It started in June,1937 as a way to sell excess milk in the warm summer months. Within two years, National Dairy Month had moo-ved into the public eye. Today it’s a full-blown celebration of all things dairy, with parades, festivals, and farm-inspired activities all around the U.S. in the month of June.
Cheesemaking has been around for more than 7,000 years. By some estimates, there are some 1,800 types of cheese to choose from today!
While you’re pondering the possibilities for your next wine-and-cheese party, here are some fun facts about everyone’s favorite blend of milk, salt, and live microbes.
1. Cheese can be made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, reindeer, buffalo, and even yaks. But the world’s rarest and most expensive cheese is made from the milk of Serbian donkeys.
2. Scientists in Switzerland have researched the effect of music on cheese. Their conclusion: exposure to music produces a milder flavor than that of cheese raised in silence. Interestingly, hip-hop cheese has a slightly stronger—some might call it funkier—flavor.
3. America’s favorite cheese isn’t American cheese. It’s cheddar. And while women are more likely than men to prefer brie, men tend to favor blue cheese.
4. Mexican scientists are working to transform the waste left over from cheese production into biofuel.
5. A recent study found that wine and cheese could also lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
National Dairy Month, says New York cheesemaker Brent Delman, is the perfect time to thank a dairy farmer and explore new ways to take cheesy goodness to gooier heights. He suggests getting started with Penne Pecorino, Chiptole Cheese Stuffed fish or Habanero Cheesy grits. (recipes below).
Known as The Cheese Guy, Delman definitely knows his cheese. He specializes in high-end artisanal favorites like Smoky Gouda, Raw Sharp Cheddar, 3-Year Aged Parmesan, Raw Vermont 2-Year Cheddar, Craft Beer Cheddar, Ghost Pepper Jack, and Honey Goat Cheese. The Cheese Guy offers are all-natural, vegetarian and OU Kosher small batch artisanal cheeses. No added hormones, animal rennet, or animal derived enzymes- EVER. Pasture raised or grass fed, raw milk, goat or sheep’s milk & organic varieties. Recipe links below:
Penne Pecorino Pasta
Chiptole Cheese Stuffed Fish
Habanero Cheesy Grits
Recipe credits: Tamar Genger, RD and JamieGeller.com
About The Cheese Guy
Yonkers, NY-based Brent Delman has been involved in the specialty food business for more than two decades. His 35+ varieties of handcrafted kosher cheese range from several types of raw, organic, and sharp cheddars to gouda, brie, assorted Italian sheep milk cheeses, aged Parmesans, fresh mozzarellas, havartis, spicy varieties and more. Follow him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BrentTheCheeseGuy) or Instragram (www.instagram.com/thecheeseguy).