
A tub of cottage cheese
'Cottage cheese' is a
cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed so some
whey remains. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity giving ''sweet curd'' cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from milks with different fat levels and in small curd or large curd preparations. Cottage cheese which is pressed becomes
hoop cheese,
farmer cheese,
pot cheese or
queso blanco.
Cottage cheese is eaten straight where it is like the curds of the
nursery rhyme food "curds and whey". It is also eaten in
salads, with fruit or as an ingredient in
recipes like
jello salad and various
desserts, such as
cottage doubles, a ready-made package with cottage cheese and fruit preserves. Also, it can be used to replace grated cheese or
ricotta cheese in most recipes (such as
Lasagna). It is popular among dieters and some health food devotees. Cottage cheese is a favorite food among
bodybuilders for its high content of
casein protein while being relatively low in fat.
Curd Size
The curd size is the size of the "chunks" in the cottage cheese. Sometimes large curd cottage cheese is called "chunk style." The two major types of cottage cheese are small curd, high-acid
cheese made without
rennet, and popular large curd, low-acid cheese made with rennet. Rennet is a substance that speeds curdling and keeps the curd that forms from breaking up easily. Adding rennet shortens the cheesemaking process, resulting in a lower acid and larger curd cheese, and reduces the amount of curd poured off with leftover liquid (the
whey).
[1]
Nutrition
Cottage cheese is low in
fat and
carbohydrates while high in
protein. It is quite beneficial for body builders as well as growing children.
A 4 oz (113 g) serving has approximately 120 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated), 3 g carbohydrates, and 14 g protein.
It also contains approximately 500 mg sodium, and 20 mg cholesterol.
Manufacturers also Produce low-fat and non fat varieties. a fat free kind of a similar serving size has 80 calories, 0g fat (0g saturated), 6g carbohydrates, and 14g protein.
To compensate the flavor, low-fat and non fat ones tend to have more sugar in it. They also produce very low sodium kinds that consumers can add salt as much as they want.
See Also
★
Cottage Double
References
1. Making Cottage Cheese at Home 1977
External links
★
Recipe for making Cottage cheese (uses
rennet)
★
Recipe which uses buttermilk