After a record number of national awards over the last twelve months, Cropwell Bishop Stilton rounded off the year with a couple of top prizes closer to home – scooping highest accolades at both Melton Mowbray and Newark Shows. Goes to show that all the good things that have been written lately in the national press about Cropwell Bishop Stilton must be true - it’s THE Stilton to buy this Christmas!
The silver Easom Bowl was won for the second year running by Cropwell Bishop Creamery with their Organic Blue Stilton for ‘Best Stilton in Show’ at the Melton & Belvoir Agricultural Society Fatstock Show (5th December at Melton Cattle Market).
The coveted Easom Bowl is sponsored by the Stilton Cheesemakers Association. Stilton Cheese is the speciality cheese of Melton Mowbray – at one time there were two Stilton creameries in the town itself (and in fact one was owned by the Skailes family of Cropwell Bishop Creamery – before they relocated to Cropwell Bishop). Its PDO status means the cheese can only be made in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire – so competition at the show is always fierce.
The Melton & Belvoir Agricultural Society Annual Fatstock Show has been running for over 80 years and traditionally marks the start of the festive season in the town. Robin Skailes and Howard Lucas of Cropwell Bishop Creamery attended the presentation of prizes by the Mayor of Melton.
And the next day to crown a wonderful year, 6th December, Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton was named Champion cheese in the Stilton class at Newark and Notts Primestock Christmas Show. This Christmas cheese competition has been running for 17 years in and is always full of festive cheer – especially when the cheeses are auctioned off at the end!
Cropwell Bishop Creamery is based in the Vale of Belvoir. Their Stilton is famous the world over; all the cheeses are hand-made using traditional methods and everyone at the Creamery was delighted to win this prize so close to home. Joint Managing Director, Ian Skailes, said: “We always strive to produce the finest Stilton and are delighted to end what had been great year for our cheeses with these prestigious prizes at our two most local shows”.
