Cheese glorious cheese! For those of us who consider it to be one of the main food groups — even when charcuterie isn’t involved — we celebrate the wonder of cheese and all of the ways to enjoy it. Some of us have never met a cheese we didn’t like, while others cannot stand the strong flavor of Gorgonzola or the smell of Camembert.

For some fun facts on cheese, keep reading (Hint: there’s a recipe below)!

Cheese varieties don’t stop with American, Cheddar, and Swiss: there are more than 2,000 varieties of cheese produced around the world. It looks like we have a few more to try! I recommend a nice 1,000 Day Gouda — it has a nutty flavor with a hint of caramel and makes an interesting addition to your charcuterie board.

The world’s most highly consumed cheese is a race between Mozarella and Cheddar. According to the website Eat This Not That, “…ricotta was the least popular pick, with just 1% of the vote, while feta, goat cheese, gruyère, and muenster didn’t fare much better, each getting only 2%. What’s more, 4% of Americans don’t even like cheese, and the same amount can’t make up their mind.” (I LOVE THEM ALL!)

And as if we needed another reason to celebrate cheese, a study by the British Cheese Board found that eating cheese before bed can help you sleep due to the levels of tryptophan naturally occurring in cheese. I’ll snack to that!

And lastly – speaking of those charcuterie boards, besides being adventurous in your choices, it’s a great idea to allow your cheeses to sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes before serving, so that the flavors and aroma can fully develop. I recommend doing any slicing or cutting as soon as it is removed from the refrigerator.

What’s your favorite cheese? 

In honor of the day and of Mozarella being such a fan favorite, here is my version of the classic Caprese Salad. It’s so simple and incredibly delicious.

Caprese Salad

• Alternate slices of mozzarella with slices of tomato on a plate or platter (as you can see I used cherry tomatoes and they work too!)
• Scatter basil over the top (either cut as a chiffonade or tear the basil leaves)
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil 
• Optional: also drizzle with balsamic glaze

Enjoy!