We’ve turned a day into a whole week!

Traditional cheese lovers have cause to celebrate from April 18th – April 25th, when Zingerman’s will devote an entire week to the appreciation of raw milk cheese.

The inspiration came from this year’s inaugural Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day, which was created by Oldways’ Cheese of Choice Coalition 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. Zingerman’s loves the idea so much that we’ve expanded it into a whole week!

“I have been eating, studying, and selling raw milk cheese for over 30 years,” says Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig, “which has left me with an ever-greater appreciation of its wonderful flavors! The Cheese of Choice Coalition picked a day—April 18th, and I thought, why not make it a week?”

So while Zingerman’s will be joining hundreds of cheese producers and retailers around the world on Saturday, April 18, Zingerman’s guests can look forward to raw milk cheese specials and events lasting all week long! Here’s a quick list of what’s happening:

• Zingerman’s Deli: The Deli will feature one raw milk cheese each day during the promotion, and will hold a FREE Raw Milk Cheese 101 class, this Saturday, April 18, 2pm, that’s open to the public. In this class, guests will learn the basics of cheese, and sample several delicious raw milk varieties.
• Zingerman’s Creamery: The Creamery’s own raw milk Great Lakes Cheshire will be on sale this week. As April is also Michigan Wine Month, we’ll also feature a different raw milk cheese & wine pairing every Thursday, 3-6pm.
• Zingerman’s Roadhouse: The Roadhouse will feature raw milk cheese boards and additional specials all week long.
• Zingerman’s Mail Order: Send cheese by mail! Mail Order will feature several raw milk cheese gift boxes that week, so you can share raw milk cheese long-distance.

“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.”
Zingerman’s wholeheartedly agrees!

To see a complete list of companies planning to participate, visit the Cheese of Choice Coalition website.

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 www.oldwayspt.org and www.cheeseofchoice.org.

See you soon!