1. This is a great story, but alas factually wrong. The giant cheese gifted to Jefferson was from another Baptist church -- Cheshire Baptist Church of Cheshire, Massachusetts. But also of real historical interest & good example of how cheese runs through North American history. https://twitter.com/Scoinadlo/status/1280698158071328768 …
-
This Tweet is unavailable.Show this thread
-
2. In 1801 the Cheshire Baptist Church sent Jefferson a cheese weighing 1235 lbs, produced by every cow in Cheshire MA (around 900) and drawn by six horses. It was an abolishionist church & pastor pointedly told Jefferson every pound was made by free hands.
2 replies 9 retweets 59 likesShow this thread -
3. There were giant cheeses sent to Andrew Jackson (a 1400 pound wheel in 1835) and Barack Obama memorialized event with 2 Big Block of Cheese Day. But role of giant cheese in Canadian history should not be forgotten or ignored.
4 replies 2 retweets 28 likesShow this thread -
4. In 1866 dairy farmers in Ontario produced a block of cheese weighing 7,300 pounds. This inspired James McIntyre to issue two poems, widely regarded as the worst verse in Canadian history: “Prophecy of a Ten Ton Cheese” & "Ode To a Mammoth Chesse"
6 replies 11 retweets 40 likesShow this thread -
5. From McIntyre's "Ode": We have seen the Queen of cheese, Laying quietly at your ease, Gently fanned by evening breeze -- Thy fair form no flies dare seize. All gaily dressed soon you'll go To the great Provincial Show, To be admired by many a beau In the city of Toronto.
3 replies 3 retweets 25 likesShow this thread -
6. McIntyre's entire awful poem can be found here. I think it had a strong effect on Canadian literature with a negative reaction, a literary lactose intolerance.https://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/ode-mammoth-cheese-weighing-over-7000-pounds …
1 reply 2 retweets 24 likesShow this thread
7. In 1893, Ontario created another giant cheese (or maybe added to the earlier one?) sending it to the Chicago World's Fair, where it was seen by Alice Munro's mother. Is it possible the cheese & McIntyre's poem shape Munro's efforts to push Canadian literature beyond kitsch?
-
-
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.