Now, this is one day that could probably have been better named. Calling it mouldy cheese just isn't that appealing, even if it is accurate.
The reason it's accurate is because an awful lot of cheeses have mould in them. These moulds are deliberately added to the cheese, either before or after the cheese itself is aged. Originally, these moulds were present in the aging room, but with modern cheeses they are added from previously prepared cultures. Using these cultures means that the end result is more consistent.
The most distinctive mouldy cheeses are the blue cheeses, but mould is present in others, even if it isn't noticeable, as some moulds may be the same colour as the cheese. In a blue cheese, distinctive veins of mould pattern the cheese, and tend to give it a stronger taste. The effect on the flavour of the cheese does vary, but most blues are quite strong.
Stilton cheese, which should properly be referred to as Blue Stilton, as there is also a white variety, is a well known mouldy cheese and has a protected designation of origin, meaning that cheese called that may only be produced in the English counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. The distinctive blue veins in Blue Stilton are caused by the crust of the cheese being pierced with needles, which allows air to enter.
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