National Cheese Day

Happy National Cheese Day not to be confused with National Cheese Lover day which is sometime in January. Cheese is a common commodity that many houses will have. In our house we have cheese but we also have cheese lovers so it is very important before planning a meal to check the supply. There are many types of cheese and while I have been able to taste many varieties but with over 500 types of cheese listed by the International Dairy Federation there are many more I have not had the chance to try. Cheese comes from milk that is produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Not only cow milk but buffalo, goats and sheep can make types of cheese.

Cheese often melts at cooking temps. Nutritional value in cheese varies wildly from cottage cheese that may have 4% fat and 11% protein to some weigh cheeses that have as much as 15% fat and 11% protein and then you have the even more crème cheeses that have 36% fat and 7% protein. Calcium is a given in the value of all cheeses but did you know that protein, phosphorus and fat are also great resource in cheese.

resource here

Watermelon and Feta Cheese Salad

Adapted from Ottolenghi's 

Ingredients: 

watermelon

feta cheese

a sprig of fresh mints, optional

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

Cut watermelon into bite size and place it in a large bowl. Crumble feta cheese and add it to the bowl, scatter fresh mints on top,  season with freshly ground black pepper, then lightly drizzle olive oil. Serve immediately