Since June is Dairy Month, we thought it might be fun to unearth the history behind some of the “cheesy” expressions we use.
First, though, we need to explain how cheese is made. Or rather, we’re going to share a link to the Old Farmer’s Almanac’s recipe for making “farmer’s cheese.” It only requires three ingredients, and it can be ready in about an hour!
Instructions and photos for Farmer’s Cheese
And here are 8 ways cheese can help your body, courtesy of midwestdairy.com:
Now, on to the silly sayings that involve cheese!
Say Cheese:
Why do we tell people “Say cheese!” when taking their photo? Although a Wikipedia article has an exclamation mark flagging “multiple issues,” we are happy to regurgitate the explanations that make sense to us.
Remember those historic photos where no one smiled? That’s because photographs took a long time to capture in the old days, and holding a fake smile for too long could end up looking “cheesy.”*
But when cameras became more mainstream and took a second to snap, smiling became the go-to, and what better way to get a grin than telling someone to say “cheese?” The corners of your mouth naturally go up when you say the word.
The Big Cheese:
Today, this means someone who is important, or at least someone who thinks they are.
According to a post in 2014 on todayifoundout.com, Tegan Jones says the earliest known association between cheese and importance came from 19th-century London. At the time, calling something “the cheese” was a trendy way to say it was excellent or desirable.
The term made its way to America in the early 20th century, where “big” was added, possibly due to publicity stunts involving massive wheels of cheese being displayed and ceremoniously sliced by a VIP. Read all about it here: The origin of the expression “The Big Cheese”
*Cheesy:
Calling something “cheesy” means it is uncool, cheap, tacky or corny, as in “Those party decorations were so cheesy,” or “Cheesy romantic movies make me gag.” According to Etymonline.com, the word “cheesy” was used in British slang to mean “fine or showy” back in the 1850s. Over time, the meaning reversed, possibly influenced by the overly forced “cheesy grin” people made when told to “say cheese” in photos.
Cheesed:
To say you are cheesed probably means you are either exasperated or upset. According to Etymonline.com, the term appeared in British slang around 1941, although its exact origins are unclear.
And finally, that slightly offensive classic, Who Cut the Cheese?:
We ALL know what it means, but where did it come from?
While the phrase’s exact origin is uncertain, the use of “cut” as a slang term for flatulence dates back to the 1800s. Since some cheeses can release a pungent smell when sliced, it could have prompted the comparison, but no one really knows for sure.
And that's all! But, we "brie-lieve" cheesy sayings are here to stay, so milk them for all they're worth! (wink! wink!)