The Saturday quiz in The Guardian posed a question about an English cheese that cannot be made in the village it is named after. The answer is Stilton, which is protected by law to be produced only in the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. The village of Stilton, now in Cambridgeshire, is not within these designated areas, so cheese made there cannot legally be called Stilton.
Legal Protection for Stilton
Stilton cheese has a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under European Union law, which specifies the geographical area where it can be made. This designation ensures that only cheese produced in the three named counties and following traditional methods can be sold as Stilton. The village of Stilton, which historically gave the cheese its name, is excluded from the production area due to contemporary county boundaries.
Quiz Context and Other Answers
The question was part of a broader quiz that included other trivia items, testing readers on various topics. The answer highlights a common misconception about the origins of Stilton, as many assume the cheese originates from the village of the same name. In reality, the cheese's name is a nod to its historical association with the village, which was a trading post for the cheese in the 18th century.
