Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Stilton

Analysing hundreds of thousands of recipes uncovers Stilton's optimal flavour pairings.

Stilton immediately conjures the embrace of mould and the bracing kiss of protease. But look beneath its obvious umaminess and you'll discover a captivating symphony of softer notes, a whisper of lactic acid, a hint of chanterelle, and subtle accents reminiscent of butyric acid, contributing remarkable depth. Understanding how these layered flavours work together is the secret to unlocking Stilton's pairing potential.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the fresh, cooling eucalyptol in bay leaf can awaken Stilton, and how cavolo nero's flinty notes forge a beautiful synergy with its pungent aroma.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. earthy, acidic, and maillard) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

The Art of Flavour Pairing

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Penicillium Notes

Our analysis shows that the flavour of mould is strongly associated with the flavour of flint. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a flint flavour, such as cavolo nero, when pairing with the mouldy aroma accents of Stilton.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing Stilton with cavolo nero.

Harmonious Flavours Of Stilton

Just as our analysis revealed that mould and pencil-lead notes harmonise well, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in Stilton. E.g. the fermented proteins notes of Stilton are often used with bay leaf and green notes.

The aroma accents complementing the various aroma accents of Stilton can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of bay leaf offers many of the notes complementary to Stilton, including bay leaf and clove aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of bay leaf has many of the of the features that are complementary to Stilton, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of bay leaf across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with Stilton.

Recipes That Pair Stilton With Bay Leaf

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of Stilton, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of Stilton, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the notes complementary to Stilton.

What To Drink With Stilton

The graphite notes in californian cabernet sauvignon make it a perfect pairing with stilton. Likewise, the graphite flavours in claret create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of stilton below.

Which Vegetables Go With Stilton?

Choose vegetables that anchor its savoryness or anchor its pungent aroma. Carrot offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Pea add a gentle, oniony brightness, while romaine lettuce introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace vegetables that harmonise with Stilton's savoryness. The addition of baby gem lettuce, with its subtle leafy notes, can complement the protease beautifully. Kale bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while broccoli lends a fresh leafiness.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Stilton), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.