Cheese is more than just a tasty treat; it’s a remarkable testament to human innovation and culture that has shaped societies across millennia. From its humble, possibly accidental beginnings in prehistoric times to the vast variety we enjoy today, cheese’s story echoes the larger narrative of civilization itself. Here in Pagosa Springs, Colorado—a community that embraces artisanal food culture—cheese holds a special place on our tables, connecting us to a fascinating global heritage.

The origins of cheese date back thousands of years to the Neolithic period, around 7,500 years ago, when humans first domesticated sheep and goats in the Fertile Crescent. Archaeological discoveries of ancient pottery “strainers” with milk residues provide compelling evidence that our ancestors intentionally separated milk into solid curds and liquid whey. This process not only preserved milk longer but also made it digestible for many adults who otherwise couldn’t tolerate lactose. This biological alchemy transformed perishable milk into a nutritious and portable food, fueling the expansion of early farming communities.

As civilizations flourished, so did cheesemaking. Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt documented cheese as both a dietary staple and a valued offering in religious and funerary contexts. For example, cheese remnants found in Egyptian tombs suggest its importance in provisions for the afterlife. Similarly, the Greeks celebrated cheese in their myths—Homer’s Odyssey vividly describes the Cyclops Polyphemus making and storing sheep’s milk cheese. The Romans took cheesemaking to new heights, systematizing production methods detailed in works like De Re Rustica, and even supplying their legions with durable hard cheeses such as Pecorino Romano.

With the fall of Rome, European monasteries became bastions of cheesemaking knowledge. Monks refined techniques and created iconic cheeses that are still beloved today, such as Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The disciplined monastic setting allowed for experimentation and preservation of recipes through meticulous documentation. These monastic cheeses highlight how spirituality and sustenance intertwined in medieval Europe.

The Renaissance and Age of Exploration further elevated cheese both culturally and geographically. Renaissance scholars like Pantaleone da Confienza championed cheese as a gourmet food, while cheeses journeyed across oceans with explorers, embedding European cheesemaking traditions in the Americas. For instance, the English Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower brought cheese as an essential provision—a culinary link to their homeland.

The Industrial Revolution revolutionized cheese production yet again, with factories enabling mass production, standardization, and wider availability. Innovations like pasteurization, pure bacterial cultures, and assembly-line processes made cheese safer and affordable but led to a loss in flavor diversity and a decline in traditional farmstead practices. This mass production model, while dominating global markets, sparked a modern artisan revival from the 1970s onward.

Today, the cheese world is vibrant and diverse, balancing large-scale industrial products with handcrafted artisanal varieties. Artisan cheesemakers emphasize terroir—the unique regional characteristics stemming from local environment and traditional methods—offering complex flavors and textures that speak of place and history. In Pagosa Springs, you can discover many such artisanal cheeses at Murray's Cheese inside City Market, which offers a curated selection reflecting this rich heritage.

Cheese’s enduring legacy is far from just culinary; it is a living story of human progress, culture, and identity. Each bite connects us to ancient civilizations, monastic monks, pioneering explorers, and modern artisans. So, the next time you savor a piece of cheese, remember: you’re tasting a delicious chapter in the grand saga of civilization.