Posted on 02/13/2025 8:11:30 AM PST by Red Badger
NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY
National Cheddar Day adds some cheesy goodness on February 13th!
#NationalCheddarDay
Grilled cheese would be buttered bread without melt-able slices piled high; burgers would be lackluster without a perfect ooze; mac & cheese would just be…mac, to be frank. So many of our iconic American dishes simply wouldn’t be the same without a slice of cheddar’s deliciousness.
CHEDDAR HISTORY
There’s some history to this love of cheddar as well. How exactly did cheddar become a staple in so many of our favorite foods? Let us tell you!
Cheddar first rolled into being in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England in the 12th century. While cheddar accounts for more than a third of all the cheese sold in the United States, it is a royal hit in the United Kingdom where it was created. In fact, more than half of the cheese sales in the UK go to cheddar.
In 1894, renowned cheesemaker Peter McIntosh brought his cheese-making skills to Tillamook County, Oregon where it rains a lot and the grass was always green. He taught the locals all he knew, and in due time he earned himself the nickname “Cheese King of the Coast.” Today, there are more cows than people in Tillamook, and those local farmers have since formed the farmer-owned cooperative we know today as the Tillamook County Creamery Association.
No wonder cheddar finds its way into so many recipes or a simple snack. That rich, creamy and sometimes crumbly flavor is what keeps us coming back for more, bite after delicious bite.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY
Hashtag it! Show the world just how much you love cheddar by sharing your favorite creation with #NationalCheddarDay on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Celebrate with others by hosting your own National Cheddar Day party.
Share your favorite cheddar recipes.
Bring friends and family together for a wine and cheese night, impromptu fondue, or a grilled cheese cook-off, whatever your favorite cheesy recipe, there are tons to choose from here.
Finally, if you’re local to Tillamook or traveling to the Pacific Northwest, add the Tillamook Creamery as a destination to see just how cheddar is made; sampling a thing or two as well. Today, nearly one million visitors make the trip to the Creamery each year! That’s a whole lotta chedda.
NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY HISTORY
After over a century spent perfecting its award-winning cheddar recipe,Tillamookfounded National Cheddar Day on February 13, 2019, to celebrate its 110th birthday and share a passion for cheddar with cheese-lovers nationwide, giving cheddar a day to shine on its own.
Founded on the coast of Oregon this farmer-owned cooperative continues to produce the most consistent, best tasting, high-quality dairy products made the most natural way possible. Guided by its values and the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook has earned top awards for their cheese, ice cream, sour cream, butter, and yogurt products made the Tillamook Way. Committed to unwavering values that never sacrifice quality for profit, Tillamook is excited to share National Cheddar Day with cheddar lovers everywhere for years to come.
In 2019, the Registrar at National Day Calendar® proclaimed National Cheddar Day to be observed every February 13th.
Cheddar FAQ
Q. How many varieties of cheddar cheese are there?
A. Basic cheddar cheeses are extra sharp, sharp, and mild ranging from a real tangy bite to a mild smooth flavor. However, herbs and spices can be added to cheddar for even more flavor!
Q. Is cheddar a good slicing cheese?
A. Yes! Unlike softer cheeses, cheddar slices very easily. It's also a great melting cheese.
Q. Does cheddar cheese go well on pizza?
A. Mmmm...yes! Even though mozzarella is more common on pizza, cheddar is another delicious cheese option.
Notable Birthdays for February 13
John Aaron Rawlins (1831-1869) - Major General for the Union Army.
William Whedbee Kirkland (1833-1915) - Brigadier-General of the Confederate Army.
Hal Chase (1883-1947) - MLB player known as "Prince Hal" and considered one of the best first baseman of all time.
Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884-1961) - Founder of the A. C. Gilbert Company.
Bess Truman (1885-1982) - The 35th First Lady of the U.S. and wife of President Harry S. Truman.
Grant Wood (1891-1942) - Gothic painter.
Jean Muir (1911-1996) - Actress who was blacklisted after her name appeared in an anti-Communist pamphlet.
Dorothy Bliss (1916-1987) - Zoologist and pioneer in the field of hormonal control in crustaceans.
Chuck Yeager (1923-2020) - The first pilot to break the sound barrier.
Peter Tork (1942-2019) - Member of the musical group The Monkees.
Stockard Channing (1944-Still Living) - Actress known for her role as Betty Rizzo in Grease.
Denise Austin (1957-Still Living) - Fitness instructor.
Neal McDonough (1966-Still Living) - Actor known for his role as Buck in Band of Brothers.
