Food Holidays: July 30th, 2022

Welcome to our series sharing Unique Holidays: July 30th, 2022. Today is National Cheesecake Day a holiday I will pass on celebrating. While David would love celebrating today with a slice of Cheesecake of any kind. At one time Charlie would even eat the Cheesecake with David. But I don’t know about today. How about you. Would you like a slice of Cheesecake?

National Cheesecake Day

Five Facts About Cheesecake:

1. Pennsylvania Dutch-style Cheesecake uses a slightly tangy type of Cheese with larger curds and less Water content, called Pot or Farmer’s Cheese.
2. Philadelphia-style Cheesecake is lighter in texture, yet richer in flavor than New York Style Cheesecake.
3. Farmer’s Cheese Cheesecake is the contemporary implementation for the traditional use of baking to preserve fresh Cheese and is often baked in a Cake form along with fresh Fruit like a Tart.
4. Country-style Cheesecake uses Buttermilk to produce a firm texture while decreasing the pH increasing acidity to extend shelf life.
5. Lactose Free Cheesecake may be made either with Lactose-Free Cream Cheese or as an imitation using Vegan recipes combining Non-Dairy Cream Cheese alternatives with other Lactose-free ingredients.

National Cheesecake Day is the yummiest holiday held on July 30th where America samples the most delicious Cheesecakes ever!

Separately, Cheese and Cake are beloved all over the World. But taken together, Cheese and Cake attract a veritable cult following. Cheesecake is thought to have originated in ancient Greece, as evidenced by its earliest mention in Greek physician, Aegimus’, a book on the art of creating Cheesecakes. Since then, Cheesecake has been passed down through the generations and entered into the fabric of numerous cultures.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHEESECAKE DAY

Weirdly enough, the origins of =Cheesecakes are not known to us but Cheesecake can be traced as early as = ancient Greece. The recipe used back then only consisted of the most basic ingredients Cheese, Flour, and Honey. Interestingly, Cheesecake was fed to the Greek athletes during the Olympics held back in 776 B.C. It was not until when the Romans conquered ancient Greece that Eggs and proper baking methods were introduced. 

As time went by, the recipe was modified several times to get that perfect ratio of smooth to creamy consistency, and this led us to the American Cheesecake =we all know and love! In 1872, New York dairyman William Lawrence unintentionally came up with Cream Cheese while he was trying to replicate a French Cheese called the Neufchatel. Cream Cheese became so popular and the demand for Cream Cheese became so high that it was packaged and distributed to all the local stores in the area.

Time went by, and an immigrant named Arnold Reuben from Germany, who lived in New York, was once served Cheese Pie at an event he attended. Arnold Reuben was so fascinated and intrigued by the dessert, that he decided to experiment with the recipe until he came up with what we know today as the New York Cheesecake. 

The popularity of the New York Cheesecake increased so much that different Cities came up with their own versions, for example, the Chicago Cheesecake, the Pennsylvanian Cheesecake, and so on. Cheesecake became such an important part of American culture, that in 1985, it was decided that on July 30th every year National Cheesecake Day would be celebrated.

NATIONAL CHEESECAKE DAY ACTIVITIES

1. Why get on a plane when you can travel the World through your mouth? Taste test regional variations of Cheesecake by visiting your local Italian, Russian, German, Polish or French bakeries.
2. You can’t celebrate National Cheesecake Day without celebrating one of America’s proudest exports: New York-Style Cheesecake. Unlike other Cheesecakes, New York-Style uses Heavy Cream, Eggs and loads of rich, Cream Cheese. This Cheesecake has a dense, smooth, velvety consistency. Chances are, when you think of Cheesecake, you’re thinking of New York-Style Cheesecake.
3. Don’t be fooled by that rich, complex taste. Cheesecake is actually super easy to make. Treat your friends and family to a homemade Cheesecake that’s fresh out of the oven. With an endless array of toppings, garnishes, Spices and flavorings; your creation is sure to be one-of-a-kind.

5 FACTS ABOUT CHEESECAKE THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

1. Whether you want your Cheesecake baked or not, is up to you!
2. Did you know you used to be able to buy Cheesecake-flavored postage stamps?
3. Cheesecake contains a good amount of Vitamin A, riboflavin, protein, and phosphorus.
4. Cheesecake is considered a Torte.
5. In ancient Greece, Cheesecake was a popular wedding “cake” and Cheesecake was part of their tradition for the bride to make Cheesecake and serve it to her husband.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CHEESECAKE DAY

1. It’s easy to transform a Cheesecake into a masterpiece. Despite it’s creamy taste, Cheesecake is dull-looking. Luckily, the freshness and flexibility of its ingredients can take a Cheesecake from ordinary to extraordinary! All you have to do is add a topping. Blueberries, Strawberries or Cherries on top. Or add a dribble of Chocolate Sauce, and you’ve turned your kitchen into a Michelin Star restaurant.
2. You could travel the world and eat nothing but Cheesecake. Although we don’t recommend that. Did you know almost every Country has its own spin on Cheesecake, with slight variations in the types of Cheese used and the way the dessert is baked.
3. Cheesecake was originally invented by the ancient Greeks. When Rome conquered Greece, the Romans loved the recipe so much that they copied the recipe and modified it by including crushed Cheese and Eggs. Then, they baked the Cheesecake under a hot brick and served it warm.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates