Raw-Milk Appreciation Day

Traditional cheese lovers everywhere have cause to celebrate on April 18^th, 2015, designated the world’s first Raw-Milk Cheese Appreciation Day. Created by Oldways’ Cheese of Choice Coalition and in association with the prestigious Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, this new worldwide holiday offers cheese enthusiasts from Melbourne to Manhattan to Montreal a chance to participate in events celebrating the distinctiveness and cultural heritage of raw-milk cheese. 

“Raw-Milk Cheese Appreciation Day is a celebration of traditional cheese and the individuals who bring it to life from the pasture to the plate, drawing attention, awareness, and appreciation to delicious traditional raw-milk cheese worldwide,” said Sara Baer-Sinnott, president, Oldways. “Raw milk, unpasteurized cheeses are truly the old ways, and this delicious, traditional food deserves attention. Raw-Milk Cheese Appreciation Day is a great way to introduce more people to the pleasures and great tastes of these extraordinary traditional cheeses.” 

Since cheese was first discovered many millennia ago it has been made with pure raw milk. In fact, it was only in the last century that cheese began to be made with pasteurized milk. Traditional cheesemaking was a way of preserving fluid milk that in the millennia before refrigeration was prone to spoilage in just a few short days. The natural microflora in raw-milk produces cheese - such as Comte, Le Gruyère, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Roquefort and many American originals - that are characteristic of local environments, expressive of terroir, evocative of complex flavors and beneficial to health. Raw-milk cheeses are not only delicious; they’re nutritious. Scientific studies reveal that, when consumed in moderation, cheese is a tremendous way to add healthy fats, minerals, vitamins and probiotics to your diet. 

Cheese enthusiasts and those who are curious about raw-milk cheeses will be able to take part in a wide variety of creative events that are in the works across the U.S. and around the world, from creamery tours and tastings in Oregon to special classes in Vermont. There will be producers sampling cheese at retail stores in San Francisco and cheesemongers sharing their love of fromage au lait cru in Paris and Boston. The Cheese of Choice Coalition will list participating organizations, activities and promotions on its website.  

Retailers, restaurants, producers and cheese enthusiasts are invited to participate with their own events. A list of companies already planning to participate is available on the Cheese of Choice Coalition website: http://www.cheeseofchoice.org/#!cheese-appreciation-day/c1e2t.  For more information about how to be involved with Raw-Milk Cheese Appreciation Day, which takes place annually on the third Saturday of April, or to join the Cheese of Choice Coalition please contact Brad Jones, CCC program manager, Oldways, at brad@oldwayspt.org, 617-896-4822.

Everyone is encouraged to join in the cheese conversation and celebration on Twitter by using the hashtag #RawMilkCheese.

About Oldways and the Cheese of Choice Coalition
Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to guide people to good health through cultural food traditions and lifestyles, using practical and positive programs grounded in science.  The Oldways Cheese of Choice Coalition supports the production of Artisan, Raw-milk and Traditional Cheeses, focusing on education, advocacy, consumer outreach, and community engagement.  At a time when regulatory uncertainty threatens traditional production, the CCC’s mission is to ensure that the public and policy makers are armed with accurate, science-based information to ensure these cheeses are enjoyed long into the future. You can learn more at http://www.oldwayspt.org and http://www.cheeseofchoice.org/.