Kamil Perry
Cheese is a beloved food worldwide, but its origins are a mystery. The earliest evidence of cheesemaking dates back to around 5500 BCE in Poland, but it is believed that cheese was made long before that, possibly in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The story of how cheese was discovered is likely accidental, as a result of storing milk in animal stomachs or pouches, which contain rennet, an enzyme that causes milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey. Over time, cheesemaking spread and diversified, with different regions developing their own unique traditions and products. The first cheese factory was opened in Switzerland in 1815, marking the beginning of industrial cheese production. Today, cheese is a staple food worldwide, with a diverse range of varieties and a growing demand that drives the dairy industry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of origin | The exact date of origin is unknown, but it is believed to date back more than 4,000 years. The earliest proposed dates range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. |
| Origin location | The origin location is also unknown, but it is believed to be somewhere in Europe, Central Asia, or the Middle East. |
| First factory | The first cheese factory was built in Switzerland in 1815. |
| Mass production | Mass production of cheese began in 1851 in the United States, when Jesse Williams started making cheese in an assembly-line fashion. |
| Standardization | Standardization of cheese occurred around 1900 with the development of pure microbial cultures and mass-produced rennet. |
| Artisan renaissance | In recent decades, there has been a renaissance in artisan cheesemaking, with small farmers and creameries across the United States adopting classic cheesemaking methods. |
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What You'll Learn
The origins of cheese
Cheese is an ancient food, with origins that predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence of where cheesemaking first originated, but it is believed to have begun in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated.
It is likely that cheese was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, causing the milk to curdle and separate into solid curds and liquid whey due to the rennet in the animal stomach. There is a legend, with variations, about an Arab or Arabian merchant who discovered cheese in this manner.
The earliest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking dates back to around 5500 BCE and was found in Kuyavia, Poland, where strainers coated with milk-fat molecules have been discovered. Other ancient evidence of cheesemaking has been found in Switzerland, Croatia, and Egypt, with Egyptian tomb murals from around 2000 BCE depicting cheese manufacturing.
Cheese diversified in Europe as locales developed their own traditions and products, influenced by the cheesemaking traditions of their neighbours. During the ancient Rome era, cheese became a sophisticated enterprise, with valued foreign cheeses being transported to Rome to satisfy the tastes of the social elite. The Romans introduced cheesemaking to England, and cheese was also made in many parts of the Roman Empire at its height.
The first factory for the industrial production of cheese opened in Switzerland in 1815, marking the beginning of large-scale cheese production. In 1851, the first cheese factory in the United States was built by Jesse Williams in Oneida County, New York, using milk from neighbouring farms. This made cheddar cheese one of the first US industrial foods.
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Ancient Roman cheese
The history of cheese-making in ancient Rome was a regular practice, with the Romans enjoying a wide variety of cheeses. The Latin word "caseus" is the root of the modern word "cheese", and is traced back to the proto-Indo-European root "kwat", meaning "to ferment or become sour".
Cheese was already considered an art form by the ancient Romans, who provided hard cheese for their legions. The making of cheese was documented in great detail by Columella in his writing "De Re Rustica" (On Agriculture, 65 AD). Columella tells us that:
> "It will be necessary not to neglect the task of cheese-making, especially in distant parts of the country, where it is not convenient to take milk to the market in pails. Further, if the cheese is made of a thin consistency, it must be sold as quickly as possible while it is still fresh and retains its moisture; if, however, it is of a rich and thick consistency, it bears being kept for longer periods."
The ancient Romans prepared many varieties of cheeses, from fresh cheeses similar to what we know as ricotta or cottage cheese, to early forms of aged and salt-brined cheeses. They were also fond of smoked cheese, with Martial mentioning a variety called "Velabran" twice in his "Epigrams". In addition, the Romans dined on multiple kinds of cheesecake sweetened with honey, with the chef and author Apicius having a variety named after him.
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The Middle Ages in Europe
The Middle Ages marked a significant period in the history of cheese-making, particularly within European monasteries. Monks were crucial in preserving and advancing cheese-making techniques during this era. They experimented with aging processes, bacteria cultures, and various types of milk to create some of the most beloved cheeses still enjoyed today. For example, Gorgonzola was made in the Po Valley in Italy in 879 AD, and Italy became the cheese-making centre of Europe during the 10th Century.
