Patrick Oconnell
Cheese arrived in America with European colonists, who brought domesticated livestock and cheese recipes with them. The first American cheeses were produced in the 1600s, with colonists making their own cheddars soon after their arrival in North America. By the 1790s, American-made cheddars were being exported back to England. In the 1910s, James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc., developed a method for manufacturing processed cheese, which could be packaged into cans or jars and had a longer shelf life. This led to the term American cheese becoming associated with this processed variety, rather than the traditional cheddars also made in the US.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin of Cheese | Believed to have originated in the Middle East 8,000-10,000 years ago |
| Cheese in America | Introduced by European colonists in the 1600s |
| Early American Cheese Exports | Cheddar exported from New England to West Indies and England in the 1790s |
| Impact on Indigenous and Enslaved Peoples | Dairy farming and cheese-making by colonists led to negative impacts on Indigenous and enslaved African peoples |
| Processed American Cheese | Invented by James L. Kraft in the 1910s; made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses combined with sodium citrate |
| Federal Regulations | Mandates that processed cheese made from more than one cheese be labelled as "pasteurized process American cheese" |
| American Cheese in Culture | Common in dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and Philly cheesesteaks |
| Government Intervention | Government purchased and distributed cheese during dairy shortages in the 1970s and 1980s |
| Artisan Cheese Movement | Began in the 1970s, led by California food pioneers like Alice Waters and Laura Chenel |
| American Cheese Society | Formed in 1983, with annual competitions featuring hundreds of cheeses |
| Overproduction and Surplus | Government subsidized and stockpiled cheese due to declining consumption and trade disputes |
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What You'll Learn
European colonists brought cheese to America in the 1600s
Cheese was first brought to America by European colonists in the 1600s. Specifically, Puritans from strong cheesemaking regions of England, such as Cheshire and Cheddar, brought their recipes and livestock with them to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629. These colonists allowed their livestock to graze in the forests of New England, rather than clearing lands for pasture, which damaged the woodlands.
The first American cheeses were produced using these established recipes, with Cheddar being the most prominent variety. In the mid-1600s, New England began exporting cheese and butter to large plantations in the West Indies, where sugarcane plantations relied on enslaved people from Africa. This export market, alongside the rum industry in New England, allowed dairy farmers to thrive.
By the late 18th century, American-made cheddars were being exported back to England. However, the English considered this imported cheese inferior to their locally produced varieties, and it gained a reputation as a cheaper alternative. Thus, the term ""American cheese" began to be associated with this supposedly inferior product.
The introduction of cheesemaking by European colonists had a significant impact on Indigenous and enslaved people in the Americas. The culture of dairy farming that took hold with colonisation actively participated in and benefited from genocide and slavery.
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Cheddar was a key export from America to England by 1790
Cheddar cheese is believed to have originated in the village of Cheddar, Somerset, in southwest England. The Cheddar Gorge, on the edge of the village, provided the ideal humidity and temperature for maturing the cheese. In the 1620s, British colonists brought their cheesemaking techniques to North America, along with domesticated livestock and cheese recipes. By the mid-1600s, New England was exporting large quantities of cheese to the West Indies, and by 1790, American-made cheddars were being exported back to England.
The American-made cheddars were often referred to as "Yankee" or "American" cheese in England. This was due to their supposedly inferior quality and cheaper price compared to locally produced cheese. The export of cheddar from America to England was part of the early North American export market, which also included the rum industry in New England and the provision of supplies to sugarcane plantations in the West Indies.
The development of dairy farming and cheesemaking in America was closely tied to European colonization and the exploitation of resources, including the enslavement of African people. Enslaved Africans worked on large farms and plantations, with gendered roles similar to those on English farms, where enslaved women worked as dairy maids and cheesemakers.
Cheddar cheese became a significant export from North America to its country of origin, England, by 1790, marking a shift in the global trade of this popular cheese variety.
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Dairy farming in America relied on slavery and genocide
Dairy farming in America has a long history, with its earliest days marked by violence and oppression. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were no domesticated livestock in the Western Hemisphere, and Indigenous peoples fed themselves through hunting, fishing, foraging, and agriculture. However, with the onset of European colonization, dairy farming became an active participant in and beneficiary of genocide and slavery.
Spanish explorers were among the first to bring cattle to the Americas in the 1500s, and by the 1600s, dairy cows had become integral to colonial farms, laying the foundation for the future U.S. dairy industry. In the 1620s, British colonists in Plymouth began making their own cheddar cheese, and by the late 18th century, American-made cheddars were being exported back to England. This cheese was often referred to as "Yankee" or "American" cheese and was considered inferior to locally produced English cheese.
The Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629 played a significant role in the development of dairy farming in America. Puritans from strong cheesemaking regions of England brought domesticated livestock and cheese recipes with them, influencing cheesemaking in the U.S. for centuries. Between 1630 and 1640, 20,000 Puritans arrived in New England, and their dairy cows grazed in the forests, damaging Indigenous woodlands.
Dairy farming and cheese production were also closely tied to the Atlantic slave trade. New England exported vast quantities of cheese and butter to provision large sugarcane plantations in the West Indies, which relied on enslaved people kidnapped from Africa. In Rhode Island, the Naragansett Plantations were huge farms owned by wealthy white families and worked by enslaved people, including women who worked as dairy maids and cheesemakers. Thus, the development of the dairy farming and cheese industry in America was intrinsically linked to and reliant on slavery and genocide.
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Processed cheese was invented in Switzerland in 1911
Cheese has a long history in America, with the earliest dairy farms in the Americas and New England impacting Indigenous people and enslaved Africans. In the 1620s, British colonists brought their cheesemaking traditions to North America, crafting cheddar soon after their arrival. By the 1630s, Puritans from strong cheesemaking regions of England were bringing domesticated livestock and cheese recipes with them to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This marked the beginning of dairy farming in the region, and the Cheshire and Cheddar-style cheeses they introduced would influence American cheesemaking for centuries.
In the mid-1600s, New England began exporting large quantities of cheese and butter to supply the plantations in the West Indies, contributing to the Atlantic slave trade. By the late 18th century, American-made cheddars were being exported back to England, where they were known as "Yankee" or "American" cheese. This marked a shift in the perception of American cheese, which was considered inferior and cheaper than locally produced cheese.
However, the development of processed cheese occurred much later, and it was indeed invented in Switzerland in 1911. Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler created the world's first processed cheese by shredding Emmentaler cheese and heating it with sodium citrate, resulting in a firm, unified substance upon cooling. This innovation paved the way for longer-lasting cheese that could be packaged and sold in cans or jars.
The Swiss invention inspired Canadian-born James Lewis Kraft, a former grocery clerk turned aspiring cheese wholesaler, to experiment with cheese processing. In 1916, Kraft patented his process for manufacturing processed cheese and began marketing it in the late 1910s. His technique involved melting various cheddar pieces to 175 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, whisking continuously. This process not only extended the shelf life of the cheese but also contributed to its smooth and meltable texture. The term "American cheese" gradually became associated with this processed variety, and it became widely used in sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and other dishes due to its convenience and versatility.
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The American cheese movement began in the 1970s
The American cheese movement, as we know it today, began in the 1970s. This movement was marked by a shift from processed commodity cheddar to artisan fermented cheese. In the late 1970s, there were only 48 artisan cheesemakers in the US, but by 2012, this number had grown to 826. The movement was driven by a desire for culinary diversity and a return to traditional methods of food production, with pioneers of the movement drawing inspiration from Europe's rich history of cheese-making.
The early pioneers of the American cheese movement, such as Laura Chenel and Allison Hooper, embodied the national ideal of rugged individualism. They faced the challenging task of introducing artisanal cheese to Americans, who were accustomed to processed cheese at the time. Chenel and Hooper studied under European masters and adapted their techniques to the American context. Their perseverance paved the way for many women to become influential cheese artisans, defying traditional gender roles in the industry.
The American cheese movement also brought greater diversity in milk types, with cheesemakers experimenting with milk from goats and sheep, in addition to the dominant cow's milk. The movement has since expanded to include new urban creameries, such as Cincinnatti's My Artisano. The growth of the American artisan cheese industry has been fuelled by increasing consumer interest in organic, natural, and regenerative farming practices, as well as flavourful, fermented foods.
Today, the American artisan cheese industry enjoys global recognition, with its distinctive flavours and quality rivaling those of classic European cheeses. This success is a testament to the passion, grit, and persistence of American cheese entrepreneurs, who have become custodians of the rich heritage of cheese-making.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese was brought to America by European colonists in the 1600s. The first American cheeses were produced when pilgrims brought recipes like Cheddar from Europe.
Cheddar was the first type of cheese produced in America. It was also the first to be exported from America back to England.
Cheese production in America began in the 1620s in Plymouth by British colonists.
By 1790, American-made cheddars were being exported back to England.
American cheese is a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate. It was invented in the 1910s by James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc.
