Cheese

Cheese is a dairy product that is widely enjoyed on Pavala. In particular, regions that are part of the Htaevic cultural sphere have a large range of cheeses within their diets and cuisines. There are currently over 11,000 varieties of registered cheeses on Pavala, a documented description and sample of each of these cheese varieties is contained within the Cheese Catacombs of Xot.

History of Cheese

The history of cheese is a long one, a narrative that predates the formation of writing. Archaeological evidence points that it was likely invented (or perhaps more accurately discovered) somewhere along the Yot River Basin, around 2000 Y. Such evidence is from shards of pottery that have shown remnants of animal rennet and milk proteins in their chemical analyses. The often hot climates around the Yot River meant that this was an ideal way to store milk.

Oral legends amongst the Succlythians told the story that a noble warrior kiyamen, named Klenttèyn (lit. sharpened feather calamus), left his milk in a <<something>> stomach in the sun after hastily running towards a grand battle. When he returned the next day, he found the milk had clumped together. Klenttèyn, a superstitious man, believed these were a divine symbol as the chunks formed into a spiral - a form the Ancient Succlythians had considered sacred. Thus, he ate the spiral in hopes of gaining the divine energy. Cheese came to be known as Klenttèynfaitòm amongst the Succlythians, meaning 'Klenttèyn's milk'.

The first written evidence of cheese comes from the Ancient Hlunliw writings, with one document containing the first instance of the word 'cheese' in the language, Arëarë. The practice of Caseography developed strongly in the Alotsë Dynasty, the tradition of divining fortunes from holes within the unique holed Ughokë cheese iconic to the era. It was within the later Burë Dynasty that Klakralhaw cheese would develop.

Formation of Cheese

There were two main genres of cheese present within the Htaevic realm. These were Rnarë cheese and Klakralhaw cheese. These differ in their coagulating agent. Rnarë cheese uses rennet, enzymes obtained from the lining of the stomachs of ruminants. Klakralhaw cheese, on the other hand, uses Klakralhaw acid as its name suggests. What is Klakralhaw you ask? Klakralhaw are the Whistlefruits/Popfruits that are native to the coastal regions of the Shattered Islands. They contain acids that have coagulating properties.