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Cheese: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Cheese
The story of cheese begins not with a recipe, but with a biological accident that occurred thousands of years before recorded history. Around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated, early humans likely stored milk in containers made from the stomachs of slaughtered animals. These stomachs contained rennet, an enzyme that curdled the milk into solid curds and liquid whey, creating the first cheese. This process was not intentional; it was a fortunate consequence of using animal organs as storage vessels for foodstuffs. Archaeological evidence from Kuyavia, Poland, dating to 5500 BCE, reveals strainers coated with milk-fat molecules, confirming that cheesemaking was already established by this time. Similarly, findings on the coast of Dalmatia, Croatia, from 5200 BCE, and preserved cheese found on mummies in the Taklamakan Desert of China from 1615 BCE, demonstrate that this technology spread across continents independently. The earliest cheeses were likely sour and salty, resembling rustic cottage cheese or feta, and their production was driven by the need to preserve milk in a world without refrigeration.
Legions and Myths
As civilizations rose, cheese evolved from a survival necessity into a sophisticated cultural artifact. In Ancient Greece, mythology credited the god Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese, while Homer's Odyssey described the Cyclops making and storing sheep's and goats' milk cheese. By the time of the Roman Empire, cheesemaking had become a mature art form. Pliny the Elder, writing in 77 CE, documented the diversity of cheeses enjoyed by Romans, noting that the best came from villages near Nîmes but were too fresh to keep long. He also described cheeses from the Alps and Apennines that weighed as much as a thousand pounds each. The Romans required hard cheeses for their legionaries' supplies, leading to the development of Caseus Helveticus, a hard Sbrinz-like cheese produced by the Helvetii. This era saw the transition from simple curdling to complex processes involving rennet coagulation, pressing, salting, and aging. The word cheese itself derives from the Latin caseus, which evolved from the proto-Indo-European root kwat-, meaning to ferment or become sour, highlighting the ancient understanding of the transformation process.
The Industrial Revolution
The transition from artisanal to industrial production marked a pivotal shift in the history of cheese. The first factory for the industrial production of cheese opened in Switzerland in 1815, but large-scale production found its true success in the United States. In 1851, Jesse Williams, a dairy farmer from Rome, New York, began making cheese in an assembly-line fashion using milk from neighboring farms, making cheddar one of the first US industrial foods. By the 1860s, mass-produced rennet became available, and by the turn of the century, scientists were producing pure microbial cultures. Before this, bacteria in cheesemaking came from the environment or from recycling whey from earlier batches; pure cultures allowed for standardized production. Factory-made cheese overtook traditional methods during World War II, and factories have been the source of most cheese in America and Europe ever since. This industrialization changed the texture and flavor profile of cheese, allowing for consistent quality and mass distribution, though it also introduced new challenges regarding food safety and the preservation of traditional methods.
Common questions
When did the first cheese making begin according to archaeological evidence?
Archaeological evidence from Kuyavia, Poland dating to 5500 BCE confirms that cheesemaking was already established by this time. Earlier biological accidents involving milk stored in animal stomachs likely occurred around 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated.
Who discovered cheese according to Ancient Greek mythology?
Ancient Greek mythology credited the god Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese. Homer's Odyssey also described the Cyclops making and storing sheep's and goats' milk cheese.
When did the first factory for industrial cheese production open?
The first factory for the industrial production of cheese opened in Switzerland in 1815. Large-scale production found its true success in the United States when Jesse Williams began making cheese in an assembly-line fashion in 1851.
What bacteria give Emmental cheese its characteristic holes?
Swiss starter cultures include Propionibacterium freudenreichii which produces propionic acid and carbon dioxide gas bubbles during aging. These gas bubbles create the characteristic holes found in Emmental cheese.
Which countries were the highest consumers of cheese in 2014?
France, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, and Germany were the highest consumers of cheese in 2014. These nations averaged 20 kilograms per person per annum during that year.
When did U.S. law require raw-milk cheeses to be aged at least 60 days?
It is U.S. law since 1944 that all raw-milk cheeses must be aged at least 60 days. This regulation was implemented to mitigate risks of infectious diseases such as listeriosis and tuberculosis.
