Current number of cheese: 4

According to some ancient written sources the cheese originates from th Middle East. One of the legends tells, that the cheese was found by accident by the nomads, which were carrying the milk in water - skins made from animal stomach on their horses resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. During excavations in Mesopotamia was found, that the Sumer were making cheese already 6000 B.C., storing it in earthen jugs. Some frescoes in Egypt also show cheese production by keeping it in water-skin.
The Romans had the most important role for improving the technology and popularization of the cheese. To make more different sorts of cheese, they started to use milk from different animals, to add some spices and herbs and to store and age it in different rooms - moist and warm, or smoky.
Many of the popular nowadays cheese types are being produced since ages. The Gorgonzola is produced since 879, the Parmigiano - since 1679. This is also the period of the bloom of monasteries in Europe, which at this time were not only spiritual, but also agricultural centers, many of them producing cheese, wine and beer.
The common for all cheeses is, that they are produced by coagulating the protein, then draining the coagulated mass, flavouring and aging.
The cheese is high caloric, with high content of fat and protein and very low carbohydrates content.

Europe

Austria (3)	England (	Belgium (4)	Bulgaria (
Germany (4)	Greece (	Denmark (3)	Estonia (
Ireland (	Iceland (	Italy (6)	Cyprus (
Norway (	Poland (	Portugal (	Romania (
Russia (	Slovakia (	Slovenia (	Serbia (
Wales (	Hungary (	Finland (	France(4)
Netherlands (	Croatia (	Czech Republic (	Switzerland (5)
Sweden (	Scotland (