National Cheese Lover’s Day: Cheesy recipes to try on this cold winter day - WWLP.com

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – January 20th is National Cheese Lover’s Day, a day to celebrate the wonderful flavors of cheese.

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Legend has it that cheese was created by chance, according to the National Day Calander. People used to transport milk and store it in sheep’s stomachs thousands of years ago. When the milk was left to sit for a few days, the proteins would separate into curds and whey. From there, preserving the solids with salt seemed a logical next step, as salt was a highly valued preservative in ancient times.

The earliest record of cheese-making was in 5,500 BCE in what is now Poland, and today, there are over 1,400 varieties of cheese.

To make cheese, you need to let the milk sour or coagulate the casein protein, then separate the curds, or solids, from the whey, or liquid. The curds are then salted and left the age. Bacteria, enzymes, or fungi may be added at various stages of the cheese-making process. These and the type of milk, temperature, time, and moisture are all controlled to produce the desired taste, color, and texture, and herbs and spices for added for additional variety and flavor. 

To celebrate, either try some cheeses you have never tried before or make a dish that is extra cheesy. Food & Wine has a list of recipes for all the cheese lovers out there to try:

• Opulent Grilled Cheese– The combination of creamy, silky Taleggio and nutty aged Gruyère in these small but luxurious sandwiches results in the perfect melt, with plenty of flavor. 
• Beer and Cheddar Soup– Add jalapeños and smoky bacon to add extra flavor!
• Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Sausage– This easy gluten-free broccoli-and-rice casserole is a classically comforting one-dish meal. 
• Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale– A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves perfectly tender, allowing them to almost melt into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel.
• Ham and Cheese Danish– The flaky pastry balances sweet and savory flavors from the nutty Gruyère cheese sauce, salty ham, and crunchy turbinado sugar. 
• Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup– High-quality cheddar is crucial to the dish’s flavor, and you should choose yellow cheese for the richest color. 
• Cheesy Eggplant Rollatini– Grilling the eggplant for this simple, hearty dish lends both flavor and texture. 
• Crab Macaroni Gratin– A glorious amount of crab meat baked with shell-shaped pasta in a three-cheese cream sauce  — tangy white cheddar, nutty Gruyère, and sharp Parmigiano -Reggiano — is no-joke delicious, and trés richer.
• Grillades and Cheesy Grits– A simple low and slow cooking technique transforms beef top round into the ultimate New Orleans comfort dish.

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