Kelly Hu (1968-Still Living) - Actress who played significant roles in Sunset Beach and The Scorpion King.
Memorable Events for February 13
1741 - The first magazine is published in America (American Magazine).
1795 - The University of North Carolina opens as the first University in the U.S.
1799 - The first law regulating insurance is passed in the MA legislature.
1826 - The American Temperance Society is formed in Boston.
1837 - Riots in NY break out due to the cost of flour.
1861 - Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the U.S.
1914 - The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is established to protect the copyrighted musical compositions of its members.
1920 - The Negro National League is formed.
1932 - George "Spanky" McFarland to introduced to Our Gang.
1935 - The first operation is performed for angina pectoris.
1943 - The Women's US Marine Corps is established.
1954 - Frank Selvy first and only NCAA Division I basketball player to score 100 points in one game.
2011 - The Umatilla tribe are able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855.
Is that sharper than New York Sharp?................
Yep...sharp as you can get short of small batch designer cheese.
I can tell you that if you put a few slices on scrambled eggs and toast that cheese under a broiler, its breakfast heaven.The cheese turns a delightful light brown.
I used to love the Bandon flavored cheddars, especially jalapeno or French onion. Usually kept a block of one or the other in my fire pack.
I haven’t tried the new Bandon cheese yet either. Many years since I’ve been up that way.
No cheese....but have everything for potato pancakes...w/ sour cream of course...
I picked up some smoked cheddar slices at one of those cash-only national chains yesterday. Tasty!
Not much call for that around here, I’m afraid.................
Heh... I also looked at the Brie and Camembert which were adjacent.
Long live the state of Jefferson!
Maybe the 1941 version. The 2016 version has too much California in it.
So that is why I am rooting for Jefferson County. JC was a real thing that was on
it’s way to becoming a reality - but the Second World War disrupted the process,
and it never resumed after the war.
I really liked the southern Oregon coast, though most of the time I spent there was as a Forest Service firefighter in Curry County in the late 70s. A good friend of mine from back then still lives in Douglas County, on the Umpqua River near Reedsport.
Oregon’s definitely way left, thanks mostly to Portland and Eugene, and I don’t see that changing soon. I had enough rain when I was up there anyway, so when I retired we stayed in Arizona.
The State (not County) of Jefferson is a nice fantasy, but it’ll never happen, any more than Greater Idaho.
OK, you caught that before I posted my comment. Figured you knew better, but mistakes do creep in.
Anyway, I hope you find a great spot for retirement, wherever it might be. I had been thinking about NW Arkansas, but my wife wanted to stay in AZ, so we compromised by staying in AZ. We’re living about half a mile from where she lived before we got married, in fact.
”…way left, thanks mostly to Portland and Eugene”
”… stayed in Arizona…”
”… Greater Idaho…”
.
Small world.
I’ve been to Reedsport, I’ve done business with folks in Portland a number of times,
lived in Springfield (across the Umpqua river from Eugene),
lived in Phoenix for a number of years, but I’ve never been to Idaho - but I’ve flown over it.
Born and raised in Portland myself. Went to school in Eugene for a few years in the 70s, but finished my B.Sc. in Corvallis in 1985. (BTW, Springfield is across the Willamette River from Eugene, not the Umpqua.)
I never wanted to live in Phoenix. Driving through the area is bad enough. We now live in Pima County (I know, I know), but at least we’re not actually in Tucson.
.
I knew that of course, (my cup of coffee had just arrived, I’ll be fine…)
And are you saying that Tucson is bad?
I’ve drivin to there for dinner once, never lived there or did anything
of consequence there.
Decades ago we were bored so - “I’ve never been to Tucson, let’s go
have dinner there! It’s only an hour away, or so…”
So we did. I forget what restaurant it was. I had a steak…
I am currently (for several years now) am in Brick, New Jersey - which is central coastal NJ.
Not that bad a place, really - for NJ anyway.
But I consider this just a temporary ‘waystation’…
For a city, Tucson isn’t that bad, but it is a city. And the local and county governments are quite leftist. We live out west of town, though, so we don’t have to deal with the traffic and such every day.
I hear there are actually quite a few nice places in NJ, but I’ve never been to any of the northeastern states, and not likely to. One of my nephews got married in Philadelphia, but we didn’t go.
.
One negative thing I remember about Phoenix was New Year’s Eve,
when lots of people would shoot guns straight up in the air at midnight.
Don’t people realize that the bullets will come straight back down
at the same velocity? (Crazy, stupid….)
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