Cheese - A Product Of Milk
Cheese is a milk product formed by the curdling, aging and ripening process. It is popular worldwide and is of various types and flavours depending on the milk source (goats, cows, buffalo, mare etc.); the method of processing milk and favouring ingredients (herbs, spices etc.). It has been a staple diet for years and has a longer storage life than milk. It can be eaten alone or with other dishes.
The general consensus is that it was found by accident in Central Asia or the Middle East, while carrying milk in a pouch made of animal skins. The milk curdled and became whey which was found delicious. Historical findings have shown cheese to be a part of Sumerians and Egyptians diet. Early cheese might have been sour and salty. The skin bags used to process cheese had enzymes that curdled milk or the milk got fermented by its natural sugars.
The cheese processing spread all over the world and differed in taste depending on the climate like the ones processed in cooler climates tasted better, as less salt was required for preservation. Later, aging process developed wherein curd is kept for long periods and then pressed together to form cheese cakes.
Cheese processing remained a cottage industry until mid 18th century when the first cheese factory started in America by Jesses Williams. This industry flourished during the Middle Ages and is a big industry as of date.