Cheese
My linage comes predominately from Italy. In 1882, my great great(?) grandfather Fraschio Napolean Fossati moved his family from the Italian northern countryside about three hours south of Switzerland to Victoria, Texas. An odd and ever-perplexing decision, the more and more I think of it. Victoria, if you have never been, is a sprawl of largely flat land that reminds no one of luxury. No one aspires to one day live in Victoria. Nothing against this, now, 100k person town with an elevation gain that perfectly suits people in rascal scooters, 95ft.
Fraschcio Fossati
Fraschio (Frank) saw potential not in the hills that hug Coccaglio or the jutting spires and cream and terra-cotta cityscape. He saw potential in the flat nothingness of Victoria, Texas in 1835. To this day, that potential he saw is still bearing fruit with the oldest delicatessen in Texas—Fossati’s Delicatessen, a thriving garden center—run by my Uncle John, and a plumbing supply shop still owned and operated by my 93-year-old grandpa. Without Fraschio making that voyage, you wouldn’t be about to read the best damn cheese article you’ve ever read in your cheese loving life. You owe him a debt of gratitude.
If you don’t follow me on Instagram, that’s fine, but the topic of cheese for an entire article might catch you surprised or even catch you judging the giant waste of time this article must be; both in reading and writing on such a topic.
However, on Instagram, I use polls giving my followers options on what they would like to see me write about. They/you, by a long shot, voted for cheese. Now, I have no problems with cheese. I, in fact, love cheese. The variety of colors, flavors, smells, and most of all the polarity. I think cheese is the food equivalent of Joaquin Phoenix. It’s an incredible character actor. You can put it in anything and it makes it better.
If you don’t know what I mean by polarity, just imagine a seemingly normal gal sitting on a park bench enjoying the delightful spring weather. She’s someone that you could see yourself being good friends with. You may even feel some attraction to her. And there she sits crossed legged on a wooden park bench in a marmalade allover floral eyelet ruffle-sleeved pin-tuck mini dress reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Wow! What a soul. Then she pulls out some cottage cheese and starts spooning it into her gullet with a surprising normality often reserved for a sane person. Turn OFF. Never gonna be friends. That’s polarity!
So without further ado, I will dive into the wild world of cheese because, well, you asked me to. And just to be clear, you chose cheese over Creativity, Writing (very meta), & Discipline. So I’m gonna take this as serious as I would those other subjects because that’s what you all deserve. This isn’t some sorta fluff piece to pad my blog numbers. It’s hard-hitting cheese commentary.
Cheese
Cheese has been around for thousands of years, with evidence of cheese-making dating back to at least 5,500 BCE. For context as to when 5,500BCE is, let’s reference to the oldest known temple in the world, Göbekli Tepe, was being constructed in what is now modern-day Turkey. This massive complex of stone pillars and carvings predates the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge by thousands of years. Cheese has always been there. Through the good times and bad.
It is believed that cheese was discovered accidentally—I think we’re being a little condescending thinking we know more than people back in the day by calling it an accident, but I’m no cheese expert. It was ‘accidentally’ discovered when milk was left out and curdled, resulting in the creation of the first cheese. There is great speculation which variety of cheese this OG cheese was but I’m gonna venture a guess and say this accidental delight is a variety lost to time. The forgotten cheese. So, I guess laziness isn’t always a bad thing. Last month’s breakfast is today’s treasure. Over time, people began to intentionally curdle milk and add different ingredients to create different types of cheese.
Cheese has played a significant role in human history. It was an important source of protein and nutrition for ancient civilizations, and it allowed people to store and transport milk in a more durable form. Cheese-making also became an important industry in many regions, providing jobs and economic stability. Could cheese be the bedrock of all civilization? Fire. Writing. Water way construction. And cheese.
In the town of Gorgonzola (you know where this is going), Italy, in the 12th century, a young couple found themselves in a forbidden romance. Perlagrina and her lover were forced to flee from the wrath of her father, a powerful nobleman that disapproved of their love. Probably something to do with politics, power, and money. You see, marriage was considered a way to merge power and forge alliances between families, rather than a romantic relationship based on love.
Noble families would often arrange marriages between their children to create political alliances, secure economic benefits, or gain lands and titles. A daughter’s marriage was a valuable commodity to be traded or negotiated to benefit the family’s interests. Sometimes, noblewomen were even married off as part of peace treaties to end wars or conflicts between rival factions.
Marriages within the noble class were often used to strengthen family ties and ensure that wealth and power remained within the family. Marrying someone outside of the noble class could threaten the family’s social status and political connections. As a result, noblewomen were often pressured to marry someone from a similar social class, rather than someone they loved. So we can assume this lover was poor but very charming.
So there they go, running off to enjoy the forbidden affection. They sought refuge in a cave near the town of Gorgonzola, bringing with them a supply of milk and cheese. As they hid in the cave, they discovered that the cheese had developed a unique blue mold. Not being a modern American that throws away all of their leftovers, they tried the moldy food. The mold gave the cheese a distinctive flavor and aroma, and soon the young couple realized they had stumbled upon something special.
They made the cheese regularly, selling it to locals and travelers passing through the region. The cheese became so popular that it was soon being produced in large quantities and exported throughout Italy and beyond. Today, Gorgonzola cheese is still made using the same traditional methods, and it remains one of the most popular and beloved cheeses in the world. However, the exact origins of the blue mold that gives the cheese its unique flavor and aroma are still a mystery. But there is no mystery that true love always finds favor from on high. How embarrassing for the old fart worried about his pocketbook but without that tension we wouldn’t have this beautifully moldy delight.
