ingenuity of its makers slowly transformed it
into something more than mere physical
nourishment: into an intense, concentrated
expression of pastures and animals, of
microbes and time.
The Evolution of Cheese
Cheese is a modified form of milk that is
more concentrated, more durable, and more
flavorful food than milk is. It’s made more
concentrated by curdling milk and removing
much of its water. The nutritious curds of
protein and fat are made more durable by the
addition of acid and salt, which discourage the
growth of spoilage microbes. And they’re
made more flavorful by the controlled activity
of milk and microbe enzymes, which break
the protein and fat molecules apart into small
flavorful fragments.
Unusual Fermented Milks: Koumiss and