Can you believe we are a little more than halfway through the month? We still don’t have anywhere to move. But I know the Lord has a plan for us. So here I am trying to focus and work. Which is hard. But its why I wanted to bring you our series sharing Food Holidays: April 17th, 2022. Would you take a look at the Holidays being celebrated today and let me know which Holiday you want to celebrate the most and why.
Food Facts about Cheese Ball
- Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of Milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms. Did you know there are over 2000 varieties of Cheese?
- Cheddar Cheese is dyed orange to give Cheddar Cheese an appealing color. White Cheddar Cheese is closer to its natural color.
- Cheese is one of the oldest foods in history. Cheese dates back 4000 years to the ancient Egyptians.
- Cheese takes up about 1/10 the volume of the Milk it was made from.
- The terms “Big Wheel” and “Big Cheese” originally referred to those who were wealthy enough to purchase a wheel of Cheese.
“Cheese Ball” is more than just an adjective describing the Santa sweater your Aunt Janice wears every Christmas without irony. Cheese balls are actually in style during the holidays and, of course, National Cheese Ball Day which falls on April 17th.
Basic ingredients in a Cheese Ball often include Cheddar Cheese, Cream Cheese, Green Onion, and Spices. Sometimes Cheese Balls are rolled in chopped Pecans. If you are a Vegetarian, you can have a Cheese Ball.
Think of Cheese Balls as a kind of freestanding dip. With all of your favorite party flavors rolled into one compact package.
NATIONAL CHEESE BALL DAY ACTIVITIES
- Go cheesy — Chances are you already have at least some of the ingredients on hand, and the rest aren’t hard to find. Or just throw Cheese Ball caution to the wind and improvise! You could use the chunk of Pepper Jack that’s too small to cover your plate of Nachos? Pepperoni from Pizza Night works well in a Cheese Ball.
- Host a Cheese Ball-making party. Now that you’ve channeled your mad culinary skills, why not share your Cheeseball knowledge? Everyone loves Cheese. Invite your family and have everyone bring an ingredient to contribute to the Cheese Ball. Including Cream Cheese, Shredded Cheese, Crackers, or other foods to use for dipping. Provide a couple of bottles of Wine to get the party started.
- Watch Cheese Ball-inspired movies including “Spaceballs”? “Cannonball Run”? Or “Meatballs”?
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL CHEESE BALL DAY
- Most Cheeseballs start with a base of softened Cream Cheese. Then you add whatever strikes your fancy. Next, you form the concoction into a ball. If you ever used Play-Doh as a child, you got this. Roll that ball into another ingredient, like chopped Herbs or Nuts.
- TRetro dishes and drinks are in. Cheese Balls are a tasty throwback to a simpler time, before Meat and Cheese platters became “Charcuterie,” and before artisanal napkins and free-range forks graced the place settings of every locally sourced restaurant around.
- You can put pretty much any of your favorite dip ingredients into a Cheese Ball. If you wanna get frou-frou? You can make Cheese Balls into pinecones, Pineapples. Or Snowmen. Any Cheese Ball is, by definition, fancy.
Fun Fact:
The term “Cheese Ball” can also refer to the puffed air orange snack that can be purchased in the snack aisle.
The earliest mention of the Cheese Ball was found in a 1944 cookbook called “Food of My Friends”. The recipe came from a Minnesota housewife.
A “Cheeseball” also refers to someone trying to be funny.
Malbec World Day is an annual observance celebrated on April 17th, to commemorate the day on which President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento of Argentina officially made it his mission to transform Argentina’s Wine Industry.
On April 17, 1853, Sarmiento tasked Michel Aimé Pouget, a French soil expert, to bring new vines to Argentina. Among the varietals Pouget brought was Malbec. Pouget continued experimenting with the adaptation of French varietals to Argentina’s diverse terroirs. A decade later, the Great French Wine Blight affected the Rhône region.
The name “Malbec World Day” translates from the Spanish “Día Mundial del Malbec,” meaning “Malbec throughout the world”. The name stuck and continues to confuse English speakers to this day, as most refer to it “World Malbec Day” or “Malbec Mondo” for those who like the alliteration. In the meantime, Malbec flourished in Argentina, creating wines widely superior to those of its country of origin. Many decades later, in 1956, France faced another obstacle when a freeze wiped out the majority of Malbec vineyards
Wikpedia
Five facts about Malbec:
- Malbec is a purple Grape variety used in creating Red Wine.
- Malbec is one of Argentine favorite Wines.
- On April 17th, 1853, the President of Argentina put legislature in place for the foundation of an Agricultural School in Argentina. With the goal of transforming the Country’s Wine Industry. Several vines were brought over from France, including Malbec, which flourished in Argentina.
- Terrazas de los Andes is an Argentine Winemaker that embodies the best of Malbec by combining Argentinian terroir with French know-how to ensure quality Grapes.
- Argentina’s most highly rated Malbec Wines originate from Mendoza’s high altitude Wine regions of Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
