National Cheese Lovers Day Date in the current year: January 20, 2024

Cheese is a dairy product produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. The origins of cheese predate recorded history. It is believed that people started to make cheese more than 8,000 years ago, when sheep were domesticated. The first recorded mention of this product can be found in the Sumerian cuneiform texts of Third Dynasty of Ur (22nd — 21st century BC). Early cheeses were sour and salty; their texture resembled modern cottage cheese or feta.

Cheese was a common food in Ancient Greece and Rome. The first mentions of some popular cheeses date back to the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. Cheddar was first recorded in the 1100s, Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) in 1597, Gouda in 1697, and Camembert in 1791.

As for the New World, conquistadors reported that the Incas produced and consumed llama cheese. However, there is no conclusive evidence to support these claims. Cheesemaking has been developing in the Americans since the European colonization. The first evidence of cheese in Asia dates back to 1615 BC. However, cheese is rarely found in East and Southeast Asian cuisines. Until the spread of European culture, it was most common in Europe, and North Africa and the Middle East.

Cheese is most often made from cow’s milk, although the milk of sheep, goats, or even buffalo is also used. Mozzarella, for example, is traditionally produced from buffalo’s milk, although mozzarella produced from cow’s milk is very common outside Italy. Some cheeses are made from whey (ricotta, urdă) or a mixture of whey and milk (brunost).

To cause casein to coagulate and separate milk into curds and whey, cheesemakers typically use rennet (animal-derived enzymes) or lactic acid bacteria. Some cheeses are exposed to specific molds that are safe to eat and give the cheese a special flavor. Other flavoring agents used in cheesemaking include various herbs, spices, and wood smoke.

The International Dairy Federation recognizes around 500 different varieties of cheese, although there are many more of them. Cheeses are grouped into types according to many criteria, such as the source of milk, method of production, length of fermentation, moisture content and texture, country or region of origin, etc.

The unofficial (but very popular!) National Cheese Lovers Day, sometimes even referred to outside the US as International Cheese Lovers Day or World Cheese Lovers Day, is observed annually on January 20. The best way to celebrate it is to throw a cheese party and taste as many cheese varieties as possible, or at least to buy a cheese you’ve never tried before and enjoy it with a glass of wine. You can also treat yourself to some cheese fondue or cheese pizza, or cook a fancy but relatively easy to make cheese dish such as bacon, pear and blue cheese salad.