Title: Cheese Content: alt=|thumb|Various cheeses Cheese is a dairy product that is made from milk. There are many types of cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss, and provolone. Many things affect the form, texture, colour and flavour of a cheese. These include the milk (cow or goat), if the milk has been pasteurized, the amount of butterfat, bacteria and mold in the cheese, how the cheese is made, how much fat is in the cheese, and how old the cheese is. == Origin == People have been making cheese since before history was written down. It is not known when cheese was first made. It is known that cheese was eaten by the Sumerians in about 4000 BC. == Production == Cheese is made using milk. The milk of cows, goats, and sheep are most popular. Buffalo, camel, donkey and even hippopotamus milk can also be used. Cheese makers usually cook the milk in large pots. Most cheeses are acidified by bacteria. These bacteria turn milk sugars (such as lactose) into lactic acid. thumb|European cheese plate Salt is added, and a substance from the stomach of young cows called rennet. This curdles the cheese and makes it solid. Some makers do not add rennet, but curdle the cheese in other ways. Vegetarian alternatives to rennet are made by fermentation of a fungus called Mucor miehei. Other alternatives use species of the Cynara thistle family.Jenkins, Steven 1996. Cheese Primer. Workman Publishing Company. Other ingredients are added, and the cheese is usually aged for a varied length of time. == Classification == There are many different ways to classify cheeses. Some ways include: * How long the cheese was aged * The texture of the cheese. These include Hard, Soft and Softer. * How the cheese was made * What type of milk was used to make the cheese. This is mainly what animal the milk comes from, such as cows, sheep, and goats. The diet of the animal can also affect the type of cheese made from its milk. * How much fat is in the cheese * What color the cheese is (common colors are yellow, and white) There are also man-made foods that some people use instead of cheese. These are called Cheese analogues. Different types of cheese include:  File:La Fourrière (cheese).jpg|A heart- shaped goat milk cheese from France. File:Feta Cheese.jpg|Feta cheese File:Parmigiano-Reggiano from Osteria Ristorante Italiano.jpg|Paremesan Cheese File:Swiss cheese and garlic cheese.jpg|Emmental and Boursin cheese File:Crumbly cheese.jpg|Crumbly cheese File:Brie Cheese and German Beechwood Smoked cheese.jpg|Smoked cheese and Brie Cheese File:A Swiss Cheese at home.jpg|Swiss Cheese File:Bleu de Gex.jpg|Bleu de Gex Blue Cheese File:A big blue cheese.jpg|Gorgonzola Cheese File:A Pecorino cheese plate at Hong Kong.jpg|Pecorino cheese File:Camembert cheese.jpg|Camembert cheese File:Mozzarella cheese ball with cherry tomatoes and basil.jpg|Mozzarella Cheese File:Le Cendrillon Alexis de Portneuf.jpg|Le Cendrillon Alexis de Portneuf File:Berkswell cheese.jpg|Berkswell Cheese File:Parmigiano-Reggiano in hk.jpg|Parmigiano-Reggiano File:Époisses cheese.JPG|Époisses File:Blue Cheese plate from Nicholini's.jpg|Blue Cheese File:Cacio cavallo with slices.jpg|Cacio Cavallo File:Edam cheese with knife.jpg|Edam Cheese File:12 month manchego cheese plate with nuts.jpg|Manchego File:Rians Goat Cheese with Ash in Supermarket.jpg|Goat Milk Cheese