Cheese is a delicious food with a lot of history. The origins of cheese pre-date written history, with curdled milk first being produced in the Neolithic period in the Near East and Mediterranean regions. It is one of the oldest recorded foods in human history, which is surprising given how complex it can be. Today, it’s a household staple and can work well as a simple snack or be something a little more special if you are looking to buy luxury cheese gifts.

So, if you’re interested in how cheese came to be one of the world’s most popular dairy products, this article aims to provide you with a brief history of cheese.
 

Cheese first started in the Neolithic period

Curdled milk was first produced in the Neolithic period in the Near East and Mediterranean regions. It was a byproduct of unintentional acidification of milk, caused by wild bacteria that produced lactic acid from sugar in the milk, causing curdling. This would have been found quite unpleasant to drink, so people did not initially use this method for their daily beverage consumption; however, they may have used it as a way of preserving surplus food stores during warm weather months when fresh fruits and vegetables were scarce.

Curdled milk became associated with misfortune or curses due to its appearance resembling dried blood clots after being exposed to air; thus giving rise to its colloquial name: "blood cheese".

It is one of the oldest recorded foods

The earliest evidence of purposeful cheese-making comes from a Neolithic site in northern Europe called Karsdorf, Germany where it was found that sheep's milk was being curdled by an agent such as rennet or thistle juice (a traditional Scandinavian method).

In some regions or in certain eras, people ate cheese as a subsistence food or as part of their everyday diet
 

In some regions or in certain eras, people ate cheese as a subsistence food or as part of their everyday diet. For example, in the Middle Ages (500-1500 A.D.), people in Europe ate cheese because it was a staple of the diet and could be made from milk from cows or goats that were raised on farms. Some historians believe that this was one reason why Europeans were healthier than people in other parts of the world at that time because they got plenty of fat and protein from dairy products like cheese!

Cheese has always had a rich lore

Cheese has long been associated with luxury and high social stature. In fact, cheese was considered a delicacy in ancient Rome and Greece, and it still is today! The wealthy were often served cheese as part of their meals because it was expensive to make and therefore a sign of wealth.

It's no surprise that many cultures around the world have stories about how they discovered cheese (or milk). For instance, there's an Egyptian legend that tells how some mice were eating grain when they fell into vats full of milk; after tasting what they had made, humans began making their own version of this new food called "cheese".

Other legends tell similar stories: A goat accidentally fell into someone's milk pail one day; another time an ox wandered into someone's barn where he ate some hay mixed with milk from cows being kept there at night. Yet another legend says that Zeus himself created cheese by mixing milk with earth because he wanted something tasty but nutritious for humans who would soon come down from Mount Olympus.

Cheese has been around for thousands of years and has provided a great deal of sustenance and pleasure to humanity throughout the ages. Although the exact origins of cheese remain unclear, there’s no question that it’s a food item with a lot of significance. So, the next time you’re sitting down with a cheese plate, take some time to contemplate the rich history of this delicious dairy treat. You can find a wide variety of cheeses with our cheese subscription packages.

Cheese is a delicious food with a lot of history. The origins of cheese pre-date written history, with curdled milk first being produced in the Neolithic period in the Near East and Mediterranean regions. It is one of the oldest recorded foods in human history, which is surprising given how complex it can be. Today, it’s a household staple and can work well as a simple snack or be something a little more special if you are looking to buy luxury cheese gifts.

So, if you’re interested in how cheese came to be one of the world’s most popular dairy products, this article aims to provide you with a brief history of cheese.