Description
Stinking Bishop Cheese
About Stinking Bishop
There are cheeses that smell.
And then there’s Stinking Bishop.
This wonderfully whiffy British cheese is one of the most famous washed-rind cheeses we sell. Customers quite often smell it before they find it in the counter — but underneath that gloriously pungent rind is a surprisingly gentle, creamy cheese.
Stinking Bishop was created in Gloucestershire in the 1990s by cheesemaker Charles Martell. It’s made using cow’s milk and washed during maturation with perry made from the local Stinking Bishop pear.
And that’s where things start to get interesting.
What’s With the Name?
Despite what you might reasonably assume, Stinking Bishop isn’t named after the smell of the cheese.
It’s named after the Stinking Bishop pear used to make the perry that washes the rind.
And that pear is said to have been named after Frederick Bishop, a wonderfully bad-tempered 19th-century Gloucestershire farmer and breeder who earned the nickname ‘Stinking Bishop’.
More about him in a minute…
Washing the cheese in perry encourages the bacteria that give Stinking Bishop its distinctive sticky orange rind and famously powerful aroma. It’s a traditional technique more commonly associated with continental cheeses, and Charles Martell helped bring this style of cheesemaking back into the British spotlight.
The result is one of those wonderful cheeses where the smell and the flavour tell completely different stories.
And if Stinking Bishop looks vaguely familiar, there’s a reason for that. It famously appeared in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, where its aroma was powerful enough to revive Wallace from unconsciousness.
I’m not suggesting you try this at home.
Stinking Bishop – Jen’s Tasting Notes
We often describe the smell of Stinking Bishop as teenagers’ trainers.
I appreciate that’s not necessarily the greatest sales pitch I’ve ever made, but bear with me.
Most of that famous aroma comes from the sticky, orange-pink rind. Cut through it and you’ll find a beautifully soft, pale yellow cheese that’s much gentler than your nose has led you to believe.
When perfectly ripe, the texture becomes wonderfully soft and creamy, almost spoonable towards the rind. The flavour is rich and savoury, with buttery, earthy and slightly nutty notes and a gentle fruity sweetness from the perry washing.
As it matures, the texture becomes softer and the flavours deepen, but it never tastes quite as terrifying as it smells.
That’s really the joy of Stinking Bishop. Your nose says run. Your tastebuds say have another piece.
How to Serve and Pair Stinking Bishop
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature. Although perhaps warn everyone else in the house first.
- Classic pairings: It seems only right to drink perry with Stinking Bishop. The fresh pear fruit and acidity are a lovely contrast to the rich, savoury cheese — and you’re pairing it with the very thing used to wash the rind.
- Something a little different: A slightly off-dry Riesling works beautifully too. The acidity cuts through the richness while the touch of sweetness plays nicely with the fruity notes from the perry.
- On the plate: Keep everything else fairly simple. Good crusty bread, sliced pear and perhaps a few walnuts. Stinking Bishop doesn’t need much help getting people’s attention.
- In the kitchen: It melts brilliantly. Put a slice on a burger and you’ve taken an ordinary burger somewhere altogether more interesting.
Jen’s note: This is one of my favourite cheese stories. The Stinking Bishop pear is said to have been named after Frederick Bishop, a 19th-century Gloucestershire farmer with a spectacular temper. Legend has it that he once became so furious with a kettle for taking too long to boil that he SHOT IT. I have absolutely no idea whether that’s true, but frankly I don’t want anyone to prove otherwise. Some cheese stories are simply too good to investigate too closely.
Buying Stinking Bishop
- Brand or Producer: Charles Martell & Son Ltd
- Product name: Stinking Bishop
- Milk: Cow
- Country: England
- Region: Gloucestershire
- Strength: Medium
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £6.00
- 500g wedge, £30.00
- Whole cheese (approx. 1.8kg), available to pre-order
- We can also order Baby Stinking Bishop (approx. 500g)
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, vegetarian rennet, preservative (natamycin E235), pear cider, red smear culture
