27 March 2001 - cheese

When the aliens land, I believe that their first question, once they’ve learned to ignore the radio spectrum, will be “What is cheese?” After we’ve explained about the exudate for nourishing baby mammals, and its reworking by microorganisms, and the ancient history and honorable traditions of cheesemaking, and praised Wensleydale, and scorned American process cheese, and offered free samples, they will reply, “Ah, we have learned what we sought,” and depart.