About Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is believed to be the first cheese produced, probably by the Egyptians or Greeks. Originally, it was made by allowing milk to sit at room temperature until it coagulated. The term cottage cheese was first used in 1848; it refers to the fact that the cheese was often made at home.

Cottage cheese is defined as a loosely packed cow's milk cheese distinguished by its slightly bland taste and the whey which is left in with the cheese curds. The cheese is designed to be eaten fresh, and is highly perishable. There are a number of uses for cottage cheese, ranging from a dish in and of itself to a substitute for ricotta in dishes like lasagna.

Cottage cheese is low in fat and high in protein and calcium. Cottage cheese is often mixed with fruit such as pineapple or melon, or used with granola. Others snip chives over their cottage cheese, or include it in recipes ranging from Jello to stuffed manicotti. Weight lifters in particular try to integrate cottage cheese into their diets, since the high protein makes it a good muscle builder.

Some consumers dislike cottage cheese because of the very mild flavour. In some cases, producers have addressed this by leaving some acid in, making a more tangy cheese, or by flavouring their cheese. Other consumers actively seek the cheese out because it is slightly bland, making it a great food for people who are sick, or pregnant women looking for a neutral-tasting source of protein.

Some suggestions for cottage cheese snacks:
- Apples, a drizzle of honey, and some cinnamon.
- With cantaloupe, papaya, peaches, pineapple, or bananas.
- On pasta.
- On toast with cinnamon (toast, top with cottage cheese, then toast again).
- With a little green onion, crunchy snow peas, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, and green or black olives.
- Chop a tiny piece of crystallized ginger and mix it in.
- Make a dip using a ranch or other dry dip mix.
- With tomatoes and chickpeas.
- Mix with stone ground mustard as a dip for veggies.

Avalon Dairy has recently introduced an organic 2% cottage cheese which we are pleased to be carrying. Enjoy!