If cheese was invented as a way to preserve milk why can it only sit out for a couple of hours? The salt content was to help preserve it and presumably the rind would help as well. Apparently the romans made cheese every day but that's presumably because the milk had to be made every day. Was cheese easier to make than butter? Apparently northern climates were cold enough to not need as much salt so the cheese could taste better. Modern cheese can only safely sit out for awhile, but what about "aged cheese" that ages for several months. Why is that different? I mean, wine ages for years but once it's open you have to drink it or it'll turn to vinegar... right?