What was the first kind of cheese?

It's impossible to say for sure what the *very first* kind of cheese was, as cheesemaking likely predates recorded history. But here's what we can speculate based on evidence:

* Early cheese was likely accidental: It's believed that early cheesemaking began by accident when people stored milk in animal stomachs (used as containers). The rennet enzymes in the stomach lining would have naturally curdled the milk, and over time, the process of making cheese would have been developed.

* Likely a "fresh" cheese: The first cheeses were probably simple, fresh cheeses like ricotta or a soft, unripened cheese similar to cottage cheese. These cheeses don't require long aging processes.

* Location is uncertain: While some speculate that cheesemaking originated in the Middle East, others believe it may have developed independently in different parts of the world, like Europe or Central Asia.

So, while we can't pinpoint the exact first cheese, we know it was likely a fresh, unripened cheese that was a byproduct of early milk storage practices.