Cheese was found in Egyptian tomb paintings dating back to 2000BC.
Because of the hot and arid Egyptian climates, cheeses made in 2000BC Egypt were likely very sour and salty, and had a similar texture to cottage cheese or feta cheese. Cheeses made in Europe on the other hand, didn’t require as much salt on account that Europe was frost-bite freezing for the most part. This means however, that they did not require as much salt, and thus microbes and molds could give aged cheese their “interesting flavour.”
It was however the Ancient Romans who first turned cheese making into a fine art/science. Roman houses had special kitchens called careales just for making cheese. After developing techniques for smoking and flavouring cheeses, the Romans spread this knowledge through their empire and beyond.
