THE WORLD OF CHEESE

LET'S SLICE INTO THE HISTORY & SCIENCE OF CHEESE.

- DEBBIE WEBSTER

Cheese — just saying the word brings a smile to your face. Whether it’s a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, a slice of pungent blue on a cracker or the perfect mozzarella on a pizza, cheese has a way of making every moment better. But behind each tasty bite is a rich story, one that stretches across continents, centuries and cultures (and includes a few old family secrets).

A BITE OF HISTORY

Cheese is ancient — like, biblically ancient. No one knows exactly who made the first wheel, but the most accepted legend involves a traveler storing milk in a pouch made from a sheep’s stomach. The natural enzyme rennet caused the milk to curdle into curds and whey, and rather than tossing it, someone brave gave it a taste. The rest is history.

Ancient Mesopotamians were cheesing as early as 3000 B.C.E., and the Egyptians weren't far behind. The Greeks and Romans got in on the action, with the latter spreading cheese-making techniques across Europe. Monks perfected many classic cheeses during the Middle Ages. Cheese is now a fully globalized, and deeply regional, obsession.

REGIONAL RULES

In Europe, many cheeses are protected under the protected designation of origin (aka P.O.D.). That means only cheese made in a specific way, in a specific place or even species, can legally carry certain names. It’s kind of like a cheese passport.

Manchego can only come from Spain’s Manchego sheep. Roquefort can only come from Roquefort, France, made traditionally with their Lacaune sheep’s milk and aged in natural caves. France’s dairy breed of sheep is the Lacaune. Feta can only be called so if it’s from Greece and made from sheep (or sheep/goat) milk.