and fresh cheeses blended with emulsifiers and repasteurized, is now larger than the market for “natural” cheese, which itself is almost exclusively factory-made At the beginning of the 21st century, most cheese is an industrial product, an expression not of diverse natural and human particulars, but of the monolithic imperatives of standardization and efficient mass production Industrial cheese also requires great ingenuity, has its economic merits, and suits its primary role as an ingredient in fast-food sandwiches, snacks, and prepared foods (a role that doubled U.S per capita cheese consumption between 1975 and 2001) But in its own way, industrial cheese is a throwback to primitive cheese, a simplified food that could be and is made anywhere, and that tastes of nowhere in particular The Revival of Tradition and Quality Though finely crafted cheeses will always be a minor part of modern dairy production, recent years have brought modest signs of hope The postwar era and its economic limitations have faded Some European countries have seen a revival of appreciation for traditional cheeses, and air travel has brought them to the attention of an evergrowing number of food lovers Once “white meat” for the rural poor, they are now pricey treats for the urban middle class In the United States, a few small producers blend respect for tradition with 21st century understanding, and make superb cheeses of their own For enthusiasts willing to seek them out, the world still offers delightful expressions of this ancient craft The Ingredients of Cheese The three principal ingredients of cheese are milk, rennet enzymes that curdle the milk, and microbes that acidify and flavor the milk ... for traditional cheeses, and air travel has brought them to the attention of an evergrowing number of food lovers Once “white meat” for the rural poor, they are now pricey treats for the urban middle class... part of modern dairy production, recent years have brought modest signs of hope The postwar era and its economic limitations have faded Some European countries have seen a revival of appreciation... enthusiasts willing to seek them out, the world still offers delightful expressions of this ancient craft The Ingredients of Cheese The three principal ingredients of cheese are milk, rennet enzymes that curdle the milk, and microbes that acidify and flavor the milk