The Early Origins


Cheese is one of the most ubiquitous and beloved dairy products in the world with a history stretching back thousands of years. Some of the earliest evidence of its making dates back to around 5000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. During this era, nomadic tribes would transport animal milk in pouches made from animal stomachs. The stomach acids would cause the milk to curdle and coagulate, resulting in some of the earliest accidental cheeses. From there, its making spread to other ancient cultures like the Greeks and Romans. The earliest would have been very crude and aged very briefly compared to modern varieties. But through trial and error over centuries, techniques were refined giving rise to regional styles of it around the world.

The Spread of Cheese making in Europe
Cheese pastoral agricultural societies developed across Europe in the Middle Ages, its making took off. Monasteries played a central role in perfecting techniques and aging processes. Different microclimates and cultures gave rise to a dazzling array of regional centered on local cuisines. Today there are over 1,000 varieties of it produced in Europe, reflecting the continent's rich its making heritage. Iconic type like Parmesan, Gouda, Brie, and Swiss were developed during this era and many are still made using centuries-old traditional methods. The 14th century saw the rise of its fairs, an early form of marketing that helped spread artisanal far and wide.

The Evolution in North America
While Europeans had mastered its making over a millennia, the art was slow to catch on in the new world at first. When colonists arrived in North America in the 17th century, they brought Old World making practices with them. But early American tended to be plainer, due to fewer traditions and resources. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that industrialized production and distribution took off nationwide. This helped satisfy the demands of a rapidly growing US population and often involved techniques like standardizing milk content. Some of America's most iconic type like cheddar were perfected in Wisconsin during the late 19th century dairy farming boom. Today America produces over 500 million pounds of The Origins of its Making annually, with styles from every corner of the globe represented.

 

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