National Cheese Lovers Day

National Cheese Lovers Day, observed January 20th, celebrates one of the world's oldest and most diverse manufactured foods. Cheesemaking dates back at least 7,000 years, with archaeological evidence of cheese production found in what is now Poland, and the practice likely developed independently across multiple early agricultural societies as a way to preserve milk before refrigeration existed. Over millennia, distinct cheesemaking traditions developed across the world, from French and Italian cheeses protected by regional designations of origin to American innovations like processed cheese, patented in the early 20th century to create a shelf-stable, meltable product. Today there are thousands of distinct cheese varieties worldwide, varying by milk source, aging process, culture and rennet type, and regional technique, ranging from soft fresh cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta to hard aged cheeses like Parmesan and cheddar. Cheese remains a major part of global cuisine, used in everything from simple snacking to fine dining. On National Cheese Lovers Day, people celebrate by sampling different cheese varieties, building a cheese board, cooking cheese-forward dishes, or visiting a specialty cheese shop or creamery.