Let’s Hear A Big Cheer For Cheese!


Shutterstock / Anna_Pustynnikova © cheese

Hooray! Today is National Cheese Day, so let’s grab our oatcakes and chutneys and celebrate!

A cheeseboard of facts

  • People who love cheese are called Turophiles. Hands up if you’re one!
  • A giant wheel of cheddar was given to Queen Victoria as a wedding present
  • It’s a myth that eating cheese before bedtime will give you bad dreams
  • There are over 2000 different types
  • Denmark consumes the most amount

“Well, many’s the long night I’ve dreamed of cheese – toasted, mostly . . .” ― Robert Louis Stevenson

Last year, online cheese and wine nights flourished due to lockdown. In the UK, the five most-purchased cheeses were (in order):

  1. Red Leicester
  2. Goat’s Cheese
  3. Cheddar
  4. Camembert
  5. Brie

Within the space of 12 weeks last year, sales of our favourite dairy product amounted to £830 million!

Can it be healthy?

This really depends on how the it is produced and what milk is used.

But there are “healthier” cheeses you can indulge in.

Try mozzarella, blue cheeses, feta, ricotta and parmesan if you’re keeping an eye on calories.

We know there’s nothing nicer than popping in to a delicatessen and selecting some delightful cheese with the help of an expert, but supermarkets now stock a wonderful selection of quality cheeses that won’t break the bank.

Some tasty ones available in most major supermarkets include Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Port Salut, Costello Extra Creamy Brie, Butlers Blacksticks Blue and Pie D’Angloys.

Why not buy a wheel of camembert and bake it in the oven?

You can then dip some warm bread in to the gooeyness! Ten to twelve minutes should be enough for a real treat!

If you fancy some vegan cheese, there are lots of great ones to choose from that don’t disappoint on taste.

You can also have a change from the usual wedding and celebration cakes and have a cheese one instead!

Can you tell I miss our Club?


For more from the “Friend” team, click here to read our blog.

Tracey Steel

Having worked on a number of magazines over the years, Tracey has found her perfect place on The Friend as she’s obsessed with reading and never goes anywhere without a book! She reads all the PF stories with a mug of tea close by and usually a bit of strong cheese too!