No one can certainly tell the origin of cottage cheese or when it was first made. But one thing is for sure, that cottage cheese has been around for many centuries. During the Mesopotamian times, dating back to the 3rd century BC, they made a sour, salty cheese. It was discovered accidentally according to a popular story on how cottage cheese was first made.
The story goes that a desert traveler before he goes on a journey, he fills a sheep stomach saddlebags with milk. The hot climate and the sloshing of the bags, plus the rennet from the sheep stomach formed cheese curds. It, later on, became popular in the region. There could be a chance that the story is just a myth or made up. Milk stored in an animal stomach forms cheese, so it makes sense. A mix of enzymes (rennet) that can curdle the casein in milk.
Why is it called Cottage Cheese?
Sold in pots in early times, it was soft and lumpy. Generally it is made in cottages from cow’s milk or goat’s milk leftover after making the butter, hence the term ‘cottage cheese’. Cheese is formed by heating milk to a certain temperature. Then an acid or enzymes is added to make curds. Collected and drained using a cheesecloth for 30 minutes. This will make the cheese not to become too dry.
4 Simple Methods Of How To Make Cottage Cheese
Making cheese from scratch can be such a rewarding experience. All that hard work that goes into making it increases the value of that item. There are several methods on how to make cottage cheese. Here are a few simple ones that anyone can try making today :
How To Make Cottage Cheese With An Acid :
Procedure :
- Start by bringing 2litres of whole full cream milk to a temperature of 190ᴼF, stirring at all times.
- Add 6 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar (use according to taste).
- Mix and take it off from the heat. Cover and leave for about 30 minutes.
- Drain the curds from the whey for up to 30 minutes more, in a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
- Once drained, it is time to wrap up the cheese into a ball and wash it while squeezing out any water to wash away any acid flavor from the cheese so that it does not taste tangy.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of cream or milk and a pinch of salt. Chill and it’s now ready to eat.
Cottage cheese with apple cider vinegar :
Just add about 3 tbsps. of apple cider vinegar to 1.5ltrs of milk. The rest of the process is the same. Apple cider vinegar is very healthy and also gives the cheese a distinctive taste.
How To Make it Low-Fat :
A low-fat diet might be a choice for some people or could be a prescribed one. Some people consider a low-fat diet to achieve a smaller number on the weighing scale. Low-fat cottage cheese can be that addition or should I say ‘homemade low-fat cottage cheese’. Simply replace whole milk with skim milk in the recipe. And do not include cream in it.
How To Make it Using Buttermilk :
In many recipes, buttermilk is used. Just every other ingredient, we tend to buy it for just one recipe and the rest will come to risk of going bad.So let’s try putting leftover buttermilk to some healthy use.
For making cottage cheese from real buttermilk, just heat the buttermilk in a saucepan till it steams. Add the juice of one lemon or a tsp of vinegar. Keep stirring constantly but softly till curd and whey separate. Let it boil once. Turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes. Drain, chill and then serve.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Using Sour Milk :
Many times we forget to check date on our milk carton. Until we realize it’s near the expiration date. It also happens to me. There are times that I left it out of the out of the refrigerator for too long on a hot day while I run some errands. Then later on I find the milk smells funny and tastes a bit sour. There is a difference between sour milk and spoiled milk.
By learning how to make cottage cheese from sour milk, nothing will come to waste. The procedure is the same. Just use sour milk instead and lessen the amount of acid to half as the milk has little acid already.
Conclusion :
Now that you know how to make cottage cheese give it a try to make it at home. These are the easiest methods with ingredients that are always present in your pantry. The cheese itself would last for a week. This is healthy and fresh which gives it a flavor that is so much better than the store-bought cheese with preservatives and extra ingredients to keep it fresh.
Cottage cheese is recommended to those people who are on a diet or trying to lose some weight. It is healthier since it is homemade. It can be a delicious addition to any food. Simply toss it in a fresh salad or serve on toast. You can cook it also with your pasta. At breakfast, it works wonders with an omelet or oatmeal.
Is it just me or did you also suddenly crave for chees? Let me share with you a healthy and delicious recipe of pot broccoli and cheese from this post.
