I’m excited to share today’s Holiday with you which is June 4th National Cheese Day #NationalCheeseDay. David and Charlie have asked for Fish Sticks and Mac and Cheese for dinner this evening so they will be celebrating National Cheese Day. Before you ask if I’m going to have Fish Sticks.
No, I think I will have a Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with Light Bread ie White Bread and Kraft Cheese Slices. Would you like to join me for dinner? Or would you prefer to join David and Charlie for dinner? If you prefer to eat with David and Charlie you might want to pick up some Tarter Sauce because David uses Ketchup and Charlie and I use May. How about you?
June 4 is National Cheese Day. Not to be confused with other popular Cheese related holidays including Grilled Cheese Day, Cheesecake Day, or Mac and Cheese day. This day is in reverence of the queen of all dairy, the big Cheese. Make a run to the grocery store and pick up your favorite Cheese to celebrate today with then invite your friends and family over to share your Chesse with you. Ask them to bring there favorite Cheese to share with you as well.
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.
Did you know the most popular Cheese of all is Mozzarella. Mozzarella is used as a Pizza topping Cheese which was first created near Naples from the rich Milk of Water Buffalos. At the time, it rarely left its home near Naples, because it was made from Pasteurized Milk, and a lack of refrigeration meant Mozzarella 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.
Did you know 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 Mozzarella 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. Cheese which is a household staple can still satisfy any craving after thousands of years.
NATIONAL CHEESE DAY ACTIVITIES
- Make a spread of some of your favorite Cheeses to enjoy solo or with friends. Try working in new and international varieties of Cheeses you’ve never tried before.
- 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 Cheese.
- Whether traditional comfort food like Mac n Cheese, Cheesecake, or 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.
FACTS ABOUT CHEESE
- Food experimentation has come a long way in recent decades offering up many plant based Cheese alternatives you can find at major grocery retailers or your local Vegan butcher shop.
- Contrary to popular assumption the U.S., not Europe, is the biggest producer of Cheese, making up 29% of the global market. In order the top producing Countries are the United States, Germany, France, and Italy.
- Rennet is curdled Milk and complex enzymes found in the fourth stomach of un-weaned Calves and is often added in the Cheese making process, as it is considered to make a bolder, richer quality product.
- The most popular types of Cheeses of today include Gouda, Cheddar, Parmesan, and Camembert, all came in vogue during or after the Middle Ages.
- The long standing myth that the Moon is made out of Cheese may stem from “The Proverbs of John Heywood” back in 1546 which stated “the moon is made of a green Cheese.” We now understand this to be more metaphor than literal, with “green” referring to the freshness or un-aged nature of the Moon.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL CHEESE DAY
- People love taking there taste buds on new adventures! Today can be about trying Cheese with Wine, Beer, Meats, Veggies, and deserts.
- As an international food staple, National Cheese Day opens the door to a variety of new cultural experiences and people love being able to explore new dishes, cultures, and traditions.
- People love breaking Cheesy Bread and making new memories with the ones we love.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
