Patrick Oconnell
The origins of cheese and the practice of dairy farming stretch back far in human history. According to an ancient legend, cheese was discovered by an Arabian merchant who put milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach and set out on a journey across the desert. The rennet in the pouch, combined with the sun's heat, caused the milk to separate into curd and whey. The earliest written evidence of cheese is in Sumerian cuneiform texts from the early second millennium BC. In the olden days, cheesemaking was a pioneer domestic art, with the most common form being cottage or homesteader's cheese. Evening milk was put into low pans and left to settle overnight, and the next day, the remaining milk was mixed with the morning's milk and rennet was added. The curds were then broken up, salted, and placed in a mould to be pressed into cheese.
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What You'll Learn
The origins of cheese
According to an ancient legend, cheese was discovered by an Arabian merchant who put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach as he travelled across the desert. The rennet in the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curds and whey. The curds had a delightful flavour, and the whey satisfied his thirst.
Cheese was made in many parts of the Roman Empire, and Roman texts describe how ancient Romans enjoyed a wide variety of cheeses. The word "cheese" comes from the Latin word "caseus", which is traced back to the proto-Indo-European root "kwat", meaning "to ferment or become sour". The Romans introduced cheesemaking to England and it spread to the cooler climates of Northern Europe, where less salt was needed for preservation, leading to the development of creamier, milder varieties of cheese.
In the Middle Ages, from the decline of the Roman Empire until the discovery of America, cheese was made and improved by monks in the monasteries of Europe. Many of the cheeses that we are familiar with today, such as cheddar, gouda, parmesan, and camembert, were first produced in Europe during this time.
Cheese was also produced in other parts of the world, such as India, Tibet, Mongolia, and China. In India, unaged ferments like yogurt and fresh cheeses like paneer were more common due to the tropical climate and the emphasis on food purity in the Vedas. Tibetan and Mongolian nomads used milk from yaks to produce butter and fresh and dried cheeses. In China, there is evidence of a cheese called "rushan" that has been produced since the Ming Dynasty and is still consumed by the Sani and Bai people today.
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Ancient cheesemaking cultures
The origins of cheese and the practice of dairy farming stretch back far in human history, with some sources claiming that cheese was first made over 7,000 years ago. While there is no conclusive evidence of where cheesemaking originated, it is believed to have begun in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara.
Cheesemaking was also prevalent in ancient Rome, with evidence suggesting that it was made in many parts of the Roman Empire. The Romans introduced cheesemaking to England, and during the Middle Ages, monks in the monasteries of Europe further refined the craft.
In Asia, there is evidence of ancient cheesemaking cultures in China, Tibet, and Mongolia. "Rushan" is a type of cheese produced in China since the Ming Dynasty, and it remains a staple food for the Sani and Bai people. Tibetan and Mongolian cultures also have a long history of producing cheeses.
Additionally, reports from conquistadors suggest that the Inca and other Andean cultures consumed llama cheese, though some studies have failed to find references to milking in these cultures.
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The spread of cheesemaking
During the Middle Ages, following the decline of the Roman Empire, monks in European monasteries continued to make and improve cheese until the discovery of America. In the 17th century, English Puritan dairy farmers brought their cheesemaking knowledge to the New English colonies in America, and cheesemaking spread from east to west across the northern part of the continent. The first cheese factory in the United States was built in 1851 by Jesse Williams in Oneida County, New York, marking the beginning of the wholesale cheese industry.
By the late 1800s, cheese production in factories had become widespread, with over 3,900 dairy factories nationwide in the United States by 1880. The mass production of rennet, an essential ingredient in cheesemaking, and the development of pure microbial cultures around 1900 further contributed to the standardization of cheese. During World War II, factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking, and since then, factories have been the primary source of cheese in America and Europe.
Despite the dominance of mass-produced cheese, there has been a resurgence in recent years of small-batch, handcrafted, and gourmet cheeses made by skilled cheesemakers. This trend has been particularly notable in the United States, where states like Wisconsin have a strong tradition of cheesemaking and continue to produce a significant amount of cheese.
