The History of Cheese

Did you know that one of the most versatile and well-loved foods out there, cheese, actually has quite a fascinating history? It seems that the discovery of cheese was actually an accident made in the middle east about 10,000 years ago. Milk was commonly stored in bags made from animal stomaches, which contains rennet. It is believed that the rennet, which is a key ingredient in making cheese, mixed in with the milk and separated it into cheese curds and whey. There is evidence of this found on ancient Egyptian murals, though this is mostly a mystery. By 100 BC, cheesemaking had become extremely popular in the middle east and Europe. The Romans were extremely strong cheese makers and had created hundreds of types of cheeses, which were spread across the Roman Empire. Cheesemaking was presumed to have been brought to Easy Asia during the Ming Dynasty and became popular among the Sani and Bai people. With the movement to the New World, cheese became popular in North America as well. For many years, cheesemaking remained a relatively small and local endeavour. In fact, the first cheese factory in the US was opened in 1851. Since then, cheese has become a staple in our diets and continues to be produced all around the world.