WTF is Cheese? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

WTF is Cheese?

And how the hell did we start eating it?

670
WTF is Cheese?
quinnet

Let’s talk about cheese.

What the hell is cheese? Why does it exist? Think for a moment about what cheese really is. At some point in the antediluvian past, some blockheaded ancient saw an aurochs’ calf sucking at the udders and thought “that looks like something I want in my mouth!”

This ‘enterprising’ individual then managed to catch the half-ton herbivore, put it in a pen, and proceeded to steal the juice that came out when he squeezed the nipples. Keep in mind that at this time, humans did not have the mutation necessary to digest milk. Lactose intolerance is the norm in the human genome until some European shepherds developed lactase persistence some 10,000 years ago. So this guy caught what is basically a monster, sexually assaulted it, and put the milk, which was farty, stomach-ache-inducing poison to him, in some kind of vessel for later.

That’s how we get to humans keeping milk around. But our friend isn’t done there, not by a long shot. Next, our friend kills the cow’s calf, opens up its steaming guts full of partially digested milky goop, and mixes some of the guts into the quickly spoiling milk. Why? Who knows? This man is not beholden to reason or decency. But those steaming, squeaky guts are full of rennet, the mixture of enzymes the calf uses to digest the milk, and, whether intentionally or not, our blatantly depraved ancient friend has just added the one ingredient in the world that could turn milk from fresh, indigestible nipple-juice into partially rotten, bacteria-laced, and (most importantly) digestible cheese.

Our innovative ancestor captures half-ton monster, squeezes its nipples, drinks the shit that comes out of it, got tremendously ill, then killed that monster’s child, cut its guts open, decided to add some gut juice to the white stuff that got him sick, waited a few months until the liquid milk had curdled, fermented, and turned into a soft moldy mass, and then put that stuff on crackers and figured he had a real good thing going.

Realistically, the development of cheese likely happened more gradually, and perhaps a tad more logically, but the nature of cheese itself is sort of a bizarre thing if you think about it.
The earliest examples of cheesemaking seem to come from Europe, though evidence also points to the Middle East, and Anatolia, where sheep and goats were likely the first to be milked, being kept already for wool and meat. There is evidence of dairy harvesting in Africa from 5000 BCE, which indicates that the lactose tolerance which is predominant in European populations may have developed in migratory groups in Africa first.

An old legend says that cheese was discovered by Arab traders who stored milk in the stomachs of young calves and came back to find it separated into curds and whey. It’s possible that the introduction of rennet into the mixture was a result of the storage methods-- it wasn’t out of the ordinary to use animal organs as containers.

I think the point still stands, however. Cheese is a tremendously odd thing to be a part of our diets, and it seems incredibly unlikely to have come into existence at all. And yet, here it is, smelly, gooey, and delicious.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

177867
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

4987
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451021
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22506
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments