Tuxford & Tebbutt Stilton (Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England)

Served with cajeta pear puree

They say: "The only cheese in England to be protected by legislation. It is judged for its creaminess and extent of blue-green veins. Stilton is known for its dense, fudgy qualities. Tuxford & Tebbutt are one of only seven Stilton producers, named for the original owners: Mr. Texford the Stilton man and Mr. Tebbutt the pork pie man."

Cmoore says: Drink a pot of ale, eat a scoop of Stilton, every day, you will make 'old bones'." Nineteenth-century saying, Wymondham. Like all classic Stiltons, the T & T version is salty, salty, salty, with a dense, fudgy texture. There are only six (or is it seven?) creameries in England authorized to make this popular moldy delicacy, and it is traditionally paired with Port wine, in part due to the embargo treaty that once existed between England and Portugal.

Suggested Pairings: Vintage Port, Porter, Stout, Barleywine

Mary Quicke's Double Gloucester (Gloucester, England)

Served with cranberry mustard

They say: "Gloucester cheeses were at one time made only with the milk from Gloucester cows, which are now almost extinct. There are two types of Gloucester cheese: Single and Double. The main difference is that Single Gloucester is made with skimmed milk combined with a small amount of while milk. Double Gloucester is made from only whole milk. Both types have a natural rind and a hard texture, but Single Gloucester is more crumbly, lighter in texture, and lower in fat. Double Gloucester is allowed to age for longer periods that Single, and it has a stronger and more savoury flavour. It is also slightly firmer. Double Gloucester is colored with annatto, but was originally colored with carrot juice. A popular saying was: 'the rosier the colour, the richer the flavour.' Double Gloucester is also used annually in a dangerous sport: Cooper Hill's Cheese-Rolling and Wake, in which the 60 lb wheels are pushed down a steep incline and feisty young lads attempt to catch them."

Cmoore says: That's gloss-ter, for those of you who, like me, would have written "savory flavor". This cheese, well, tastes like...dirt. In a good way! My first impression was "carrots", but I quickly realized it was more the flavor of carrots freshly pulled from the ground, and covered with a nice dusting of earth. So it's also accurate to say the Double Gloucester is grassy, earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter. And dirty. And vegetarian! (Those statements are not related). It's a cooked, pressed cheese, with a firm, slightly granular texture. And, like most English cheeses, it's excellent with mustard and beer!

Suggested Pairings: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Weissbier, IPA, Pilsner, [Beer!]

Lord of the Hundreds (Sussex, England)

Served with cajeta pear puree

They say: "The Lord of the Hundreds was the Saxon magistrate that collected tithes from all the peasants in Sussex."

Cmoore says: Say it with me, Lord of the Hundreds! Unfortunately the cheese didn't really live up to it's epic name: it was dry, hard, and rather bland. One of my co-tasters suggested it might have been stored improperly, as it tasted vaguely of "refrigerator". The cajeta pear puree (a mixture of goat's milk caramel and pureed poached pears) was similarly boring uninspiring. As an uncooked pressed sheep's cheese, this would be comparable to such gems as Pyrenees Brebis, but Lord of the Hundreds really can't compare.

Suggested Pairings: Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Americain Dubbel, ESB, Nut Brown Ale