National Cheeseball Day

The story

National Cheeseball Day has a unique history dating back to the early 1800s, originating with farmer Elisha Brown Jr.'s colossal 1,235-pound cheese ball, aptly named ”The Mammoth Cheese,“ presented to President Thomas Jefferson at the White House. Despite disappearing from culinary history for nearly 150 years, the cheese ball made a comeback in 1944 with Virginia Safford's cookbook, ”Food of My Friends,“ sparking a mid-20th-century cheese ball craze. Facing a decline in the 1980s due to negative perceptions, the cheese ball experienced a revival in the early 21st century, thanks to Martha Stewart's influence. National Cheeseball Day now celebrates two distinct varieties: The first type features puffed cornballs coated with a cheese-flavored powder, reminiscent of cheese curls, originating in the 1930s and evolving over 80 years to become a beloved snack. The second variety presents a softer cheese spread molded into a ball and served with crackers. Traditional recipes include cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pepper, garlic, salt, and nuts, while gourmet versions introduce diverse ingredients like blue cheese, sherry, pineapple, olives, and smoked salmon.