June is National Dairy Month and you can really milk the occasion on the 4th, which is National Cheese Day!

National Dairy Month started out as National Milk Month in 1937 as a way to promote drinking milk. It was initially created to stabilize the dairy demand when production was at a surplus, but has now developed into an annual tradition that celebrates the contributions the dairy industry has made to the world. After the National Dairy Council stepped in to promote the cause, the name soon changed to ‘Dairy Month.

International Dairy Foods Association

However you slice it, we have some gouda facts that’ll keep you extra sharp…

The Pilgrims included cheese in the Mayflower’s supplies when they made their voyage to America in 1620.

Make that cheddar: United States cheese manufacturing grew $24 billion dollars from 2006 to 2018, according to the Census Bureau.

The calcium packed comfort food, ‘macaroni and cheese’ is the most popular cheese recipe in the United States, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

Fit for a queen: A wheel of Cheddar cheese that weighed over 1,000 pounds was given to Queen Victoria as a wedding gift. A normal Cheddar wheel weighs 60 to 75 pounds.

Serving & Storage Tips from the IDFA:

  • Unpasteurized cheese with a range of flavors should not be sliced until purchase otherwise it will start to lose its subtlety and aroma.
  • Keep the cheese in conditions in which it matures. Hard, semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses are stored in the temperatures from around 8 – 13 C.
  • Keep the cheese wrapped in the waxed paper and place it in a loose-fitting food-bag not to lose humidity and maintain the circulation of air.
  • Wrap blue cheeses all over as mold spores spread readily not only to other cheeses but also to everything near.
  • Chilled cheeses should be taken out of the refrigerator one and a half or two hours before serving.
  • Cheeses contain living organisms that must not be cut off from air, yet it is important not to let a cheese dry out.
  • Do not store cheese with other strong-smelling foods. As a cheese breathes it will absorb other aromas and may spoil.
  • Wrap soft cheeses loosely. Use waxed or grease-proof paper rather than cling film.
  • Let cold cheese warm up for about half an hour before eating to allow the flavor and aroma to develop.