Cheese has always been an important staple of the British household. It was not refrigerated, but rather was kept in cheese dishes on the counter of the kitchen. These dishes covered it completely, but had a small hole in the top, which was to let the cheese "breathe". They were generally of two types: the flat, rectangular base with a box shaped top with handle and hole for most kinds of cheese; and a round base with a round cover and hole used for large rounds of stilton cheese. There was even a special, long handle spoon for digging out the stilton from the center, as stilton was rarely cut with a knife. The British still use these dishes today, although we, in this country, use refrigeration.

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