The transformation of milk into cheese relies on a delicate balance of chemistry and biology. A required step is to separate the milk into solid curds and liquid whey, usually achieved by acidifying the milk and adding rennet. Starter bacteria, such as those from the Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, or Streptococcus genera, convert milk sugars into lactic acid, which plays a large role in the eventual flavor of aged cheeses. Swiss starter cultures include Propionibacterium freudenreichii, which produces propionic acid and carbon dioxide gas bubbles during aging, giving Emmental cheese its characteristic holes. Rennet sets the cheese into a strong and rubbery gel compared to the fragile curds produced by acidic coagulation alone. This allows curdling at a lower acidity, which is important because flavor-making bacteria are inhibited in high-acidity environments. The curd is then cut into small cubes to allow water to drain, and some hard cheeses are heated to temperatures in the range of 35 to 55 degrees Celsius to force more whey from the cut curd. Salt is added to preserve the cheese, draw moisture from the curd, and firm the texture in an interaction with its proteins.
The Aging Process
Aging, or ripening, is the period where a newborn cheese transforms from a salty, bland, and rubbery substance into a complex flavor profile. This process lasts from a few days to several years, during which microbes and enzymes transform texture and intensify flavor. As a cheese ages, casein proteins and milkfat break down into a complex mix of amino acids, amines, and fatty acids. Some cheeses have additional bacteria or molds intentionally introduced before or during aging. In traditional cheesemaking, these microbes might be already present in the aging room, allowed to settle and grow on the stored cheeses. More often today, prepared cultures are used, giving more consistent results. These cheeses include soft ripened cheeses such as Brie and Camembert, blue cheeses such as Roquefort, Stilton, and Gorgonzola, and rind-washed cheeses such as Limburger. The aging process is what distinguishes a hard cheese like Parmesan, which can last for years, from a soft cheese like Brie, which has a much shorter shelf life. The protective rind of some cheeses allows producers to sell when markets are favorable, and vacuum packaging or gas-flushing with carbon dioxide and nitrogen are modern techniques used for storage and mass distribution.
A Global Table
Cheese consumption varies dramatically across the globe, reflecting cultural preferences and historical traditions. France, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, and Germany were the highest consumers of cheese in 2014, averaging 20 kilograms per person per annum. In Southeast and East Asian cuisines, cheese was nearly unheard of until the modern spread of European culture, with exceptions like paneer in India and chhurpi in Nepal. The national dish of Bhutan, ema datshi, is made from homemade yak or mare milk cheese and hot peppers. In Yunnan, China, several ethnic minority groups produce Rushan and Rubing from cow's milk. Strict followers of the dietary laws of Islam and Judaism must avoid cheeses made with rennet from animals not slaughtered in accordance with halal or kosher laws respectively. The British tradition is to have cheese after dessert, accompanied by sweet wines like port, while in France, cheese is consumed before dessert, with robust red wine. A cheeseboard typically contains four to six cheeses, offering contrasting flavors and textures, from mature Cheddar to soft goat's cheese. The variety is immense, with around 500 different varieties recognized by the International Dairy Federation, and Charles de Gaulle famously asked how one could govern a country with 246 kinds of cheese.
Health and History
The nutritional value of cheese varies widely, from low-fat cottage cheese with 2% fat to dry queso seco cheese with 24% fat. In general, cheese is a rich source of calcium, protein, phosphorus, sodium, and saturated fat. A 17-gram serving of cheddar cheese contains about 7 grams of protein and 120 milligrams of calcium. However, national health organizations recommend that cheese consumption be minimized or restricted to low-fat cheeses to reduce caloric intake and blood levels of LDL fat, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Food safety agencies have warned of the risks of raw-milk cheeses, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stating that soft raw-milk cheeses can cause serious infectious diseases including listeriosis, brucellosis, salmonellosis, and tuberculosis. It is U.S. law since 1944 that all raw-milk cheeses must be aged at least 60 days. Pregnant women face an additional risk from cheese, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has warned them against eating soft-ripened cheeses and blue-veined cheeses due to the listeria risk. Despite these warnings, cheese remains a beloved food, with some studies suggesting that dairy products can help with insomnia, while others indicate that night cheese may cause vivid dreams or otherwise disrupt sleep due to its high saturated fat content.