Posted on 01/20/2025 5:44:25 AM PST by Red Badger
NATIONAL CHEESE LOVER'S DAY
On National Cheese Lover's Day, don't feel bleu, throw a feta or act capriciously. January 20th is a gouda day to kummin over and have some cheddar or asiago or fontina!
#CheeseLoversDay
There is no firm evidence of how humans discovered cheese making. But legend tells us it was likely that someone created the first cheese by chance. Thousands of years ago, people transported milk and stored it in sheep's stomachs. Left to sit a few days, the proteins would separate into curds and whey. From there, preserving the solids with salt may have seemed a logical next step. Salt was a highly valued preservative in ancient times.
The earliest record of cheese making dates back to 5,500 BCE in what is now Poland. Today there are over 1,400 varieties of cheese.
Basic Cheese Making
The basic principles behind making cheese are quite simple. Let the milk sour (or scientifically, coagulating the casein protein). Then separate the curds (solids) from the whey (liquid). The curds are then salted and left to age.
Bacteria, enzymes, or fungi may be added at various stages. These and the type of milk, temperature, time, and moisture are all controlled to produce the desired taste, color, and texture. Cheesemakers also add herbs and spices for additional variety and flavor.
The nutritional value of cheese varies depending on the variety. Cottage and mozzarella cheese are at the lower end of fat and calories per serving, while mascarpone and cream cheese pack it on. Marscapone makes desserts like tiramisu rich and creamy.
For the Love of Cheese
For cheese lovers who think one day is just not enough to celebrate cheese, National Day Calendar presents a calendar full of cheesy celebrations. There are 18 other cheese-specific holidays on the calendar. Check out this shortlist of tasty cheese-based celebrations:
Cream Cheese Brownie Day (February 10)
Cheese Doodle Day(March 5)
Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day(April 12)
Cheese Souffle Day(May 18)
Cheese Day(June 4)
Cheesecake Day (July 30 - along with three other flavors on the calendar)
Goat Cheese Month(August)
String Cheese Day (September 20)
Moldy Cheese Day(October 9)
Nachos Day (November 6)
Sangria Day (December 20 - wine and cheese always go together)
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CHEESE DAY
Enjoy some cheese with your lunch or as a snack. Share your favorite cheesy recipes or puns. Try a new cheese pairing. Visit your favorite cheesemonger, and be sure to give a shout-out, too. Use #CheeseLoversDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL CHEESE LOVER'S DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this cheese-loving day.
Cheese Lover's FAQ
Q. How much whey is produced when making cheese?
A. One pound of cheese can produce up to 96 fluid ounces of whey.
Q. Now, whey-t a minute. What happens to all that whey?
A. Whey is protein-rich. Many farms added whey to animal feed. However, whey is also used as a protein supplement in powders and nutrition bars.
Q. What is squeaky cheese?
A. Squeaky cheese is a young (it's not aged for very long) cheddar cheese that comes in these delicious nuggets called cheese curds. When the cheese curds are genuinely fresh, they squeak a little when you bite into them.
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January 20th Celebrated History
1870 Sisters Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Clafin open the first woman-owned brokerage firm in the United States.
1887 The United States Senate amends and extends the 1875 reciprocity treaty with Hawaii securing a lease to Pearl Harbor as a Naval Base.
1920 Irwin W. Cox registers the trademark for the steel-wool product called "SOS." The initialism for the shaved steel wool saturated with soap stood for "Save Our Saucepans."
1964 The Wisconsin Cheese Foundation sponsors the making of the world's largest block of cheese ever made. At midnight, the process began at Steve's Cheese in a factory near Denmark, Wisconsin.
1998 Researchers at the University of Massachusetts and Advanced Cell Technology announced the successful cloning of calves that may have produced medicinal milk.
2009 The inauguration of the 44th President of the United States takes place. President Barack Obama becomes the first African American to serve as a U.S. president.
January 20th Celebrated Birthdays
Harold Lincoln Gray - 1894 The American cartoonist created the well-known comic strip Little Orphan Annie. It first appeared in the Chicago Tribune on August 5, 1924.
Eva Jessye - 1895 During the Harlem Renaissance, Jessye earned international recognition as the first African American woman to direct a professional choral group.
George Burns - 1896 The legendary actor and comedian earned critical and commercial success during a career that spanned more than six decades.
