Cheese History

Question 1

How old is cheese making?

Answer 1

Believed to be 11,000 years ago with the domestication of Goats and Sheep
7,000 ya first archeological evidence from Sumer and Mesopotamia and then in Egypt shortly after
3,000 ya Evidence in Northern Italy (Etruscans)

Question 2

Renaissance effect

Answer 2

Rise of Merchant and bourgeoisie class brought increased demand for fine cheeses.

Question 3

Industrialization effect

Answer 3

Increased factory farming for mass production, pasteurization and railroad systems helps increase liquid milk market at the expense of the artisan cheese market, commercially produced starters move away from naturally occurring bacteria

Question 4

Transhumance

Answer 4

The act of moving herd animals from Spring grazing grounds in low valleys to the high-alpine meadows in the mountains in Summer.

Question 5

St Benedict

Answer 5

Created monasteries throughout medieval europe which in turn created many artisan cheeses. Especially the stinky ones. Henry VIII in England and the French Revolution crack down on these monasteries hurt the tradition.

Question 6

Saracens (Moors)

Answer 6

Arabs from Northern Africa invaded France in the 8th century and brought their goat-herding tradition with them up to the Loire Valley where they began making the best goat cheeses: Selles-sur Cher and Pouligny-Saint Pierre

Question 7

Marie Harel

Answer 7

Said to have created Camembert in 1791 from a recipie given to her by a young priest who she saved.

Question 8

Creation of French AOC system

Answer 8

Appelation d’Origine Controllé or Appellation of Controlled Origin. Created In 1925 and applied to protect Roquefort production. Brie de Maux and Brie de Melun receive in 1980

Question 9

Appellation or Control Designations

Answer 9

AOC: French, Appelation d’Origine Controllé or Appellation of Controlled Origin. Created In 1925.
DOP: Italy, Denominazione d’Origine Protetta

Question 10

Rise of Cheesemaking in New England

Answer 10

Populated by Puritan farmers from East Anglia influenced by efficiencies of larger scale cheesemaking for import that made cheddar so popular in England. Started exporting cheese and other dairy as a way to make up for the decline in the fur trade. The West indies was their initial main market as well as exporting cheese back to England in 1650.