Stilton is a famous English cheese — pale and crumbly, with blue-grey veins running through it, and a strong, salty, sharp taste that gets stronger the longer it is kept. It is one of the blue cheeses, in the same family as French Roquefort and Italian Gorgonzola, and English people often treat it as the best of their own cheeses.

Stilton斯蒂爾頓 is a famous English cheese是一種有名的英國起司 — pale and crumbly顏色淺、質地鬆軟易碎， with blue-grey veins running through it裡面帶著藍灰色的紋路， and a strong, salty, sharp taste that gets stronger the longer it is kept味道濃烈、鹹、嗆，放得越久味道越重。It is one of the blue cheeses它是藍紋起司的一種， in the same family as French Roquefort and Italian Gorgonzola跟法國的Roquefort、義大利的Gorgonzola是同一個家族， and English people often treat it as the best of their own cheeses英國人常把它當作自己國家最好的起司。

The capital S matters: it is named after a village, and the name is legally protected. Only cheese made in three English counties, in the specified way, may be sold as Stilton. Cheese made anywhere else, however similar, has to be called something else. This is the same kind of rule that protects Champagne.

The capital S matters大寫的S很重要： it is named after a village它是以一個村莊命名的， and the name is legally protected而且這個名字受到法律保護。Only cheese made in three English counties, in the specified way只有在英格蘭三個郡、按照規定方式做出來的起司， may be sold as Stilton才可以叫做Stilton。Cheese made anywhere else, however similar在別的地方做的起司，就算再怎麼像， has to be called something else都得叫別的名字。This is the same kind of rule that protects Champagne這跟保護Champagne（香檳）的規則是同一種。

Culturally it belongs to Christmas. A whole Stilton on the table after Christmas dinner, eaten with crackers, celery, and a glass of port wine, is a very traditional English scene, and shops sell most of their Stilton in December.

Culturally it belongs to Christmas文化上它是屬於聖誕節的。A whole Stilton on the table after Christmas dinner聖誕大餐後桌上擺一整塊Stilton， eaten with crackers, celery, and a glass of port wine配著餅乾、芹菜，還有一杯波特酒一起吃， is a very traditional English scene是非常傳統的英國畫面， and shops sell most of their Stilton in December商店大部分的Stilton也都在十二月賣出去。

It also turns up in soup, most famously with broccoli. There is a white Stilton too — the same cheese without the blue veins, mild and crumbly, sometimes sold with dried fruit mixed in — but if someone just says "Stilton," they mean the blue one.

It also turns up in soup它也會出現在湯裡, most famously with broccoli最有名的是花椰菜湯。There is a white Stilton too還有一種白Stilton — the same cheese without the blue veins也就是沒有藍紋的同一種起司, mild and crumbly味道溫和、鬆軟易碎, sometimes sold with dried fruit mixed in有時候會混著果乾一起賣 — but if someone just says "Stilton," they mean the blue one不過如果有人只說「Stilton」，指的就是藍紋那種。

A fair warning for a first taste: the smell is powerful and the flavour is very salty and sharp. People who love it love it for exactly that. It is not a cheese to try a small piece of politely and judge; it is strong on purpose.

A fair warning for a first taste第一次吃要先提醒你： the smell is powerful and the flavour is very salty and sharp氣味很強烈，味道也非常鹹、非常嗆。People who love it love it for exactly that喜歡它的人，就是為了這一點才喜歡。It is not a cheese to try a small piece of politely and judge這不是一種讓你禮貌地吃一小口、評斷一下的起司； it is strong on purpose它是故意做得這麼濃烈的。