Savoring Decay: Cheese, Heritage, and the Allure of Imminent Dissolution

Abstract

This article approaches the theme of “saving food” by taking a fresh look at the renaissance of artisan cheesemaking in recent years. Based upon fieldwork conducted over a decade in thirteen countries, the author suggests that the “death” of cheesemaking traditions and their “rebirth” are simultaneous processes that depend upon one another in complex ways. Invoking the idea that “managed decay” of milk imparts flavor to cheese itself, the author argues that, on a larger scale, the preservation of cheesemaking heritage involves the savoring of dying traditions.