Bringing Stilton back to the States

[MarkinHouston]

I hope to purchase some Stilton and perhaps some farmhouse cheeses while we are in the U.K. next month. Can anyone tell me the proper way to wrap cheese for a 12-hour flight/customs odyssey? Marie Cantin in Paris vauum-sealed all of our fresh cheese purchases the morning of our flight--does Neal's Yard Dairy do the same? I would have luggage space for cheesecloth, foil, large Ziplocs, etc. if they would help artisanal cheeses survive the trip. Thanks in advance.

[bobmac]

First, I suspect we in the US are too worried about keeping cheeses cold. I bought some boutique Gouda on Prince Edward Island recently and they were telling customers not to worry about refrigeration. Of course, a softer cheese such as Brie, might need to be kept cool. That being said, since my wife requires medication that has to be kept cool, we always travel with one of those small cooler bags about the size of a loaf of bread and with a couple of freezer packs inside. Our UK cheeses have been bought at Neal's Yard in London where they wrap them in that paper that all cheese shops use.

Oops, just noticed the end of your post. Don't know if Neal's Yard vacuum seals, but you could ask them at coventgarden@nealsyarddairy.co.uk.

Edited August 18, 2006 by bobmac (log)

[rjs1]

I hope to purchase some Stilton and perhaps some farmhouse cheeses while we are in the U.K. next month. Can anyone tell me the proper way to wrap cheese for a 12-hour flight/customs odyssey? Marie Cantin in Paris vauum-sealed all of our fresh cheese purchases the morning of our flight--does Neal's Yard Dairy do the same? I would have luggage space for cheesecloth, foil, large Ziplocs, etc. if they would help artisanal cheeses survive the trip. Thanks in advance.

←

Neals Yard wraps the cheese in waxed paper then packs it in strong cardboard boxes lined with wood shavings for both insulation and protection from bruising. My wife just took a couple of kilos of cheddar and stilton in this packaging by plane to Ghana and it survived the journey perfectly (I guess it's pretty cold in an aircraft hold anyway).

Getting cheese through customs can be harder; I nearly got arrested by security staff leaving Pisa once when the sniffer dogs went mad at the smell of gorgonzola in my hand luggage.

[MarkinHouston]

"we always travel with one of those small cooler bags about the size of a loaf of bread and with a couple of freezer packs inside."

I think those freezer packs would get confiscated rather quickly given the latest security rules for British Airways carry-on luggage. I am gald to see that Neal's Yard packages them well for travel. If I buy elsewhere perhaps I can mimic their methods. Thanks!

[prasantrin]

"we always travel with one of those small cooler bags about the size of a loaf of bread and with a couple of freezer packs inside."

I think those freezer packs would get confiscated rather quickly given the latest security rules for British Airways carry-on luggage. I am gald to see that Neal's Yard packages them well for travel. If I buy elsewhere perhaps I can mimic their methods. Thanks!

←

But the freezer packs do rather well in check-in. I'd avoid carrying anything on-board that doesn't need to be on-board (and I think, but am not sure, that if you're flying out of Britain you can only bring the barest of necessities on-board, anyway).

I flew from the US to Canada a couple of days ago, and had some freezer packs in one of my check-in bags, along with my perishables. The bag they were in was opened by security, but everything was left intact, and the stuff was still cold by the time I got home (roughly 12 hours later).

[Dave Hatfield]

Think the Neal's Yard packing would work well when put into your checked luggage. (Its too hot on the cabin for cheeses, I think.)

Your problem is more likely to be USA customs. You might want to do some checking with them prior to your trip. I know for sure that raw milk cheeses are now a no no.

Years ago I brought it some stilton, London to San Francisco. In those days the baggage hold was very cold so I packed most of my business stuff in the checked case to make room for the stilton in my briefcase. Despite my best wrapping efforts we were beginning to have a pretty smelly cabin by the time we reached S.F. The stilon was still wonderful though.

A while later after I moved back to the states friends brought me a stone of stilton. But that's another story.

[azlee]

I've brought Stilton home to NY in the past from Harrod's in London. It was packed in a well chilled porcelain container and stayed cool for the entire trip home and we now have a lovely container to keep our blue cheeses in the fridge here. I imagine any apilco type porcelain container would work and you could even use a larger one with a freezer pack in and/or around it to keep it extra cool.

[dellis453]

I'd suggest packing them in your suitcase - that way it will keep really cold in the hold!

By the way, there is a useful guide as to what you can bring back at

http://help.customs.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cf...3364936&p_sid=R

I've brought Stilton home to NY in the past from Harrod's in London. It was packed in a well chilled porcelain container and stayed cool for the entire trip home and we now have a lovely container to keep our blue cheeses in the fridge here. I imagine any apilco type porcelain container would work and you could even use a larger one with a freezer pack in and/or around it to keep it extra cool.

←