The Revival of Tradition and Quality

Appears in
On Food and Cooking

By Harold McGee

Published 2004

  • About

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 ever-growing 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.