Frederic Melton
Andean cheese is a type of cheese made from llama milk. Reports by conquistadors suggest that the Inca and other Andean cultures consumed llama cheese, but some studies failed to find any references to milking in these cultures. The origins of cheese-making are unknown, but it is thought to have begun over 7,000 years ago, with the earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old. The organised production of cheese arrived in Europe in 1815 with the establishment of the first cheese factory in Switzerland.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of origin | Unknown, but predates recorded history |
| Earliest evidence | Clay sieves (holed pottery) over 7,000 years old |
| Location of origin | Unknown, possibly Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara |
| Organized production | Arrived in Europe in 1815 |
| Mass production | Began in 1851 in the USA |
| Andean cheese | Consumed by the Inca and other Andean cultures |
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What You'll Learn
- Andean cultures consumed llama cheese
- There is no evidence of milking in Andean cultures
- Local cheeses have been developed across North and South America since European colonisation
- The organised production of cheese arrived in Europe in 1815
- Dairy farmer Jesse Williams formed the first assembly line cheese factory in the USA in 1851
Andean cultures consumed llama cheese
The origins of cheese predate recorded history, with the earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking ranging from around 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated. Humans likely developed cheese and other dairy foods by accident, as a result of storing and transporting milk in bladders made of ruminants' stomachs. Their inherent supply of rennet would encourage curdling.
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, possibly Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, for example in Kujawy, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, the latter with dried remains which chemical analysis suggests was cheese.
Organized production of cheese arrived in Europe in 1815 with the establishment of the first cheese factory in Switzerland, but mass success was found only after dairy farmer Jesse Williams formed an assembly line cheese factory in the USA in 1851. Since the European colonization of the Americas, local cheeses have been developed across both North and South America.
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There is no evidence of milking in Andean cultures
It is unclear when Andean cheese was first made, but reports by conquistadors suggest that the Inca and other Andean cultures consumed llama cheese. However, some studies failed to find any references to milking in these cultures. Since the European colonisation of the Americas, local cheeses have been developed across both North and South America.
The earliest evidence for settlement in the Andean region dates to circa 15,000 BCE, in what archaeologists call the Lithic Period. The Preceramic Period I (before 9500 B.C.E.) saw the first evidence of human occupation of Peru by groups of hunter-gatherers in the highlands of Ayacucho and Ancash. The Preceramic Period III (8000–6000 B.C.E.) saw the development of different cultural traditions, such as the Northwestern Tradition and the Central Andean Tradition.
The organised production of cheese arrived in Europe in 1815 with the establishment of the first cheese factory in Switzerland. However, mass success was found only after dairy farmer Jesse Williams formed an assembly line cheese factory in the USA in 1851.
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Local cheeses have been developed across North and South America since European colonisation
Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, whether in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. Because animal skins and inflated internal organs have provided storage vessels for a range of foodstuffs since ancient times, it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach.
According to ancient records passed down through the centuries, the making of cheese dates back more than 4,000 years. No one really knows who made the first cheese. According to an ancient legend, it was made accidentally by an Arabian merchant who put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach, as he set out on a day's journey across the desert. The rennet in the lining of the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curd and whey. That night he found that the whey satisfied his thirst, and the cheese (curd) had a delightful flavour which satisfied his hunger.
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The organised production of cheese arrived in Europe in 1815
Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, whether in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. It is thought that cheese was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach.
Reports by conquistadors suggest that the Inca and other Andean cultures consumed llama cheese. However, some studies failed to find any references to milking in these cultures. Since the European colonisation of the Americas, local cheeses have been developed across both North and South America.
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Dairy farmer Jesse Williams formed the first assembly line cheese factory in the USA in 1851
Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, but it is thought to have begun over 7,000 years ago. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated.
Reports by conquistadors suggest that the Inca and other Andean cultures consumed llama cheese. However, some studies failed to find any references to milking in these cultures.
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Frequently asked questions
Andean cheese was likely first made by the Inca and other Andean cultures, who consumed llama cheese. However, there is no conclusive evidence of this, as some studies failed to find any references to milking in these cultures.
The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old. It is thought that cheese was likely developed by accident, as a result of storing and transporting milk in bladders made of ruminants' stomachs, as their inherent supply of rennet would encourage curdling.
Organised production of cheese arrived in Europe in 1815 with the establishment of the first cheese factory in Switzerland. However, mass success was found only after dairy farmer Jesse Williams formed an assembly line cheese factory in the USA in 1851.
