Yesterday was World Whiskey Day, an appropriate excuse to pour out a shot (or two) alongside your weekend cheese spread. If you’re looking to keep the celebration going—and try something different—check out our article highlighting Japanese whiskeys and get some cheese pairing guidance that’ll emphasize the elegance and charm of this historic beverage.

In other cheese news:

• In the official cheese state, it’s a big month for celebration: It’s American Cheese Month and Wisconsin Cheese’s 180th year anniversary. They’re celebrating this milestone with The Great Wisconsin Cheese Giveaway, a virtual event that will feature special guests, musical performances, and a giveaway of 180 cheese prizes. Learn more and register (for free!) here. 
• Rogue Creamery is releasing a new line of pre-packaged 4.2-ounce versions of  cave-aged blues—Oregon Blue, Smokey Blue, Crater Lake Blue, Oregonzola, Caveman Blue, and Bluehorn Blue—that are the perfect proportions for picnics and small gatherings. 
• The recipients of the 2021 Sofi Awards have been announced! Among dairy-filled winners that took home the gold are Cowgirl Creamery’s Organic Clabbered Cottage Cheese, Artikaas’ Youngsters Goat Gouda, and Vermont Creamery’s Sea Salt Cultured Butter. 
• Craving some adventure in your life? Antontelli’s Cheese Shop is hosting a virtual Unconventional Pairings event, where participants can get out of their comfort zone and try cheese paired with unexpected accompaniments, like sardines and salted cantaloupe. Learn more and reserve your spot here.
• Summer is almost here, which means our ice cream consumption is about to skyrocket. And Tillamook is releasing a line of Frozen Custard that will bring our sweet-tooth indulgences to a whole new level—the line of eight flavors is made with at least 16 percent butterfat, extra cream, cage-free eggs and no bioengineered ingredients. Learn where you can find yours here.
• Did you catch the latest Cutting The Curd podcast episode? In it, cheese advocate Carlos Yescas talked to the ladies behind The Cheese Culture Coalition to discuss their experiences in the cheese industry and their nonprofit’s goals for equity and inclusion going forward. Listen to the important conversation here.
• A curd tragedy: About 43,000 pounds of cheese spilled alongside a Wisconsin highway after a semi truck overturned in an accident last week. Luckily, no one was hurt—but watching all that cheese go to waste sure isn’t easy for us.

Monica Petrucci

Monica is Culture's former Social Media Editor. Coming from a formaggio-obsessed Italian family, she was very excited to combine her passions for cheese and writing at Culture. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and pairing wine and cheese in her spare time.