all within 1.5 miles of the dairy in the Vale of Belvoir on the Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire border. Both cheeses are created by a highly skilled and dedicated team of experienced staff – using the recipes that have been handed down through the generations.

Shropshire Blue is recognisable due to its distinctive orange body with blue veins spread throughout. The natural rind is a deep orange brown shade. The cheese is slightly milder in flavour than Stilton and delicately sweet. Like Stilton, the cheese has a creamy taste and smooth texture with no bitterness or sharpness. The maturation time is slightly less – best eaten at 6-8 weeks.

Try it when you are next visiting.