with thanks to Annie Wayte's Keep it Seasonal cookbook. I'm experimenting with local cheeses, since I haven't seen local Stilton anywhere yet. Cost information to follow; almost all of these ingredients are available at the Farmers Market this time of year, so I'll check on ingredient pricing tomorrow.

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds celeriac, cut into small chunks
1 potato, Idaho or Yukon Gold, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 apples, such as Braeburn, Empire, or Cox's Orange Pippin, peeled, cored, and quartered
8 to 9 cups vegetable stock or water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)
Celery leaves for garnish, optional
Celery seeds for garnish, optional

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celeriac, potatoes, and garlic. Gently sweat the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes, being careful not to brown them. Add the apples and enough vegetable stock to cover. Stir in a generous pinch of sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the celeriac is tender, approximately 40 minutes. (To test, remove a chunk of the celeriac and press it with the back of a fork. If it crushes easily, it is ready).

Ladle the soup, in batches, into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the soup to a clean saucepan over low heat and add the crumbled Stilton, stirring constantly until melted. Serve in warmed soup bowls with celery leaves and seeds scattered on top, if desired.