Cheese - Wiki - Mason Earl

Cheese is one of humanity's oldest and most beloved foods. What started as an accident of milk storage became an art form practiced in every culture with dairy animals. Over 1,800 varieties exist today.

Origins

When Around 8000 BCE, shortly after sheep domestication
Where Likely the Middle East or Central Asia
Discovery Probably accidental - milk stored in animal stomach lining curdled from natural rennet
Purpose Preservation. Cheese lasts longer than milk, crucial before refrigeration
Ancient evidence 7,500-year-old cheese strainers found in Poland

The story goes: a merchant traveling through the desert stored milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. The heat, movement, and natural enzymes turned it to curds and whey. He tasted it. It was good. Cheese was born.

How It's Made

Milk Cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, or others
Acidification Bacteria or acid added to sour the milk
Coagulation Rennet (enzyme) causes milk proteins to clump
Curds and whey Solid curds are separated from liquid whey
Pressing Curds pressed together, moisture removed
Aging From weeks (mozzarella) to years (parmesan)

Major Types

Fresh Mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese - no aging, mild
Soft-ripened Brie, Camembert - edible white rind, creamy center
Semi-hard Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss - pressed, aged months
Hard Parmesan, Pecorino - aged years, intense flavor
Blue Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton - veined with mold
Washed rind Limburger, Taleggio - pungent, funky

Facts

Global production 22+ million metric tons per year
Top producer United States, followed by Germany and France
Most consumed France leads at 57 lbs per person annually
Parmigiano-Reggiano Called the "King of Cheeses" - aged 12-36 months
Most expensive Pule cheese from Serbian donkey milk - $600/lb
Oldest edible cheese 3,200-year-old cheese found in Egyptian tomb

Cultural Impact

Cheese shaped civilizations. Roman legions carried it as portable protein. Monasteries perfected recipes during the Middle Ages. France has 400+ varieties and considers cheese a point of national pride. Wisconsin built an identity around it.

Today cheese is a $150+ billion global industry. From a happy accident to supermarket staple, it remains one of the most successful food inventions in history.