What is The History Of Cheese Making?

You know it's a great source of calcium. You know it can be bountiful with protein. You've even learned to pick ones that are lower in fat or lower in sodium. You have planned meals around this delicious food because you defiantly know you love to enjoy it as often as possible. But do you know some of the history behind cheese?

This food has been around longer than written history, so some of its earliest stages aren't recorded. We seem unsure if it originally came from Europe, Middle East, or Asia. But one thing we know is that by Roman times it had risen to higher standards than a lot of foods. Most believe that the process for making cheese was discovered accidentally because inflated internal organs were often used for storage vessels and the rennet that aids in the dividing milk into curds and whey is naturally found in the stomachs of animals.

Some of the earliest evidence from archaeological digs was found in Egyptian tombs dating about 2000 BCE. These cheeses would have most likely been slightly bitter and salty, much like the Feta we still eat today. In some of the cooler climates in Europe they didn't need to use as much salt and this became an easy environment for molds or microbes to grow which helped to age the cheese diversifying our types and flavors.

By Roman times we have recorded history from Pliny regarding the daily enjoyment and the wide variety of cheese available. With the decline of Rome there was a rise in small regions developing their own techniques. Many of the varieties we know and love today didn't get recorded until the Middle Ages or later. Camembert wasn't till 1791, Parmesan 1597 and Cheddar around 1500.

The process of making cheese wasn't industrialized until 1815 in Switzerland. In the US, credit was yet again given to Rome, New York that is, where Jesse Williams started making blocks in an assembly line fashion. It wasn't long before hundreds of these took off. Most of what we get in America is considered highly processed, although there is a recent trend toward more artisan, non-factory made kinds.

The next time you find yourself deciding between Colby, Gouda, or Limburger, you'll be able to think a little about how ancient this food is and feel good knowing various cultures and civilizations enjoyed a similar delicious food with their meals.