From milk to the first cheeses

Who has never wanted to grate a good amount of cheese, perhaps Grana Padano, on a plate of pasta with tomato sauce?

The history of cheese has always gone hand in hand with farming and livestock. As soon as humans learned to domesticate animals for milk, the issue arose: how to preserve it?

At first, milk was consumed mainly within the family to meet daily needs, but since it spoils quickly, solutions had to be found to preserve surpluses. Fermentation by natural microflora was likely the very first transformation. With the discovery of naturally soured milk came fresh cheeses: for example, goat or sheep milk coagulated spontaneously if mixed with fig sap. Later, the Greeks and then the Romans further developed the culture of cheese (from the Greek “formos” meaning “shaped”), discovering that rennet from the stomach of animals was more effective than plant-based curdling agents.

The Romans then began producing hard cheeses, which lasted longer and spread widely across the Empire.

The birth of Grana Padano

Around the year 1000, one of the most important cheeses in Italian history was born: Grana Padano.

After the reclamation of the Po Valley, vast lands became available for forage, leading to an increase in livestock farming and a surplus of milk. The Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle Abbey had the brilliant idea of developing a recipe for a hard cheese that preserved the nutrients of milk while gaining an unmistakable taste through aging — Grana Padano.

In the abbey’s kitchens and cauldrons, a recipe was created that has changed very little since, and is now considered one of Italy’s finest food products.

Guided by the monks, a new professional figure emerged: the cheesemaker, an expert in the art of making cheese. Because of its long maturation, the monks called it “caseus vetus” — “old cheese” — to distinguish it from fresh cheeses that had to be eaten quickly.

Spread and curiosities

Over time, production spread across the Po Valley, today covering 32 provinces from Piacenza to Trento.

Did you know?

• The name “Grana” comes from its granular texture, with white crystals from rennet visible inside the cheese.
• Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano were officially recognized in 1951; in 1996 Grana Padano received PDO status.
• Grana Padano is naturally lactose-free, rich in protein and calcium.
• According to Italian nutrition guidelines (LARN/SINU), a 50 g portion of Grana Padano PDO is considered a balanced second course, as an alternative to 100 g of meat or 2 eggs.

An excellence worth celebrating

Grana Padano is one of Italy’s gastronomic excellences, born of monastic intuition and centuries of tradition.

Let’s promote our food heritage and share the stories behind these products, giving proper value even to that simple “grating” of cheese on top of our pasta.

Lorenzo Terzoli Bergamaschi
Anthropologist

[1] Maffeis, P. (2014). Italian Cheeses: History, Preparation Techniques, Pairings, and Tasting. Hoepli Editore.
[2] https://www.saperesapori.it/blog/storia-degli-alimenti/il-grana-padano/
[3] https://www.granapadano.it/en-ww/history.aspx