Joy Adamson - 1910 The conservationist lived and worked in the Kenyan wilderness. After raising a lion cub to be released back into the wild, Adamson wrote Born Free. The book was made into an Academy Award-winning film in 1966.
Federico Fellini - 1920 One of cinema's most celebrated filmmakers, Fellini brought the world La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life), 81/2, and Ginger e Fred (Ginger and Fred.) Fellini's final work was La Voce Della Luna (The Voice of the Moon) which starred Roberto Benigni.
Edwin Buzz Aldrin - 1930 On July 16, 1969, the decorated Army pilot joined Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins aboard Apollo 11 for a historic launch from Cape Kennedy. Four days later, Aldrin would be one of only two people to set foot on the moon, the first being his Commander, Neil Armstrong.
For lunch today....... Swiss, sharp cheddar, gouda, smoked gouda and I believe Danish Bleu. Oh yes and maybe the soft cheddar spread from Aldi’s that really isn’t very good.
The question then becomes with saltines or ritz crackers or the crusty bread?
I think the bread.
The cheese will all be microwaved for 25 or so seconds to warm and release the flavors. Probably, the cheeses will be sliced with a cheese wire . Except for the blue (bleu) that is soft and spreadable and the plain gouda that is already in small round waxed chunks. .
I’m a man of simple tastes. Scrambled eggs with cheddar and bacon for breakfast. Some 5 year Cabot cheddar on crackers for lunch, and then some freshly grated parm on meatballs and ziti for dinner tonight.
For lunch today....... Swiss, sharp cheddar, gouda, smoked gouda and I believe Danish Bleu. Oh yes and maybe the soft cheddar spread from Aldi’s that really isn’t very good.
The question then becomes with saltines or ritz crackers or the crusty bread?
I think the bread.
The cheese will all be microwaved for 25 or so seconds to warm and release the flavors. Probably, the cheeses will be sliced with a cheese wire . Except for the blue (bleu) that is soft and spreadable and the plain gouda that is already in small round waxed chunks. .
Is this it?
You might enjoy this article. https://www.curiousnotions.com/rarest-cheese/
A full moon would have been nice.
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Zabar's combo of creamy, silky Taleggio and nutty aged Gruyère is decadent.
A perfect melt, w/ salinty from capers stirred into sweet, jammy strawberries.
Ing 2 tbl Tiptree Little Scarlet strawberry preserves 2 tsp drained capers 4 slices seeded sourdough rye (such as Zabar's) ¼ lb Taleggio cheese, rind removed, in 1/8" thick slices, 1 ½ oz aged Gruyère, grated (about 1/2 cup), divided
Steps Stir up preserves and capers, lightly smashing capers. Layer 2 bread slices evenly with Taleggio slices. Top 2 more bread slices with preserves mixture, and top evenly with grated Gruyère. Close sandwiches, press to flatten. Toast sandwiches golden in butter in hot skillet on med, cheese is melted, 3 min per side. Transfer to plates; serve immediately.
Notes Very tasty combination, can use plain sour dough; get 2 sandwiches from the jam. Use Tiptree brand Little Scarlet Strawberry Preserves for the ultimate version----made from tiny, sweet strawberries. At NYC Zabar's or online at brandsofbritain.com.
I fear my life may be somehow incomplete without some Venezuelan beaver.
About right!
Gruyere girl forever 😋😋
That’s on tap for dinner tonight!
That’s the whey!................
That’s a lotta fingers!
Eating all this cheese may set another hour to be recognized.
Maybe we could set up the time each day that all the cheeze
comsumers head to the poop device and move it on down the
line. Joe where are you going? Just making my daily deposit.
LOL, what’s not to love? I have at least four varieties in my fridge right now - we love it for “Happy Hour” in the late afternoon.
I even like traditional Cheese Wiz on a Philly Steak sandwich when I visit relatives in Philly.
The only cheese that has caused problems here is blue cheese, which I happen to love. My Dad was from the midwest and we always had blue cheese on steaks and blue cheese dressing on salads (homemade, of course).
My husband couldn’t stand it in the fridge or anywhere else - or to be anywhere near it - even if I wrapped it up well and put it in a zip-lock back he claims he could still smell it. Claimed it smelled like mold and is not edible.
I love bleu cheese, but my wife can’t stand it!.................
Does he eat mushrooms?
Mushrooms are a fungus just like mold, only bigger..........
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