Monasteries became centres of cheese production, and many of the cheeses developed during this time are still produced similarly. For instance, cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and Munster owe their existence to monastic ingenuity. The strict rules and traditions of monastic life also ensured that cheese-making techniques were passed down through generations with little alteration, thus preserving their quality.
During the Middle Ages, cheese-making in manor and monastery intensified local characteristics imparted by local bacterial flora. While the identification of monks with cheese is sustained through modern marketing labels, it was the encounter of Romanized populations with unfamiliar neighbours with their own cheese-making traditions that led to the diversification of cheese types.
In the early Middle Ages, sheep's milk was the main raw ingredient for cheese, but by the 14th century, cow's milk had largely replaced it. This shift was due to problems in the wool industry, such as disease, war, and bad weather, which took a toll on the country's sheep flocks. The shift to cow's milk also allowed for larger quantities of milk to be produced, as cows could provide more milk per day than sheep.
By the end of the Middle Ages, cheese had become an established food in Europe, with many popular cheeses, such as Camembert, Cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyère, being developed during this time. The advancement of cheese-making in Europe during the Middle Ages contributed to the spread of cheese worldwide, as European settlers brought their cheese-making techniques with them to the New World.
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Industrial production
The history of cheese-making likely began by accident, and the food has been a staple for thousands of years. However, the industrial production of cheese is a much more recent development.
The first factory for the industrial production of cheese was opened in Switzerland in 1815. However, large-scale production first found success in the United States. In 1851, dairy farmer Jesse Williams from Rome, New York, began making cheese in an assembly-line fashion using milk from neighbouring farms. This made cheddar cheese one of the first US industrial foods. Within decades, hundreds of such commercial dairy associations existed.
The 1860s saw the beginning of mass-produced rennet, 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 an earlier batch's whey. The pure cultures meant a more standardised cheese could be produced.
By 1880, there were 3,923 dairy factories nationwide in the US, which made 216 million pounds of cheese that year, valued at $17 million. This represented almost 90% of total cheese production that year. By the turn of the century, farm production of cheese had become insignificant. The 1904 census reported only factory output, which totalled over 317 million pounds. As cheese demand continued to grow and spread rapidly, manufactured and processed cheese production increased dramatically.
During World War II, factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking. Processed cheese, which combines natural cheese with milk, emulsifiers, stabilisers, flavouring, and colouring, became an American favourite. Production of processed cheese products skyrocketed during World War II, and since then, Americans have consistently consumed more processed cheese than natural cheeses.
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A return to artisanal methods
The history of cheese-making is a long and winding one, with the food itself likely being discovered by accident. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated. The process was likely discovered when milk was stored in containers made from animals' stomachs, which contain rennet, an enzyme that causes milk to separate into curds and whey. The earliest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking dates back to 5500 BCE and was found in what is now Kuyavia, Poland.
Despite its ancient origins, the cheese industry has evolved significantly over time. The first cheese factory was built in 1815 in Switzerland, marking the beginning of mass production. This development was followed by the discovery of how to mass-produce rennet, and the industrial production of cheese spread rapidly. Pasteurization, a process created by Louis Pasteur in 1862, also played a significant role in the popularization of cheese by reducing the risk of dangerous bacteria in milk.
However, in recent years, there has been a renaissance in artisanal cheese-making. Small farmers and creameries across the United States are adopting classic cheesemaking methods and producing high-quality specialty cheeses in small batches. This trend back to artisan cheese in the U.S. was spearheaded by several women cheesemakers, notably Mary Keehn (creator of Humboldt Fog cheese) and Cindy Major (creator of Vermont Shepherd cheese).
The return to artisanal methods prioritizes quality over quantity, with cheesemakers drawing upon traditional cheese-making techniques and local ingredients to create unique, handcrafted cheeses. This movement has led to an explosion of new farm-based cheesemakers and a revival of the ancient art of cheese-making, ensuring that cheese remains a dynamic and ever-evolving part of culinary culture.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheese-making originated, but it could have been in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest evidence of cheesemaking dates back to around 5500 BCE and was found in what is now Poland.
Cheese-making in the US began in 1851 when Jesse Williams started making cheese in an assembly-line fashion in Oneida County, New York.
The first cheese factory was built in Switzerland in 1815.
Swiss immigrants settled in Green County, Wisconsin, in 1845 and started manufacturing foreign cheese in America.
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