The Scottish Cheese
Compendium

My name is Giovanni Masarà. I am an anthropologist based in Dundee, Scotland, whose work focuses on local traditions, people's relationship with the landscape, and the ways people connect to place through everyday practices. I am also a beginner home cheesemaker with a passion for food heritage, and eating sustainably.

The Archive

The Scottish Cheese Compendium began as a personal research project. While exploring historical cookbooks, agricultural publications, and archival sources, I became fascinated by the largely forgotten tradition of cheesemaking in Scotland. Over the past few years, I have collected recipes from across the country, ranging from the sixteenth century to the first half of the twentieth century. Some are relatively recent; others likely preserve much older traditions. These recipes belong to a cheesemaking world that no longer exists. Throughout the twentieth century, economic pressures, the centralisation of milk processing, changing food distribution systems, and the rise of industrial cheese production contributed to the decline of traditional farmhouse cheesemaking in Scotland. By the early 1970s, the practice had all but disappeared.

The Mission

This collection is intended primarily for home cheesemakers, food enthusiasts, and anyone curious about Scotland’s culinary past. The recipes are presented as historical sources rather than tested instructions. I have not yet made most of them myself, and they often reflect practices and assumptions very different from modern cheesemaking. They should be approached with curiosity, patience, and a spirit of experimentation.

Support

The Scottish Cheese Compendium is an ongoing project. If you find value in it and would like to support its continuation, you can do so via PayPal using the link below.