-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email While standing in the dazzling fluorescence of the modern supermarket, one can spot an astounding array of culinary wonders: plump strawberries nestled in plastic cartons, waxy apples as crisp in September as in April and, on the refrigerated shelves in the back, a staggering assortment of cheeses . There’s crumbly, saline feta stored in squat disposable tubs; orange-tinged cheddar slices, ranging from mild to sharp, in slim plastic sleeves; and selection upon selection of uniformly grated and shredded varieties, each hermetically encased in crinkling, resealable bags. The contemporary supermarket is, in many ways, a marvel of modern science fiction.
Thanks to a sprawling global supply chain, refrigerated cargo ships , controlled-environment greenhouses and the introduction of artificial ripening techniques, American shoppers have gradually become untethered from the natural cycles of the earth. As we push carts through these air-conditioned aisles, it’s easy to forget the usual constraints of time and geography — and to overlook that good cheese, like apples or strawberries, is still very much a seasonal product (though to fully appreciate that, you might have to back away from the supermarket dairy section). Related Beyond slicing and snacking: The art of actually cooking with cheese While the exact origins of cheesemaking remain shrouded in mystery, its practice is inextricably linked to the domestication of milk-producing anim.