Frederic Melton
The process of making cheese has a long history, with evidence of cheese-making practices dating back thousands of years. In the 1800s, cheese production underwent significant developments, transitioning from a local farm industry to large-scale industrialised manufacturing. This era witnessed the construction of the first cheese factories, marking the beginning of mass production and the emergence of wholesale cheese markets. The 1800s also saw advancements in cheesemaking techniques, notably the system introduced by Joseph Harding in the UK for effectively draining curds of whey, revolutionising the creation of modern cheddar. The period was characterised by a growing demand for cheese, particularly in the United States, which spurred the expansion of the cheese industry and contributed to the variety of cheeses available today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1800s |
| Location | Switzerland, Somerset, UK, California, US |
| People Involved | Joseph Harding, David Jacks, Spanish missionaries, Jesse Williams |
| Cheese Types | Monterey Jack, Queso del País, Cheddar |
| Ingredients | Milk, rennet, salt, coloring, butter, sour cream, whey |
| Tools | Molds, colander, cloth, boiler, press |
| Process | Milk was converted into curds and whey, strained, and salt was added for preservation. The curds were then cooked and placed in molds to form cheese. |
| Consumption | Cheese was a staple food for the poor and ideal for travel due to its cheap, nutritious, and long-lasting properties. |
| Production | The first cheese factories were built, and mass production of cheese began, with the invention of industrialized production. |
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What You'll Learn
The process of making cheese
Firstly, fresh milk is needed. In the 1800s, this would have been sourced from cows, and it was important that the milk was fresh, as pasteurized milk will not work for cheesemaking. The milk is then curdled, and there are a few traditional methods for this. One way is to use rennet, an enzyme found in the stomachs of ruminants, which can be used to curdle milk. Another method is to sour the milk, which can be done by leaving it out, and this will also eventually form curds.
Once the milk has curdled, the curds need to be strained. This is done by pouring the mixture into a colander, and pressing down to remove the whey—the liquid part of milk. The curds can then be placed in a clean cloth and squeezed to remove any remaining liquid. It is important that the curds are very dry, as too much moisture will result in a poorly finished cheese. The whey can be fed to animals, or used to make a natural cheese, as done by the Norwegians.
The dry curds are then placed in a bowl with butter and soda, and these are cut into the curds until well mixed. This mixture is then pressed down and left to set for a few hours. The next step is to add any remaining ingredients, such as salt and colouring, and cook the mixture. This is done by melting the curds in a double boiler, and then the cheese is poured into a mould and left to cool. Once it is firm, the cheese is ready to eat.
Cheese made in this way can be cured by covering it with melted paraffin wax. This type of cheese does not keep as long as harder, more processed cheeses, but it was unlikely to be a problem, as it would have been consumed quickly.
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The equipment used
Once the curds were dry, they were mixed with butter and soda and placed in a bowl to set. This mixture was then cooked in a double boiler with additional ingredients such as sour cream, salt, and colouring. The melted cheese was then poured into a mould, typically a buttered bowl, to cool and firm up.
For a more firm and aged cheese, a press was used. The curds were placed in a cheese press lined with cheesecloth, and weights were added on top to gradually press out more whey. This process could take up to 24 hours, and the resulting cheese could be cured with melted paraffin wax for longer preservation.
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How to store cheese
The art of cheesemaking dates back to ancient times, with references in Greek mythology and evidence of cheese found in Egyptian tombs. In the 1800s, cheese was primarily made on farms, with the first farmstead cheese factory in Wisconsin opening in 1831.
Storing Cheese in the 1800s:
In the 1800s, people did not have the convenience of modern refrigeration, so they had to devise alternative methods to store cheese and other perishable foods. The key challenge was creating the right environment for cheese to "breathe" without drying out or spoiling.
One traditional method of cheese storage was the use of clay pots. These durable containers served multiple purposes in the cheesemaking process, from collecting milk to draining whey and storing the final cheese product. To preserve the cheese, the clay pots were often packed with salt or submerged in a salty brine solution, which helped keep the cheese fresh, especially in warm climates. In hot climates, these pots could even be buried underground to provide cooler storage.
Another technique that gained popularity in the late 1800s was the use of dedicated food preservation buildings. By 1900, many cities had cold storage facilities for the long-term storage of cheese, butter, eggs, and other farm products. These cold storage plants experimented with different temperatures and used ammonia to achieve lower temperatures.
Additionally, cheesemakers in the 1800s may have also utilised natural caves or cellars to store cheese, providing a cool and stable environment for the cheese to age and develop its unique flavours.
Modern Cheese Storage:
Today, we have a variety of options for storing cheese to maintain its flavour, texture, and freshness:
- Cheese Paper: Specialised paper designed for home cheese storage, although it can be pricey and less environmentally friendly.
