Life

How To Celebrate National Cheese Day

by Megan Hanson

June 4 is National Cheese Day, and lucky you, this delicious holiday falls on a Saturday this year. That means that you will have plenty of time to enjoy some cheese-related festivities. If you are wondering how to celebrate National Cheese Day, then I have got you covered. As a born-and-bred Wisconsin girl, just about every day is cheese day to me.

I am proud to live in a country that is one of the world's leading producers of cheese. Surprised? Probably not, but I bet you didn't realize that we actually have a surplus right now. In fact, we are in the midst of the highest cheese surplus since 1984. How can this be? Cheese is so delicious that it may be the most highly stolen food item on the planet. We live in a country that worships pizza, mac 'n cheese, and grilled cheese... and yet we have too much of it?! Well, on National Cheese Day, it is our responsibility to do something about this outrageous excess of creamy, cheesy goodness. It is time to celebrate, and here are five ways that you can do your patriotic duty and eat cheese this Saturday. Things are about to get cheesy, in the best possible way.

1. Make The Most Epic Grilled Cheese Ever

I like to get creative with my grilled cheese. Take some inspiration from The Grilled Cheese Truck and make your own twist on its epic sandwich with triple brie cream cheese, ripe peaches, fresh thyme, and a prosciutto crust. Nom nom nom. If you're a tomato soup addict, try this tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons from Damn Delicious. The grilled cheese roll-ups from I Am A Food Blog would also make excellent dunkers for your soup, or you could get real crazy and try this grilled cheese pizza.

2. Add Cheese To Make Your Favorite Foods More Delicious

Like I said before, I like to mix things up when it comes to cheese. It's a key component in a few weird food combinations that taste amazing. Case in point, have you ever tried the ram 'n cheese from Spoon University? How about a grilled cheese ice cream sandwich, or apple pie crepes with cheddar cheese on top from The Simple Sweet Life? Yeah, these might sound kind of weird, but you will thank me later.

3. Check Out The Interactive World Map Of Cheese

Ever wondered where those foreign-sounding cheeses come from? Gruyere, Nokkelost, Manchego... learn more about their flavors and where they are traditionally made using the Smithsonian's map of cheese found around the world.

4. Try A Beer And Cheese Pairing

Yes, I know, wine and cheese is more traditional, but cheese pairs excellently with just about any beer, so you don't have to break the bank on vintage wine (unless you want to). The Huffington Post has a visual guide to beer and cheese pairing that will walk you through it.

5. Make Cheese At Home

Sound scary? It's not. Start with this simple, creamy fromage blanc, or this homemade ricotta recipe. You don't need any special equipment, and you probably already have most of the ingredients.

National Cheese Day is a pretty big deal, so if you want to extend your celebration into Sunday, that sounds perfectly acceptable to me. Happy National Cheese Day!

Images: AFIB, Creekmoreco /Pixabay ; Anita Peeples /Unsplash ; The Simple Sweet Life ; I Am A Food Blog