I was on vacation so I guess I missed this Cheese day event. :)
Posted on 06/04/2023 7:24:01 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
June 4 is National Cheese Day. Not to be confused with other popular cheese related holidays like grilled cheese day, cheesecake day, or mac and cheese day. This day is in reverence of the queen of all dairy, the big cheese.
Cheese and its many varieties are celebrated on National Cheese Day on June 4.
History of National Cheese Day
Cheese making is an ancient, some might even say sacred, craft. So ancient in fact it predates recorded history. It is speculated that the magic of cheese making began somewhere around 8000BCE shortly after the domestication of animals. Archeological digs have found evidence of cheese around the world including strainers coated in milk-fat molecules in Kuyavia, Poland dated around 5500BCE, murals in Egypt dated at 2000BCE, and an artifact of preserved cheese in Xinjiang, China believed to be more than 3,000 years old! European Imperialism took their styles of cheese through Asia, sub saharan Africa, and eventually to the Americas.
The most popular cheese of all is (obviously) mozzarella. This delicious and pizza topping cheese was first created near Naples from the rich milk of water buffalos. At the time, it rarely left its home near Naples, as it was made from pasteurized milk, and a lack of refrigeration meant it had a very short shelf life. As both cheese technology and refrigeration systems advanced, this delicious cheese left the southern region of Italy and found itself traveling around the world.
There are two types of mozzarella produced within the United States — low moisture and high moisture. Low moisture mozzarella has a moisture content less than 50% while high moisture has a content of over 52%. Low moisture is made specifically for transportation and mass production as the lack of moisture gives it a longer shelf life.
Today, cheese dishes can be found on every continent served savory, sweet, melted, deep fried, and even chilled in ice cream. This household staple can still satisfy any craving after thousands of years.
By The Numbers
4% – the percentage of all cheese being sold that ends up stolen.
1,400 pounds – the weight of a block of cheddar cheese delivered to the White House once by President Andrew Jackson.
2 – the hours it took for 10,000 visitors to the White House to finish the block of cheddar cheese. 17th century – the period in which they started dyeing cheese orange to fool people into thinking it was higher quality.
½ – of the total cheese consumption in the world is of Gouda cheese.
1,000 – the estimated number of different French cheeses. 1615 B.C. – the year when the oldest known cheese was discovered in China.
National Cheese Day Activities
Charcuterie
Make a spread of some of your favorite cheeses to enjoy solo or with friends. Try working in new and international varieties you’ve never tried before. Check out Pinterest for ideas on the best meat, wine, and veggie pairings.
Take a cooking class
You may be surprised how many cheese themed educational experiences there are. Learn how to make your own cheese at home, the perfect drink and food pairings, or discover a new cheesy dish. With workshops, in person classes, and free online tutorials there are a lot of ways you can learn to enjoy this ancient culinary staple.
Cook something
Whether traditional comfort food like mac n cheese, the tangy sweetness of cheesecake, or the contemporary refinement of stuffed pull apart bread there are countless cheese recipes to try. Why not try a new twist on a family recipe or search the internet for the latest cheese trend. You can start simple with a five ingredient ricotta cheese recipe.
Take the National Cheese Day Quiz (scroll down at link)
https://nationaltoday.com/national-cheese-day/
One of my all time comfort foods is American cheese on top of wonder bread & baked in the oven. Old school cheese toast!
Best American cheese? No doubt. Tillamook from Oregon. Cabot, from Vermont a close second.
Ugh! LOL! That’s exactly how I feel about getting in a hot tub, or soaking in a bubble bath.
I want the germs, sweat, dirt and grime OFF of me - I don’t want to marinate in it! ;)
I don’t believe that, either.
It’s probably ‘Velveeta processed cheese food.’ Ugh!
Proving once again that there is a Seinfeld quote for every topic you can name! :)
“Emmentaler...’
We have to travel about 45 minutes to find that. Yum!
Monroe, WI is a ‘Cheese Hub’ here in Wisconsin. :)
https://alpanddellcheese.com/ (They ship!)
Monroe also has an awesome outlet store for Swiss Colony - but it’s the really, REALLY good stuff - not the regular stuff in their catalog. :) In high school my sister worked there during the summers. She’d come home with her bra packed with parsley or paprika or chopped nuts - whatever they were making on the line that day, LOL!
https://www.swisscolony.com/ (They ship!)
Carr Valley Cheese is also awesome. We have that in Mineral Point which is closer to us than Monroe.
Their ‘Bread Cheese’ is amazing, and while I don’t like Goat’s Milk Cheese as a rule, their Cocoa Cardona is my ONE exception.
https://carrvalleycheese.com/shop-cheeses/ (They ship!)
“Cabot, from Vermont a close second.”
From time to time I actually BUY the Cabot ‘Seriously Sharp White Cheddar.’ It is SO good!
Of course, being in Wisconsin, I have to do that under cover of darkness... ;)
Yes, I thought the thread was going to turn into a muenster. But turns out just a few folks shootin’ the bries.
So far so gouda.
If any day has the potential for a complete meltdown, it would be National Cheese Day.
I don’t see a shred of evidence of that happening, but there’s Stilton time.
When I was 9 or maybe 10 (at scout camp), I remember making white bread toast (probably Wonder Bread, but maybe, just maybe, Merita bread) over the campfire and adding American cheese to it. Still one of my favorite memories of scouting.
Merita is still my all-time favorite bread, and if I find it at the grocery, I buy it! Something special about that bread! Of course, I can’t find it in the Midwest. So far, I only find Merita when I’m in the South. So when I’m south of the Mason-Dixon Line, I actively hunt for it at grocery stores.
It’s amazing how strong memories are. They stay with you. We live in the south & I’ve never heard of that bread. Now I’m going to scope it out!
I do like cabot -
I have found it in Tennessee and N. Carolina so far. I have about a third of a loaf in my freezer right now. I use it for special occasions. Last time, I made grilled ham and cheese on it. That was just a few weeks ago, when it was still fresh.
Before I had this last batch, I pulled out my last 4 pieces of the previous loaf, which had been carefully wrapped and was almost year in the freezer. Still so good!! Not kidding. If I am anywhere near where Merita is sold, I will find it! There’s just something special about it.
Cheesus....................
I was on vacation so I guess I missed this Cheese day event. :)
You made it worth the wait!
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