- Cheese Grotto: A modern storage option inspired by traditional cheese caves, made from wood and featuring a clay brick that helps maintain the perfect humidity level for cheese.
- Wax Coating: While less common today, coating cheese in wax was popularised by Dutch cheesemakers in the late 1800s. It keeps cheese fresh for longer and protects it during shipping.
- Plastic Wrap: Introduced in 1949, plastic wrap is ideal for short-term storage of fresh, high-moisture cheeses but is less suitable for aged cheeses as it does not allow the cheese to breathe.
By choosing the appropriate storage method, cheese lovers can ensure their favourite wedges and wheels remain in optimal condition, just as delicious as the day they were purchased.
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The different types of cheese
The process of making cheese dates back to the early domestication of sheep and goats, and other milk-producing animals. The production of cheese predates recorded history, beginning well over 7,000 years ago. The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old. The earliest cheeses were sour and salty and similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese or present-day feta.
By the 1800s, there were several types of cheese, with different recipes and processes. In the mid-1800s, cheddar was the most popular cheese in the US, which was originally developed in a village in Somerset, England, called Cheddar. The existence of cheddar has been recorded since the 1500s. Parmesan cheese, which originated in the Middle Ages in 1254, was also popular by this time. It is said that Benedictine monks living in the Parma-Reggio region of Italy created parmesan.
In the 1800s, Camembert was also a popular cheese, created in the late 18th century by a farmer named Marie Harel. Camembert is a creamy, surface-ripened cheese with a soft texture. It is often compared to brie, which is technically not a type of cheese but a style of cheese. Brie de Meaux, the oldest kind of brie, dates back to 8th-century France.
Colby is another cheese that was perfected in 1885 in a small community outside of Colby, Wisconsin, by a farmer named Ambrose Steinward. Colby Jack, a "modern" cheese, is made by mixing curds from Colby cheese with curds from Monterey Jack. Monterey Jack, a popular California original, was first made by David Jacks, a dairy owner and land baron, who began shipping this cheese to markets in 1882.
There are several other types of cheese, and it is estimated that there are around 500 different varieties of cheese recognised by the International Dairy Federation. Some other popular types of cheese include Swiss cheese, Gouda, and Gouda.
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The history of cheese
In ancient times, cheese was primarily a way of preserving milk, especially in hot climates. Early cheese-making techniques involved salting and pressing the curds to extend their shelf life. Cave paintings in Egypt depicting cheese-making date back 4000 years, and evidence of cheese-making has also been found in Europe and Poland, suggesting a long history of cheese-making in these regions.
During the Middle Ages, cheese consumption increased, and it became a staple food for the poor due to its nutritional value and affordability. Monks in the monasteries of Europe refined and improved cheese-making techniques, and by the time of the Roman Empire, cheese-making was already considered an art form. Roman texts describe the wide variety of cheeses enjoyed by ancient Romans.
In the 1800s, cheese-making underwent significant changes with the advent of industrialised production. The first cheese factory was built in Switzerland in 1815, marking the beginning of mass-produced cheese. This revolutionised the cheese-making industry, and soon after, scientists discovered how to mass-produce rennet, a key ingredient in cheese-making. Joseph Harding, known as the "father of cheese-making", unveiled his system for maximising whey drainage in the mid-1850s, leading to the birth of modern Cheddar.
Around the same time, cheese-making was also taking off in the United States. The first cheese factory in the country was built in 1851 by Jesse Williams in New York, and by 1880, there were nearly 4,000 dairy factories nationwide, producing almost 216 million pounds of cheese. As the US population grew, the demand for cheese increased, and the industry expanded westward, with Wisconsin becoming a major centre for cheese production. The late 1800s saw phenomenal growth in the wholesale cheese industry, and by the turn of the century, farm production of cheese had been largely replaced by factory production.
Today, cheese-making has come a long way from its ancient origins, with a diverse range of flavours and textures available worldwide. While mass-produced cheese remains popular, there has also been a resurgence in handmade artisan cheese, with small farmers and creameries adopting classic cheese-making methods to create local and handcrafted cheeses.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 1800s, cheese-making was still done by hand, and the process was similar to how it had been done for thousands of years. People would first obtain fresh milk from cows, then separate the curds and whey by straining the milk through a cloth. The curds were then mixed with salt and other ingredients, and pressed into a mould to set.
In the 1800s, people would have been making a variety of cheeses, including Monterey Jack, which was created in the 1800s by California farmers, and modern Cheddar, which was developed in the UK in the 1850s.
In the 1800s, cheese-making was often done by women at home as a way to preserve milk. They would use simple materials such as a large cooking pan, a colander, and a strong cloth to separate the curds and whey, and then mix the dry curds with butter, salt, and colouring.
