5 Things Every Cheese Lover Needs to Know for National Cheese Lovers Day
The official word for someone who loves cheese is turophile. This word got its start back in the 1930s and never really caught on—saying cheese lover might just be easier. Wondering where the word comes from? The origin story for turophile can be traced to the Greek word for cheese, tyros, and the English ending -phile, for lover.
There is an entire virtual (and IRL hybrid) community for loud and proud artisan cheese lovers. While you won't find it listed on any map, Cheeselandia® is a magical place where artisan cheese is celebrated by every citizen. People from around the country have in-home cheese parties, attend educational events, become council members, meet cheesemakers, and yes, eat lots of incredible cheese together. If you're a turophile, Cheeselandia is the place for you!
A fromage-filled vacation is as easy as 1-2-cheese in Wisconsin. A new dairy-themed inn, called Seven Acre Dairy, just opened in a renovated cheese factory where fresh soft serve and butter are served daily along the Sugar River in Paoli, WI. Other stops while in town should include nationally renowned cheese shop Fromagination, and a stop in the Swiss Cheese Capitol of the USA, Monroe, WI.
You can eat cheese if you are sensitive to lactose. Typically, the cheesemaking process begins with four ingredients: milk, salt, starter culture and rennet. During the process of cheesemaking, the starter cultures consume lactose converting it to lactic acid. The cultures continue consuming lactose throughout the cheese's life, thus decreasing the amount of lactose in an aged product. Any residual lactose continues to break down throughout the cheese's life, reaching undetectable levels in most cheeses within two months of aging.
A turophile knows understanding a few pairing principles can wow your friends and elevate any cheese. First tip is to match strengths. A delicate cheese flavor goes with a light wine, and a robust cheese profile goes with an equally assertive food or beverage partner. Second tip is to find flavor bridges. Use ingredients that create a stronger connection between cheese and food or drink of choice. A favorite flavor bridge that works with a variety of cheese is honey. Your tastebuds are king; they know the way to pure delight: artisan cheese. So go ahead and let them seize this holiday!
If all this talk of cheese has gotten you hungry for a cheese tasting, you can get Wisconsin's finest cheeses delivered right to your door with our continuously updated list of cheesemakers and retailers that allow you to order cheese online or look for the Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge at your local retailer.
