Summary
Stilton cheese, named after a village in Cambridgeshire, cannot be made there due to current rules. These rules limit its production to three specific counties. Residents and historians have been arguing for permission to produce the cheese in its namesake village, citing historical evidence of its origins there.
Key Facts
- Stilton cheese is named after a village in Cambridgeshire, but it cannot be made there.
- Cheese called Stilton can only be made in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire.
- The name protection for Stilton is due to a status called Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), granted in 1996.
- The PDO status remains in place even after the UK left the European Union (Brexit).
- Some locals and former MPs want the law to change so that Stilton can be made in the village with the same name.
- Historians argue about the origins of Stilton cheese, with some suggesting it started in the village in the 18th century.
- The Stilton Cheese Rolling Festival is a local event in Cambridgeshire that dates back to the 1950s.
- Other UK foods and drinks with similar protection include Scotch Whisky and Cornish Pasties.
