Since January 20 is National Cheese Lover's Day, you may find yourself thinking about cheese more than usual. More specifically, you may find yourself thinking about how much cheese you consume on a daily basis.
Are you feeling guilty? Don't be! Cheese is a beautiful and wonderful thing that does nothing but make this world a better place. Want proof? Here are 11 facts that prove cheese is only capable of proving happiness in this dark, cruel world.
1. It makes you feel better about making mistakes, since cheese was probably invented by accident.
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According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the origins of cheese date back to more than 4,000 years ago. Legend has it that an Arabian merchant was traveling across the desert with milk inside of a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. The heat mixed with the pouch lining's rennet caused the milk to develop into curds and whey. The merchant drank the whey and dared eat the curd, which he loved. Obviously.
2. Because you're not alone... at least when it comes to macaroni and cheese.
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According to the American Cheese Society, "in any given twelve-week period, approximately one-third of the population of the United States will eat macaroni and cheese at least once." That's either disturbing or comforting, depending on how much cheese you eat.
3. And at one point in time, macaroni and cheese was one of Oprah’s “Favorite Things."'
That's right. Among the cashmere sweaters and expensive jewelry, Oprah named Beecher's "World's Best" Mac 'N' Cheese as one her "Ultimate Favorite Things" in 2010. "The best part [is] it comes frozen," Oprah said. "All you have to do is heat it up, and you've got yourself some good eatin' from Beecher's."
4. Because the good folks over at Wisconsin Cheese have created the ultimate wine and cheese pairing device for you.
You might as well use it. The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board created the "Cheese Cupid Pairing Tool," in which you can pick whatever wine you're drinking and it will tell you the best cheeses to eat with it. There's even an app you can download.
5. Speaking of Wisconsin, a county in the state once saved a lot of money by pouring cheese brines on icy roads.
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Some years ago, a highway employee named Emil Norby of Polk County thought of a great way to save money on salting all the icy roads during Wisconsin's brutal winters: by using cheese brines leftover from the dairies. Guess what? It worked, and Norby ended up saving the county around $40,000 in rock salt costs that year.
6. Because sometimes all it takes to bring a pasta from good to great is a sprinkling of Parmesan on top of it.
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Life tip: Never say no when a waiter asks, "Would you like some cheese sprinkled on top of that?"
7. Ricky Gervais might be more into cheese than you are.
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He once told Bon Appétit:
"I’ve probably had -- let’s see -- two different types of cheese today. I had a little mid-morning snack of cheddar on toast and then a little cheese snack later on. I mean, the amount of exercise I need to do to stay a healthy weight is incredible. If I just cut out the food, I’d have a six-pack. I’d look like Matthew McConaughey. The only reason I work out is to live longer so I can eat more cheese and drink more wine."
Respect.
8. Because there's quite the cheese selection for those who keep kosher.
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New York City's Brent Delman, who is also known as the "Cheese Guy," has a line of about 30 certified kosher cheeses that he sells in the New York area. According to the New York Times, Delman was able to create the cheeses by convincing cheesemakers in the U.S., Italy and Argentina to separate part of their production so that rabbis could observe the process to make sure nothing unkosher, like animal rennet, slipped into the mix.
9. And if you’re a vegetarian, you can eat Swiss cheese as a great source of vitamin B-12.
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All vegetarians know that they need to obtain vitamin B-12 from sources other than meat. And one of those sources is Swiss cheese! SF Healthy Eating reports that out of 12 types of cheese, Swiss has the most vitamin B-12. A one-ounce serving contains 0.95 micrograms, which is 39 percent of the recommended daily intake.
10. Because you can always turn your addiction into a job.
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Yes, there are jobs that require you to eat cheese all day long. In 2014, The New York Times interviewed a man who has one of the best jobs in the entire world. Craig Gile is a cheese grader at the Cabot Creamery Cooperative in Vermont. His job consists of checking to see how the "cheeses are maturing to discern when they are at the peak of the aging process, and at their optimum flavor."
11. And, finally, because all the best party foods include cheese.
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Pizza, nachos, mozzarella sticks, cheese fries, tacos, and CHEESE BOARDS. Need we say more?
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