National Cheese Day

National Cheese Day facts

• According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the countries with the highest per capita cheese consumption are France, Iceland, and Finland.
• The world's most expensive cheese is called Pule and is made from donkey milk. It is produced in Serbia and can cost up to $600 per pound.
• According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the first cheese is believed to have been created accidentally more than 4,000 years ago. Supposedly, an Arabian merchant had put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. Leaving it all day, an enzyme from the stomach called rennet had caused the milk to separate into liquid (whey) and solids (curd).
• The United Kingdom produces over 700 varieties of cheese, making it one of the largest cheese producers in the world. Some famous British cheeses include Stilton, Cheshire, Wensleydale, and Red Leicester.
• Stilton, a blue cheese with a strong, distinctive flavor and aroma, is protected by a certification trademark, meaning that it can only be made in the English counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire.

In the News and Trending in the UK for National Cheese Day

Top things to do in the UK for National Cheese Day

• Visit a gourmet or artisan cheese shop. You can view a variety of different cheeses. They may even be offering specials or deals to celebrate the day.
• Host a wine and cheese night. Have friends bring their favorite wines while you soppy the cheeses. If you need ideas check out what wines pair well with cheese.
• Celebrate National Cheese Day by learning more about the cheese industry in UK. Check out oone of our selections:
  1. Cheese Slices: British Cheese Renaissance (2011) - This episode of the television series Cheese Slices explores the revival of traditional cheese making in the United Kingdom. Host Will Studd visits farmhouse cheesemakers who are producing traditional British cheeses like Cheddar and Stilton and learns about their unique production methods and flavors.
  2. Jamie's Great Britain (2011) - A six-episode TV series in which celebrity chef Jamie Oliver travels across the UK to explore the food landscape. In one of the episodes, Jamie visits a producer of traditional British cheeses and learns about the history and cultural importance of these artisan products.
• Consider attending the Cheese Rolling Festival in Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire. This is an annual event held in the Spring, where participants race down a steep hill while chasing a round of Double Gloucester cheese.

National Cheese Day references and related sites