Cheese-making is both an art and a science. The basic process involves curdling milk and separating the curds from the whey. The curds are then salted and pressed into different shapes and sizes, depending on the type of cheese being made. Cheese can be made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and even buffalo. The latter leading my mind to go on an imaginary journey of the first soul that tried to milk a buffalo.
The type of cheese that is produced depends on a variety of factors, including the type of milk used, the method of curdling, the type of bacteria or mold added, and the aging process. Some cheeses are aged for just a few weeks, while others can be aged for several years. That’s the good stuff!
Cheese-making is a complex process that requires skill and attention to detail. Even small variations in temperature or humidity can have a significant impact on the final product. Many cheese-makers take pride in their craft and are constantly experimenting with new techniques to create unique, off-putting and delicious cheeses.
I also polled my followers with much encouragement about what their favorite cheeses were. Soft Cheese won by a landslide with 50% of the votes. That’s your Brie, Camembert, Feta, Goat cheese (chevre), Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Bleu d’Auvergne, Munster, Stilton, Limburger, Taleggio, Ricotta, Burrata, or Fromage blanc. I could’ve gone on forever not because I’m a cheese expert but because I am an expert at google (well, duckduckgo).
The Dark Side of Cheese
There is something for everyone in cheese. And of course we all know cheese leads to romance and a deep, deep intimacy, but enough of this heartwarming stuff. While cheese is considered a harmless and delicious food, there is a darker side to the cheese industry. Don’t believe me? Go to a high-end grocery store with 10 billion varieties of cheese and tell me it doesn’t suck half your life away before you can decide. Cheese has a dark side!
Just take the annual cheese rolling race in Gloucestershire, England. It is a dangerous and challenging event, and many participants have been injured over the years. The steep hill and uneven terrain can cause falls, slips, dislocated shoulders, or worse. I always aim to keep my shoulders located. There is no official record of the number of injuries sustained at the event, as it is an unofficial and unsanctioned race, but we can assume its casualties are in the millions, if not billions.
Some cheeses are made using animal rennet, which is derived from the stomachs of calves. This practice has led to controversy among animal rights activists, who argue that it is cruel and unnecessary. I would also agree that it’s unnecessary and gross. In addition, there are reports of a cheese black market, where rare and expensive cheeses are bought and sold illegally. Some of these cheeses can cost thousands of dollars per pound, making them a target for thieves and counterfeiters.
In 2013, a group of cheese thieves (a sentence I never thought I’d write) in Germany stole over 20 tons of cheese, worth over $80,000. Cheese theft is not just limited to Europe, as a man in New Zealand was recently sentenced to two and a half years in prison for stealing $20,000 worth of cheese. Cheese has also caused controversy in the political world. In 2013, a group of protesters in Russia dumped several tons of cheese in front of the Dutch embassy in Moscow to protest the Netherlands’ support of gay rights. Russia, you fascinate me so.
Like many food industries, the cheese industry is often plagued by labor issues such as low wages, poor working conditions, and exploitation of workers. Some workers suffer through long hours, dangerous equipment, and exposure to harmful chemicals. Sometimes, workers may be required to work overtime or on weekends without additional pay or benefits while all that cheddar (so sorry) goes to the BIG CHEESE (again sorry). All because we are addicted to this little accident.
I’ll give you that this is more of a human or corporatism issue rather than a cheese issue, but people condemn opium/heroine because of the industry it creates. Cheese is just as addictive. Go cold turkey off cheese. You can’t. I know plenty of vegans that still eat cheese because, well, it’s just that good. Cheese is also often considered being unhealthy because of its high fat content, but none of us care about that.
Actually, recent studies have shown that cheese can have some health benefits when consumed in moderation. Cheese is a superb source of calcium, which is important for strong bones and teeth. It also contains protein, which is important for muscle growth and repair.
Of course, it’s important to remember that cheese should still be consumed in moderation, as it can be high in calories and saturated fat. I just have to say this because people have tried to sue me before for the words I’ve said. Just covering my cheese loving ass.
Cheese is a versatile and delicious food that has been enjoyed by people all over the world for thousands of years. Whether you prefer soft and creamy cheeses or hard and nutty cheeses, there is a cheese out there for everyone. But as we have seen, there is more to cheese than meets the eye. From its fascinating history to its health benefits and culinary uses, cheese is truly a wonder of the culinary world. But what can we take away from this lengthy dive into cheese and the civilization it’s help construct?
It has played a significant role in human history. We share a love of cheese with those from thousands of years ago. That humanizes them. They were like us. Cheese was right by the their side midway through the Neolithic period. This is when many early human societies were transitioning from hunting and gathering to agriculture. In what is now modern-day Iraq, the Sumerians were developing irrigation systems for their crops. Cheese was also there as the first known examples of pottery were being created in what is now modern-day Japan, as well as in parts of China and the Middle East, cheese was there and continues to be an important part of our diets and cultures. Cheese has been enjoyed by people all over the world for thousands of years and undoubtedly made us who we are today. It doesn’t quite get the same accolades as the industrial revolution or the advent of the interwebs, but it was the fuel for those accomplishments that no one talks about. Cheese—I like to imagine Brie, was mostly likely accompanying Fraschio on his voyage to America.
And now I can finally get to the real reason you’re all here in the first place, my recipe for mouthwatering delicious cheese dip:
Ingredients:
8 oz. Cream cheese, softened.
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup diced green chilies
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and sour cream until well combined.
Stir in the diced green chilies, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted, and the dip is smooth.
Serve hot with tortilla chips.
Optional: You can also add some cooked crumbled sausage, ground beef or chorizo to the dip to make it heartier.