Cheese: An Ancient Food
Cheese predates recorded history, with origins believed to be over 7,200 years old. It likely began with milk transportation in animals' stomachs, where enzymes curdled the milk.
Factors Affecting Cheese Flavor
Cheese flavor is influenced by milk source, bacteria or molds, aging duration, and processing techniques. Different grasses and herbs the animals eat also impact the taste.
The Art of Cheese Aging
Aging, or affinage, develops cheese flavor and texture. This can take from a few days to several years, with environments carefully controlled for humidity and temperature.
Blue Cheese's Unique Ingredient
Blue cheeses like Roquefort feature veins of blue mold. This mold, Penicillium roqueforti, is found in the soil of local caves, giving the cheese its distinctive character.
Cheese and Lactose Intolerance
Aged cheeses contain less lactose, making them more digestible for lactose-intolerant people. During aging, bacteria break down lactose, reducing its content significantly.
World's Priciest Cheese
Pule cheese holds the record for the most expensive cheese. Made from Balkan donkey milk, it requires 25 liters of milk for just one kilogram of cheese.
Unusual Cheese Preservation Method
Casu marzu from Sardinia is a sheep milk cheese containing live insect larvae. The larvae ferment the cheese, affecting its texture. It's consumed while the larvae are still alive.
How old is cheese believed to be?
Over 7,200 years old
Around 5,000 years old
Nearly 10,000 years old
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