Price range: £2.85 through £17.10
Shropshire Blue is a wonderfully creamy British blue with its unmistakable orange colour coming from annatto. Rich, buttery and gently spicy, it’s a little more mellow than Stilton and certainly knows how to stand out on a cheeseboard.
Let’s get one thing out of the way first.
Shropshire Blue probably has absolutely nothing to do with Shropshire.
There are a couple of stories about where it came from. Some say it was the brainchild of cheese grader Dennis Biggins in Cheshire in the 1930s, but I’m firmly in the other camp. I think it was created by Andy and Kaye Williamson at Castle Stewart Dairy in Scotland during the 1970s.
Their idea was to make a blue cheese with some of the richness and character of Stilton, but with that fabulous orange colour to make it stand out.
And then, apparently, somebody decided that Shropshire Blue sounded like a good name.
You have to love cheese history.
That gorgeous golden-orange colour comes from annatto, a natural colouring made from the seeds of the achiote tree.
Annatto has been used in cheesemaking for centuries and you’ll find it in everything from Red Leicester to some traditional Cheddars. It doesn’t really add flavour; it’s there to give the cheese its wonderful colour.
And against those blue-green veins, it certainly makes Shropshire Blue one of the best-looking cheeses on the cheeseboard.
Shropshire Blue is made in a very similar way to Stilton and, indeed, several Stilton dairies also make it. The curds aren’t pressed, which leaves enough space within the cheese for the blue mould to grow. The wheels are pierced as they mature, allowing oxygen inside and encouraging those distinctive blue veins to develop.
For me, one of the best things about Shropshire Blue is its texture.
It’s dense and creamy but still has that slight crumble you’d expect from this style of British blue. Give it plenty of time out of the fridge and it softens beautifully.
The flavour starts with rich, buttery creaminess before the blue kicks in with a gentle earthiness, saltiness and a little spice. There’s often a slight sweetness underneath it all too, which helps bring everything together.
People inevitably compare it with Stilton, and that’s understandable, but I don’t think you should expect it simply to taste like orange Stilton. Shropshire Blue has its own character. I generally find it a little softer and more mellow, while still having enough blue flavour to keep things interesting.
And let’s face it, that colour makes it pretty difficult to ignore.
Jen’s note: I love the fact that one of our best-known British regional-sounding cheeses probably isn’t from the region in its name at all. Personally, I’m firmly in the Scottish-origin camp — but cheese historians have been arguing about it for years, so I’m not expecting to settle it here!
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, vegetarian rennet, annatto, Penicillum Roqueforti
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
