And the answer: cheese.
Fromology gets its prefix from the French word for cheese: "fromage." A cheese connoisseur may also be called a "turophile," which comes from the Greek word for cheese: "tyros."
No, a connoisseur of cheese is not formally called a “cheesehead” (and frankly, they might get a little offended if you call them that). Since the 1930s, the term “fromologist” or “turophile” has been used to describe someone who loves and pursues the art of cheesemaking. However, it’s not the only term you’ll hear floating around your favorite fromagerie. In fact, there are different titles for workers involved in different steps of the cheese-making processes: the “affineur” helms the dairy-aging process, a “fromager” actually makes the cheese, and a “cheesemonger” sells the product to customers.
Humans have been creating, innovating, and enjoying cheese before the dawn of recorded history. No one knows who first curdled milk and separated the solid curds from liquid whey, but archaeologists have found traces of cheesemaking in artifacts that date back at least 7,200 years. Today, there are over 1,800 different kinds of cheese varieties in the world, and innumerable different aging and preparatory processes. Interestingly, though, most cheeses are made with just three ingredients: milk, salt, and a coagulant such as vinegar, rennet, or bacteria.
Did you know?
The world produces 200 million metric tons of cheese a year! This means that the world produces more cheese than coffee, tobacco, tea and cocoa beans combined. On average, each American consumes about 39 pounds of cheese each year, while in France, the average person consumes about 53 pounds a year.
Learn more about the study and creation of cheese here.
