1000 BC - The Dark Ages

The Art of Cheesemaking

During this time there were changes made with the making of
cheese.  The Romans brought cheese making to a new standard. 
They used various methods in the cheese making process such
as ripening, aging, and smoking. 

The Romans used various treatments and conditions for storage
which changed the flavour and characteristics of cheese.  With
the mass expansion of the Roman Empire, cheese making spread
throughout. 

Cheese was traded and exported throughout the empire and was sometimes used as currency. 
Also during this time, cheese was being made in caves in Greece by using cow, sheep, goat, mare, ass, and yak milk.  Now with different locations making cheese, different flavours begin to emerge.

Cheese tended to be enjoyed more by the upper classes as it was a symbol of rank. The larger homes of the elite would have an entire kitchen, called a caseale, and rooms for storage devoted strictly to cheese.

Some cheeses that were developed during this time are Emmental (Swiss Alps), Edam, Gouda, Tybo, Fynbo (The Netherlands), and soft cheese (France).