A closer look
Famous diarist Samuel Pepys chose to save his most valuable possession during the catastrophic Great Fire of London in 1666 by burying a massive wheel of Parmesan cheese in his garden. While his neighbors were desperately fleeing the inferno with their life savings and family heirlooms, Pepys was in the dirt making sure his imported dairy products survived the apocalypse. Parmesan was incredibly expensive at the time, but prioritizing a charcuterie board staple over your actual house is a level of elite culinary snobbery that is honestly respectable. It proves that hipsters who obsess over artisanal cheese are just carrying on a deeply pathetic historical tradition
