Ten Thousand Years of Cheese And Fifteen of the World’s Top Cheeses
By V. Laherty Adams
Civilizations began to store milk in the stomach bladders of ruminant animals between 8,000 -10,000 years ago, about the time that the herding of mammals began with sheep. The rennet present in the stomach bladders, a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals, caused the milk to curdle. Chymosin, its key component, is a protease enzyme that curdles the casein in milk. In addition to chymosin, rennet contains other enzymes, such as pepsin and a lipase. Salt was added to the mixture in populations farther south in Europe, making cheeses like feta.
The earliest archeological evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, for example, in Poland, and in Croatia, the latter with dried remains which chemical analysis suggests was cheese. Shards of holed pottery were also found even further back in Urnfielnd pile-dwellings in Switzerland and are hypothesized to be cheese strainers, which date back to roughly 8,000 years ago.
In Egypt, evidence for cheese-making goes back about 5,000 years. In 2018, archeologists reported the discovery of the oldest known Egyptian cheese. Discovered in the Saqqara necropolis, it is around 3200 years old.[15] Earlier, remains identified as cheese were found in the funeral meal in an Egyptian tomb dating around 2900 BC.Visual evidence of this was found in Egyptian tomb murals.
Cheese-making was known in Ancient Greece in the earliest level of Hellenic myth. According to Pliny the Elder, cheese became a sophisticated thing of trade and dining. During the era of ancient Rome, valued foreign cheeses were transported from Greece to Rome to satisfy the tastes of the social elite. Ancient Greeks credited Aristaeus (ARISTAIOS {Aristaeus} was the rustic god of shepherds and cheesemaking, beekeeping, honey and honey-mead, olive growing and oil milling, medicinal herbs, hunting, and the Etesian winds which provided some respite from the scorching heat of midsummer.) with the discovery of cheese.
Homer‘s Odyssey (late 8th century BC) describes the Cyclops producing and storing sheep’s and goat’s milk and cheese:
“We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding, so we went inside and took stock of all that we could see. His cheese-racks were loaded with cheeses, and he had more lambs and kids than his pens could hold […] When he had so done he sat down and milked his ewes and goats, all in due course, and then let each of them have her own young. He curdled half the milk and set it aside in wicker strainers.”
During the time of the Roman Empire, cheesemaking had become widespread. It had become a highly valued process practiced throughout Europe and the Middle East. It did not extend to the Americas until European settlers introduced it. By the time of Julius Caesar, hundreds of varieties of cheese were being made and traded across the Roman Empire.
There is evidence of a cheese called rushan that has been made in China since the Ming Dynasty.(The Ming dynasty (/mɪŋ/), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 ) It is still consumed in the diets of the Sani and Bai people. Tibetans and Mongolians also have a long history of cheese-making.
Many of the popular cheeses we eat today, such as Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan and Gouda, are relatively new to the cheese story (appearing within the last 500 years). Across Europe, Britain, varieties of cheese developed.
A Worldwide Selection of Cheeses:
1. Paneer (India)
Source: Chris Cjhen
As a staple in many North Indian dishes, Paneer (or Indian cottage cheese) is a soft, mild cheese, often served in gravy, or it is deep-fried with seasoning. Sometimes, you can find it served as a sweet item with almonds and saffron sugar syrup.
2. Labne (Middle East)
Source: Alan Benson
Labne (or labna) is somewhere between being a cheese and being a yogurt. It has a thick texture. Complimenting many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dise, Labne is very sour, and not sharp.
3. Manchego (Spain)
Grilled corn with chipotle butter and manchego Source: Benito Martin
Manchego sheep in Spain supply the milk for Manchego cheese. Its color ranges from white to sandy yellow. It is aged from 60 days to two years. It depends on how sharp you want it. It is served with cured meats or perhaps some quince paste.
4. Greek Feta (Greece)
Feta is made from a combination of sheep and goat’s milk and takes about three months to age. This brined cheese is made by soaking freshly pressed curd into salty water. Typically, brittle and crumbly in texture, Greek feta is a famous addition to salads (like the zuchini and mint one above), pastries (hello gözleme!), or enjoyed on its own.
