Beginning Friday, October 6, more than 94 retailers in metro New York, western New Jersey, and eastern Connecticut will begin a three state campaign called ³Stilton Over Manhattan². Special displays, recipes, tastings, web site sections and visits from Stilton representatives are planned.
As a special event, six, commemorative-sized Stiltons weighing almost 64 pounds each will arrive. Transported by sea to the greater New York City area, six select retailers will display the Mammoth Stiltons in the New York area during the week of October 6 -13, 2000. (A complete list of these special locations is on www.stiltoncheese.com) The commemorative Stiltons were created in the Midlands of England and from milk stage, require approximately 12 weeks before maturity and shipment. At 64 lbs (or 29 kilograms) they contrast dramatically with the standard Stiltons of 17 lbs. Special care and equipment are needed to form the over-weight cheeses since they must be turned end-for-end each day. The cheeses¹ large size makes it easy to see the unique ³shattered porcelain-style² of veining unique to Stilton as well as the spot where the cheese has been ³ironed² or cored to determine maturity and quality.
The campaign is based on the fall harvest; a wonderful time to enjoy Stilton in recipes with fresh vegetables, fruits and with the new wines. Events such as Stilton and wine tastings with the New York Tasters Guild and The Wine and Food Society as well as tastings and demonstrations at various retailers in the greater New York area, will occur. Representatives from England will be in New York to make presentations and answer questions about the Mammoth Stiltons. As a backdrop, a full harvest moon is scheduled to rise over Manhattan during the campaign week.
Only seven Dairies make STILTON for the entire world. The STILTON recipe and process, now almost 300 years old, is protected by the European Union¹s ³Protected Designation of Origin² status specifying the cheese may only be made in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire in the Midlands of England.