Celebrated Title: Cheesemakers Blessed Upon

Connecting to Ancestors Through Homemade Cheese: A Journey in Self-Sufficiency

In a small Episcopal church hall in New London, Connecticut, Frida Berrigan is teaching a class on the art of homemade cheese making. For Berrigan, this practice is more than just a culinary skill—it's a means of connecting to her ancestors and embracing a sense of self-sufficiency.

Berrigan's journey into cheese making began as a practical solution to ensure her children consumed the excess milk provided by the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. Growing up on powdered milk, Berrigan never had a liking for it, and her children, who are slightly lactose-intolerant, drink milk only occasionally for cereal.

"Cheese making is an exercise in exploration, self-sufficiency, and embracing mystery," Berrigan said. "It's a way to reclaim our relationship with food and understand the strange relationship Americans have with it."

This relationship, Berrigan notes, is evident in the increasing restaurant spending, numerous cooking shows, and the popularity of cookbooks, while many struggle with food insecurity. Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University, found the Farm Bill too dense, political, and contradictory to create sensible food policy. If one were to eat a plate of the Farm Bill, it would consist of a large corn fritter, a small hamburger, two peas, a small amount of milk, and a large linen napkin, with little fruit, vegetable, or dairy content.

In her class, Berrigan teaches her students to make three types of cheese: ricotta (milk and vinegar), paneer (milk and citrus), and mozzarella (milk, rennet, and citric acid). The process, she explains, is a bridge connecting modern people to natural food cycles, microbiology, and cultural storytelling, embodying both scientific knowledge and human craftsmanship that evolved over millennia.

The origins of cheese making date back to prehistoric times, such as the Neolithic era in Alpine Europe, where early humans first experimented with milk fermentation to extend the shelf life of perishable milk. Culturally, cheese making was originally a local, artisanal craft passed down through generations, often kept secret within families or communities. The process was highly influenced by local conditions, leading to distinctive regional varieties that held cultural identity and pride.

For example, Swiss cheese began developing in the 14th century Emmental valley, with its signature holes formed by bacteria during fermentation, symbolizing a unique culinary heritage connected to Alpine farming communities. Fresh cheeses like Italian mozzarella and ricotta reflect localized techniques and ingredients, tightly woven into regional cuisine and celebrations. Mozzarella, originally from southern Italy, illustrates cultural attachment through its method of stretched curds and its role in traditional dishes. Ricotta, another historically rich cheese dating to Roman times, exemplifies how homemade cheese links present-day culinary practices to ancient heritage.

Beyond history and tradition, homemade cheese making today carries significance in artisanal food movements, sustainability, and culinary creativity. It remains a bridge connecting modern people to natural food cycles, microbiology, and cultural storytelling, embodying both scientific knowledge and human craftsmanship that evolved over millennia.

In many cultures, cheese making is not just a practical food preservation method but also a cherished cultural craft, reflecting historical continuity, regional identity, and community tradition across societies worldwide.

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