Celebrate Cheeseballs, The Perfect Party Food, on April 17!

When you are in need of something tasty and easy to take to a party or family event, it’s hard to beat a cheeseball! These tasty round hunks of goodness are super easy to make, and go over so well with a crowd! I also love how you can create such a variety from such a simple thing- you can add all sorts of seasonings or fruits or veggies or nuts or even make a dessert version- and they’re all tasty, easy and make great party food!

And if you’re looking for an excuse to make one, April 17 is National Cheeseball Day! What better excuse do you need? ;)

When exactly did we start using cheeseballs? Well, the very first cheeseball is credited to Elder John Leland of Cheshire, MA. With the help of the townspeople (and particularly farmer Elisha Brown Jr., who allowed the use of his farm to create a giant cheese), he initiated the creation of a cheeseball to present to President Thomas Jefferson at the White House- and it weighed a whopping 1,235 pounds! It was quite appropriately nicknamed the “mammoth cheese”, amd required milk from over 900 cows- now that’s a cheeseball! There was particular pride in this cheeseball as well, because it was created without the use of slaves.

We don’t really see the cheeseball again until 1944, when Virginia Safford, a popular columnist at the time, published a cheeseball recipe in her cookbook. The popularity of the cheeseball has definitely ebbed and flowed over the decades, but today’s cheeseball popularity is accredited by some to actress Amy Sedaris- she wrote a play about cheeseballs, included them in her books, shared recipes, and teamed up with Martha Stewart to showcase them on TV. I think it safe to say that as of now the cheeseball has made a heavy comeback and is definitely a popular party food that’s here to stay!

Cheeseballs are fabulous because for one, they’re easy! Most recipes just require throwing a few ingredients together! They’re perfect for parties because you can make them ahead of time (which actually lets the flavors blend together even more), and they’re easy to serve- just set them on a platter with crackers! You can also have fun with making several varieties (including dessert), so it’s hard to get bored of cheeseballs!

And we can’t forget how cute they are!!

Sure you can make a regular boring ball, but you sure can have fun with making some very adorable balls of cheese! Like this darling hedgehog my 12 year old sister put together for a baby shower :).

If you haven’t hopped aboard the cheeseball train, it’s definitely time to try one!