The Uglich Cheese and Dairy Plant has published a book about Russian cheesemaking history—"The Saga of Russian Cheese."

"The Saga of Russian Cheese" is a true encyclopaedia of Russian cheese production. The Uglichsky Cheese and Dairy Plant, which is a part of the agricultural holding "AgriVolga," issued the publication.

The book "The Saga of Russian Cheese" was launched at the House of Books on Novy Arbat in Moscow on April 25, 2023. The book was the product of an extensive amount of research. The Uglichsky Cheese and Dairy Plant (USMZ), a division of the agricultural enterprise AgriVolga, became the publisher.

AgriVolga Holding started its activities in the Yaroslavl region in 2007 with the development of organic production, and during this work the company looked to the history of Russian cheese making, said Elena Lomakina, CEO of Agranta, which incorporates AgriVolga. Additionally, a major modernisation of production started in 2018 when USMZ joined the AgriVolga company's structure. During this time, the company was able to access archives of factory documents from the 1960s and 1970s, which included information on the development of Russian cheese making. This occurred on the Uglich land, back in pre-revolutionary times. "We discovered to our amazement that Russian cheesemaking has such a long history and is on par with Swiss or French cheesemaking. We concluded that sharing this knowledge with a large audience would be important. That's how the book's concept was born. Furthermore, we found that bookshops only offer a large number of books with recipes for cheese dishes and not a single publication of this calibre or scope. We made the decision to draw the reader into this history. We wanted to tell them about the Russian cheese, the Russian school of cheesemaking that was founded at the end of the 19th century by Nikolai Vereshchagin, about the "cheese triangle" that linked the towns of Edimonovo in the Tver region, Uglich, and Koprino in the Yaroslavl region. We are happy to share the outcome of significant research with readers in general as well as experts," Elena Lomakina stated.

According to Anna Hvorostyanaya, Director of Strategic Marketing at Agranta, who moderated the launch, the All-Russian Research Institute of Butter and Cheese Making (VNIIMS) developed GOST standards in the 1930s that preserved the accumulated knowledge of Russian cheese makers in the Soviet cheese recipe. "USMZ produces the most well-known cheeses by carefully preserving these formulas. Using tried-and-true, premium domestic starters produced at the Uglich biofactory, we leverage the strategic expertise of Uglich microbiologists," Anna Hvorostyanaya stated. Famous cheeses like "Uglichsky," "Russian," "Poshekhonsky," "Dutch," and "Cheddar" are produced in the USMZ, along with organic cheeses under the "Ugleche Pole" brand.

"After the book was released, we decided to establish a museum at the USMZ dedicated to cheesemaking. In addition to learning about the history, visitors to the Syrkultprosvet museum will also learn about cheese production. Every stage of manufacturing is visible through a glass wall in the production hall. Additionally, the SyrBor restaurant will offer Russian cheeses and dishes made with them," Elena Lomakina said.

A representative of the Free Economic Society and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Alexander Petrikov, head of the A.A. Nikonov VIAPI, a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Research Centre VNIIESH, emphasised that the establishment of the Free Economic Society in 1765 by Catherine the Second "for encouragement of agriculture and residential construction in Russia" includes the history of Russian cheesemaking. "Vereshchagin's project on craft cheese and butter production is among the VEO's most successful initiatives; it specifically addressed the financial well-being of the peasantry, which made up the majority of the Russian population. Among the most famous Russian public figures who took part in the project was Dmitry Mendeleev. I read "The Saga of Russian Cheese" in one sitting; it's a very special book that chronicles the history of Russian gastronomy. In addition to the history of the state and the class struggle, you can learn about the history of our country from the history of its products. This book also serves as evidence of the Russian province's renaissance. We've had enough of fast food. I wish to buy regional and local brands of Russian products. Supporting regional companies and goods that have traditionally been made in Russia is essential," Alexander Petrikov emphasised.

"I would like to thank the Uglich Cheese and Dairy Plant and the Agranta firm for this wonderful book. Even for someone like myself who works in knowledge transmission, the book is packed with information. The book came out at the perfect time. The younger generation now believes that the country's cheese-making industry just recently started to grow, with the appearance of many celebrities among the cheese producers and the ability to start your own small business to make cheese. Although we have been making cheese since Peter the Great, the industry is in a new phase right now. Even foreign visitors to Russia who sample our products comment on how delicious they are, acknowledge the high calibre and flavour of our cheese, and express a desire to purchase it. Additionally, Russian-made organic products are highly valued internationally. In order for someone to taste cheese and say, "Yes, this cheese is made in Russia!" without reading the label, it is crucial to have knowledge of and appreciation for the product's history and identity. Thank you for this book! the director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' V. M. Gorbatov Federal Scientific Centre for Food Systems, Oksana Kuznetsova, said.

"The Saga of Russian Cheese" traces the development of Russian cheese production from pre-Peter the Great times to the present. The reader will discover what type of cheese Ivan the Terrible's contemporaries consumed, why Peter the Great invited Dutch cheesemakers to Russia, who supplied cheese for the restaurants at Pushkin's age, and why Russian cheese is a genuinely unique product with no equivalents in other countries.

“Rich in fascinating stories and illustrations, "The Saga of Russian Cheese" is a unique work on the evolution of Russian cheesemaking. The Uglich take pride in the fact that all of the well-known cheeses are still made in their ancestral homeland and that the historical recipes have been preserved. Additionally, you may sample a variety of dishes made with Uglich cheese at the SyrBor restaurant of the Syrkultprosvet museum in the Uglich Cheese and Dairy Plant," adds Grigory Mosin, the restaurant's brand chef.

The book’s publishers express their gratitude to the Vereshchagin Family House Museum, the All-Russian Research Institute of Butter and Cheese Making (VNIIMS), the Administration of the Yaroslavl Region’s Uglichsky Municipal District, the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Hermitage, the State Russian Museum, the Rybinsk State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve, the ethnocultural complex Village Tygydym, and other companies for their collaboration on the book.

Professionals in the fields of agriculture, the food industry, the cheese industry, experts, historians, and the general public—adults and children alike—will find the book interesting. From the perspective of the evolution of Russian cheese production, "The Saga of Russian Cheese" is a true encyclopaedia of Russian life.