Made with a combination of sheep and goat’s milk, Feta cheese takes about three monts to age. It is made by soaking freshly pressed milk curd in salty water. The texture is typically crumbly and brittle. It is delicious in salads, and baked into pastries such as spanikopita, made with phyllo dough, spinach and feta. Brilliant dish!
5. Danish feta (Denmark)
Danish feta, unlike its Greek cousin, is lighter and creamier. It is not aged quite as long. It can be savory, as with salmon, or in sweet desserts.
6. Havarti (Denmark)
Havarti has a buttery aroma and taste. Like most cheeses, Havarti is made by introducing rennet to milk to cause the curdling. The curds are then pressed into molds, drained, and the cheese is aged for at least three months. It is then a semisoft cheese, which can be grilled, sliced, or melted.
The cheese was named after Havartgarden, near Holte, a municipality in the outskirts of Copenhagen.
7. Roquefort (France)
Blue Cheese vs. Roquefort: What’s the Difference? Roquefort is one type of blue cheese. Roquefort is the protected European Union designation of origin, which means that only blue cheese produced in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon can be legally called Roquefort cheese.
8. Blue
What is the secret ingredient? It’s mold! It is a strain of mold called penicillium, which is injected into the cheese made with cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk, and this happens before aging. With a sharp, salty flavor with sweet undertones Blue cheese comes in many varieties: Roquefort is a French blue cheese made from sheep’s milk; gorgonzola is an Italian variety; and Stilton is an English blue cheese.
9. Brie (France)
Brie is a soft cheese, ripening at room temperature, turning into an almost runny delight. Easy to spread on bread or crackers (I love brie on a sourdough baguette, not sliced but ripped apart) During the production process, cream is added to give it a rich, creamy, and runny nature. It has a buttery, earthy flavor.
10. Gouda (Netherlands)
Source: Benito Martin
Gouda is a semi-hard cheese, and similar to cheddar in that it comes in a variety of intensities. Long-aged goudas, that is aged for over a year, have the consistency of a hard parmesan. However, young goudas are soft and have the ability to melt. Oh and Gabriel Gaté’s Dutch gouda tartlets are AMAZING!
Cheesy fondue for days. Source: Alan Benson
Emmental is one of those famous Swiss cheeses with the holes in them. Those holes come from bubbles of carbon dioxide as created as yeast bacteria consume lactic acid in the curds as the cheese ages. This cheese is mild, a bit sweet, and phenomenal at melting. It’s perfect for your next grilled-cheese sandwich or a fun fondue.
12. Cotija (Mexico)
A native Mexican cheese, cotija is found topped upon many of our favourite Mexican dishes. But what makes this cheese rather special is that you can eat it at different times of the aging process. Cojita’s flavour profile changes as it ages, starting out mild and salty, like a young feta, and then maturing to a nuttier, drier, and sharper cheese over three months.
13. Cheddar (England)
Source: Alan Benson
Cheddar originated in Somerset, England and its name is a reference to the curdling process the cheese uses – “to cheddar”. Milk is cooked and then milled into tiny pieces. Those pieces are then pressed together to form a block. It’s this cheddarring process that gives the cheese its distinct nutty quality. The cheese comes in several varieties ranging from the sharpest of sharps to the creamy milds. It’s a sure bet in these bacon and cheese pinwheels.
14. Haloumi (Cyprus)
Homemade haloumi Source: SBS Food
A common veggie burger addition, Haloumi is a unripened brined cheese, which is why it has such salty flavour. Traditionally, it’s made from goat and sheeps milk, though modern recipes use cows milk, too. Haloumi can be served on its own, fried or grilled and seasoned to taste. It’s also super easy to make. Check out our recipe here.
15. Mozzarella (Italy)
Mozzarella
Italy is known for its famous cheeses. But Mozzarella is a stand out amongst them all. Made from pulled-curd of water buffalo milk (tradionally speaking that is.), making this cheese is a labour intensive process. (Here’s a recipe!) For starters, the curds are heated in warm water, stretched and massaged until smooth, and then rolled into balls. This mild cheese can be enjoyed on it’s own with a bit of seasoning, or melted to cheesy perfection!