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Traditional cheesemaking methods
Cheese was likely first made by accident, with an ancient legend describing an Arabian merchant who stored milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. The rennet in the pouch's lining, combined with the sun's heat, caused the milk to separate into curds and whey. The discovery of cheese may also be attributed to the Sumerians, as the earliest written evidence of cheese is in Sumerian cuneiform texts dated to the early second millennium BC. In Egypt, archaeological evidence for cheesemaking goes back about 5,000 years, with the oldest known cheese from Egypt being around 3,200 years old.
In traditional cheesemaking, raw milk is used, which has not been pasteurized or heat-treated. Pasteurization removes many of the fungi spores, yeasts, and microorganisms that give a cheese its unique character. Traditional cheesemakers also do not use freeze-dried cultures, instead allowing milk's indigenous microorganisms to develop the cheese. The right conditions and cultures of microbiodiverse raw milk allow the cheese to develop its unique character.
In the early days of cheesemaking in America, cheesemaking was difficult work, requiring the collection of supplies, milking of cows, churning of butter, and pressing of cheese. Hoops were made of hickory or white oak splint, with a gunny sack or linen serving as cheesecloth. A heavy beam filled with stones was used as a press, and bare hands were used to mix the cheese and act as a thermometer in the warming process.
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The history of cheese in America
Cheese was introduced to the Americas by European colonists in the 17th century. English Puritan dairy farmers brought their knowledge of dairy farming and cheesemaking with them from the Old World to the New English colonies. The earliest dairy farms in the Americas impacted Indigenous and enslaved people. Enslaved Africans, for example, were forced to work as dairy maids and cheesemakers.
In the mid-1600s, New England began exporting large quantities of cheese and butter to supply large plantations in the West Indies, where sugarcane plantations depended on the labour of enslaved people kidnapped from Africa. Dairy farmers in New England thrived due to this business from the Atlantic slave trade.
Cheese-making quickly spread in the New World, but until the 19th century, it remained a local farm industry. In 1851, the first cheese factory in the United States was built by Jesse Williams in Oneida County, New York. As the population across the United States grew, the demand for cheese increased and the industry gradually moved westward, centring on the rich farmlands of Wisconsin. Wisconsin has more skilled and licensed cheesemakers than any other state, and its cheesemaking history spans over 180 years.
During World War II, factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking, and since then, factories have been the source of most cheese in America. Processed cheese, which combines natural cheese with milk, emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavouring, and colouring, became an American favourite. Since World War II, Americans have consistently consumed more processed cheese than natural cheeses. However, in recent years, handmade artisan cheese has been making a comeback, with classic cheesemaking methods being adopted by small farmers and creameries across the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The process of cheesemaking has evolved over the course of human history, varying across different regions and cultures. In the olden days, cheesemaking was a domestic art, with the most common form being "cottage" or "homesteader's" cheese. The process typically involved collecting evening milk in pans and leaving it to settle overnight. The next day, the fat was skimmed from the surface, and the remaining milk was mixed with the morning's milk and rennet. The curds were then broken up, salted, and placed in a mould to be pressed and stored.
Traditional cheesemaking utilised natural milk, which contains bacteria that cause it to "sour" or thicken by producing lactic acid. Other ingredients included rennet, a natural complex of enzymes produced in mammalian stomachs, and yogurt or whey from previous batches of cheese. In terms of tools, cheesemakers used pans, cloths, and moulds for shaping and storing the cheese.
Cheesemaking has evolved from a domestic art to a mass-produced industry. The introduction of pasteurisation and microbial cultures in the 19th century standardised cheese production and improved food safety. The development of factories and processed cheese further transformed the industry, making cheese more accessible to the general public. While mass-produced cheese has become prevalent, traditional cheesemaking methods are still practised in various regions, preserving the diverse flavours and techniques of the past.
