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A Brief History of Cheesemaking in France

Banc Media

Created on March 30, 2020

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Transcript

A brief history of

CHEESEMAKING

IN FRANCE

START

3,000 BC ]

Bronze Age settlers are believed to have been the first to drain milk curd for cheese production, developing this process over 5,000 years ago.re.

1,400-1000 BC

Cheesemaking is revolutionised in India, with the practice slowly embraced across Europe, predominantly by the Roman Empire.

500-100 BC

The Romans brought cheesemaking to Gaul (the ancient name for France) at the height of the Empire’s strength. It was considered nourishing fare for Roman soldiers, leading to the creation of the world’s first large pressed cheeses.

500 AD

Following the fall of the Roman Empire, monasteries became central to the ongoing development of cheese in France. It was around this time that two of the great icons of French cheese, Roquefort and Brie, first emerged.

900-1180

By the 10th century, French monasteries had developed a string of successful cheeses, including Munster, Beaufort, Gruyère and St Marcellin. Other cheeses to emerge in the Middle Ages include Comté and Saint-Nectaire.

1180-1300

The French word for cheese (fromage) first appeared in 1180. Some 100 years later, cheesemaking cooperatives emerged in France, whereby making and selling cheese became a community enterprise.

1500-1600

The 16th century saw major developments in French cheesemaking, including the first hand crank churn, the proliferation of butter among French nobility, and the introduction of the first food health regulations, which helped cultivate better quality cheeses.

1600-1700

By the 17th century, cheesemaking had spread to many countries throughout Europe, and purveyors and producers began sharing knowledge and techniques. Animal welfare and the cross-breeding of certain livestock also came to the fore, improving standards and leading to the production of new styles and varieties.

1791

The late 18th century saw the creation of one of France’s most iconic cheeses: Camembert. It was made by Marie Harel, a farmer from Normandy.

1840-1902

With the Industrial Revolution came huge leaps forward in the development of cheesemaking. Dairy farms were introduced to supply France’s growing population with milk and cheese, while butter factories and new curing and sterilising equipment led to the development of industrial-scale cheesemaking.

1921

1921 saw Roquefort receive AOC status, the first cheese to be granted this prestigious accolade. This was also the year that recognisable French cheese brand, The Laughing Cow, was launched.

1930-1968

Industrial production of cheese took off across France in the 1930s, thanks to the development of pasteurised milk and the launch of refrigerated trucks and store coolers. Despite the industrialisation of cheese, artisanal dairy farms were still creating iconic varieties, including the beloved Caprice des Dieux, which arrived in 1956.

1968

Boursin became the first cheese to be advertised on French television in 1968.

1980-Present

Cheesemaking in the modern era is scarcely recognisable to the ancient methods of the past. Now, advances in molecular biology help to create cheeses of exceptional flavour, while modern techniques and animal welfare standards mean that French cheeses are considered among the finest in the world.