A Culture of Curds

The Evolution of Cheese Throughout the History of Mankind

Whether it’s being melted on a burger, grated on top of pasta, or eaten straight off the block, humans have been enjoying cheese in its various forms for over 8,000 years.

When ancient shepherds began to domesticate milk-producing animals such as sheep and goats they probably could have never anticipated that the life-sustaining liquid that was produced by their animals would one day go on to become the world-renowned dairy product that we know today as cheese.

Is it possible that cheese was discovered completely by accident? Yes, there is a good possibility that cheese was discovered completely by accident. When ancient sheep herders would milk their animals they were fairly limited on containers in which to store their product, so they looked to the animal itself for some help. They began to store milk in containers made from the stomachs of their animals. This was the unknown key that would unlock the door to this delicious discovery.

When the milk was stored in these containers it would combine with an enzyme in the animal’s stomach called rennet, this enzyme would cause the milk to coagulate in the container creating the world’s first batch of curds and whey. This crude form of cheese would probably have been similar to something like a farmer’s cheese or think Mexican queso fresco, “fresh cheese” consisting of loose cheese curds that could be formed or pressed into shapes but wasn’t for quite some time.

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As human civilizations advanced across the globe many of them began to produce cheese as a way to preserve milk for later consumption. The Egyptians depicted cheese-making on tomb walls as early as 2,000 BCE. Greeks and Romans alike both valued cheese as a dietary staple as it played a crucial role in their culinary traditions where they employed new methods of cheesemaking such as salting, marinating, and aging. Aging cheese can take a fairly bland product and give it amazing flavor and texture as well as a longer shelf life, leading to the creation of a much wider variety of cheese.

Cheese is so good it could be considered a religious experience. Or at least that’s what I’d like to think was the approach of the cheesemaking monks in the middle ages, but maybe not. During the middle ages monasteries full of monks began to make cheese. These monastic communities known for their agricultural self-reliance played a vital role in the advancement of cheesemaking, the world’s first cheese monger could possibly have been a monk. Using new ingredients and techniques these monks created unique regional cheeses known as Trappist cheeses. These monasteries became renowned centers of cheese production, passing down their expertise through generations.

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The Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to cheese making. With advancements in technology and transportation, cheese production became more efficient and widespread. The invention of the cheese press allowed for a consistent product as well as a much-improved quality. Sorry Miss Muffet but we’ve moved far away from your bowl of curds and whey. New refrigeration techniques further enabled long-distance transportation, allowing the exportation of cheese to new untapped markets.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, new scientific discoveries and technological advancements both helped to revolutionize the cheese industry. Chemist Louis Pasteur invented the groundbreaking method of heating liquids to high temperatures for short durations to kill harmful bacteria without affecting taste or nutritional content. This method is known as pasteurization and it is a vital part of modern-day dairy and beer markets. Without this, we wouldn’t have the variety of cheese that we enjoy today.

Along with pasteurization, the discovery of specific strains of bacteria and molds allowed cheese makers to intentionally create unique flavors and textures which let their cheeses stand out amongst the rest. These tasty creations have benefitted further from the advent of industrial-scale cheese production as well as a global trade system that allowed people around the world to try cheese from far away places further broadening their ever-expanding palates.

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The world of cheese may look very different from the cheese of the past, take American cheese for example. No, I am not talking about cheese that comes from America, but instead, the Jell-O-like rubbery loaf known as American cheese. For example Velveeta™ or Kraft singles™. These products are a bastardized abomination when compared to an aged cheddar or gouda, yet somehow American cheese is also amazing, what melts on a bacon cheeseburger or a delicious grilled cheese sandwich better than a slice of American cheese. Nothing that’s what.

Cheese has become an integral part of our culinary traditions around the globe, I mean where would we be without such iconic dishes like mac and cheese or the simple quesadilla? We can’t even begin to talk about pizza without first mentioning fresh mozzarella, one of the easiest cheeses to make. If we didn’t have cheese curds we wouldn’t have poutine I could go on but I think you get the picture, cheese is truly a delicious part of our lives.

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Artisanal cheese-making has experienced a renaissance with small-scale producers reviving traditional methods and crafting unique, high-quality cheeses. The demand for specialty and organic cheeses has grown substantially in the last decade with cheese mongers offering tastings and wine pairings as well as the creation of cheese shops that are dedicated to the ancient art of this amazing delicacy.

The evolution of cheese throughout human history is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of our ancestors. From humble beginnings as a happy accident, to a vast array of flavors and textures cheese continues to hijack our palates and shape our culinary experience. As we savor each bite of our favorite cheese, whether it be a ripe brie or a slice of melty American, we appreciate the rich tapestry of history and ingenuity that has brought us this beloved creation.