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The evidence for making cheese goes back 5,000 years, although it is not really clear as to who made it first. The oldest known cheese was found in Egypt in 2018 which was around 3,200 years old. According to the National Historic Cheesemaking Centre, “Despite the fact that the origin of cheese and cheese making is shrouded in mystery, we do know that by the time of the Roman Empire, cheesemaking had become a widespread, highly valued process practised throughout Europe and the Middle East.”
In fact, many of the popularly known cheeses like Swiss, cheddar, Parmesan, gouda are still relatively new – about 500 years old. A recent study from the University of Toronto Mississauga revealed that as per archaeological finds, Indians were making cheese 4,500 years ago. The finds were from Kotada Bhadli located in modern-day Gujarat's Kutch district!
Now that we know the history, let's look at some fun interesting facts about cheese:
Fun Fact #1:
There are over 1,800 varieties of cheese available around the world! Although cheeses are classified in over 1,800 types, they come in majorly eight varieties that include blue, hard, pasta filata, processed, semi-hard, semi-soft, soft and fresh, and soft-ripened. And, some of the most popular cheeses that are mostly consumed worldwide are Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), English Cheddar, Roquefort, Brie, Gruyere, Feta, Mozzarella, and Manchego – Mozzarella being the most consumed of all!
Fun Fact #2:
As of 2020, Denmark is the top consumer of cheese worldwide followed by Iceland and Finland. It is said that an average Danish person consumes about 28.1 kg of cheese per year.
Fun Fact #3:
A whopping 20 million metric tonnes of cheese is produced every year, and the largest cheese-producing country is the USA, accounting for 30 per cent of the world’s production. Germany and France follow the US.
Fun Fact #4:
The world’s most expensive cheese – Pule – is reportedly priced at US$600 per kilogram! The ginormous price is attributed to its rarity as only 100 Jennies are left of the Balkan donkeys landrace that is milked specifically for Pule-making. Added fact: It takes 25 litres of this milk to produce one kilogram of Pule cheese!
Fun Fact #5:
Aristaeus is credited by the ancient Greeks for having discovered feta, which is widely used in Greek cuisine.
Fun Fact #6:
Scientists believe that regular consumption of Roquefort blue cheese helps in longevity. Studies claim that cheese improves cardiovascular health.
Image: Unsplash
Fun Fact #7:
People who love cheese (who doesn’t?) are called turophiles.
Fun Fact #8:
June is considered National Dairy Month. All the more reason to gobble up more blocks of cheese.
Also Read: #QuickSnack: Green Goddess Grilled Cheese
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