| Cheshire Mammoth Cheese |
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The Cheshire Mammoth Cheese was a gift from the town of Cheshire, Massachusetts to President Thomas Jefferson in 1802. The Cheese was created by combining the Milk from every cow in the town, and made in a makeshift Cheese Press to handle the cheese's size. HISTORY Similar to its '', Volume II, 1869. One Pastor in Cheshire, Elder John Leland , opposed this line of thought. Leland had met Jefferson during his time in Virginia and the two grew to have a friendly relationship. Leland remembered this as he served in Cheshire, and campaigned strongly for Jefferson. MAKING THE CHEESE Leland, believing that his efforts helped Jefferson win the Presidency, encouraged his townspeople to make a unique gesture to Jefferson. He urged each member of his congregation "who owned a cow to bring every quart of milk given on a given day, or all the curd it would make, to a great cider mill..." Leland also insisted that "no Federal cow" (a cow purchased with Federal dollars or owned by the Federal government) be allowed to offer any milk, "lest it should leaven the whole lump with a distasteful savour." The townspeople brought their milk and curd to the mill where a large hoop was placed on a cider press, resulting in a massive cheese press. The townspeople added their ingredients, sang a Hymn over the press, and, after a time, the cheese was ready. As more ingredients than were necessary were presented, three smaller cheeses were created,John Hayward, ''A gazetteer of the United States of America...'', 1854. but Leland dedicated the largest cheese to Jefferson, calling the cheese "the greatest cheese ever put to press in the New World or Old." The final product weighed between 1200 and 1600 , 2002. Due to its size, it could not safely be transported on wheels, so the town hired a Sleigh to bring it to Washington, D.C. during the snowy winter months. With Leland steering the sleigh, the three week, 500 Mile trip became an event from town to town as word spread about the gift. DELIVERY TO THE WHITE HOUSE The cheese was eventually presented to Jefferson on as a gesture of gratitude.John P. Kaminski, ''Thomas Jefferson: Philosopher and Politician''. Parallel Press, 2005. The cheese would remain at the White House for over two years, having been featured in a public dinner for an Independence Day celebration in 1803,Esther Singleton, ''The Story of the White House''. McClure Co., 1907. eventually being replaced by the "Mammoth Loaf," a large loaf of bread made by the United States Navy out of a barrel full of Flour .Julian E. Zelizer, ''The American Congress: The Building of Democracy''. Houghton Mifflin Books, 2004. FUTURE INSPIRATION The story of the mammoth cheese inspired many future events. President 2007. REFERENCES |
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