It may have originated accidentally in Arabia like the story goes, or it could be European. However, with both the “poor people” and “poor milk” conjectures, this is unlikely as the “poverty” or “poor” slant to the term “cottage” didn’t come about until much later. Over 500,000 page views per month,Want to be listed on cheese.com? Is it Safe to Eat Moldy Bread or Moldy Cheese? Straining and pressing would get you farmer’s cheese. Likewise, the Egyptians depict cheese making on tomb walls that date back to 2000 BC. At some point, probably due to the fact that it was a poor man’s cheese, or possibly viewed as a cheese of the country made in cottages, the “cotta” turned to “cottage”. It is fairly likely that at the time, “cottage” meant a small country residence, which is where most of the cottage cheese was made back then. Whatever the case, what we know for sure is that by the time the Roman Empire began conquering nations, cheese was already on the menu—and cheese making was a firmly established enterprise. Still others would strain and press the curd, producing farmer’s cheese. The hot climate and the sloshing of the bags, plus the rennet from the sheep stomach caused the formation of the cheese curds, which would become popular in the region. Given that the author of the piece seemed to think the audience wouldn’t necessarily be familiar with the name “cottage cheese” here, we can deduce it was either a relatively new name or a regional one that the Lady’s Book’s wider audience might not be familiar. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheese-making originated, possibly Europe, or Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. Cottage cheese can be eaten by itself, with fruits, toast or even used in salads. There was a plate of rye-bread, and a plate of wheat, and a basket of crackers; and other plate with half a dozen paltry cakes, that looked as if they had been bought under the old Court House; some morsels of dried beef on two little tea-cup plates; and a small glass dish of that preparation of curds, which in vulgar language is called smear-case, but whose nom de guerre is cottage-cheese, at least that was the appellation given it by our hostess. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A common legend is that it was invented when a desert traveler filled his sheep stomach saddle bags with milk prior to beginning his journey. Want to be listed on cheese.com? As such, it has been particularly popular during hard times, such as the Great Depression or when food was rationed to help the war effort in the 1940s. Advertise with us, Sartori Limited Edition Cannella BellaVitano, Sartori Limited Edition Cognac Bellavitano, Sartori Limited Edition Family Heirloom BellaVitano, Sartori Limited Edition Family Heirloom Parmesan, Sartori Reserve Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago, Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar, Sartori Reserve Cheese Mediterranean Fontina, Green Dirt Farm Fresh Garlic & Peppercorn. It has also been speculated that the “cottage” here may imply “poor quality,” or “cheese for the poor,” owing to the fact that many living in the country who had access to milk commonly made it. I’ve loved cottage cheese ever since I was a young child and my mom would eat when she would “go on a diet”. But you don’t answer that question. The Corrupt and Ruthless Californian Who Gave us the Name for “Monterey Jack” Cheese, The Surprisingly Short History of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, How Cottage Cheese Got Eclipsed By Yogurt, History of Cottage Cheese Traced to Colonial Days, How Most People Got Schrödinger’s Cat Thought Experiment Wrong. A popular story on the origin of cheese was taken from Homer's Odyssey, in which the poet describes how the Cyclops Polyphemus made cheese by storing milk in animal stomachs. Relying instead on naturally occurring mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, the European and American cooks simply set out milk, and especially older milk, near a fire or other warm place. The milk is simply set out near a fire or warm place, which is conducive for bacterial action to occur. Some cooks preferred treating it further by washing in cold water, to get something called pot cheese. The story goes that a desert traveler discovered it accidentally after filling sheep stomach saddlebags with milk, before setting out on a journey. The process transforms the liquid milk into a curd, which comprised the starting stage of cottage cheese. Rome spread the charm of cheese as it conquered the nations around it. The cheese is creamy, lumpy and sold in pots. All it needs is a little salt and pepper. Perhaps it was a marketing ploy of the imaginative Ancient Arabian Dairy Association… What we do know for sure is that cheese (in any form) predates recorded history. Find over 1833 specialty cheeses from 74 countries in the world's greatest cheese resource, Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk, Country of origin: United Kingdom and United States. Over 500,000 page views per month,Put your store on our map. Humans likely developed cheese and other dairy foods by accident, as a result of storing and transporting milk in bladders made of ruminants' stomachs, as their inherent supply of rennet would encourage curdling. Required fields are marked *. Not technically requiring rennet to curdle (though particularly today with large curd cottage cheese, rennet is usually used to speed up the process and some cooks alternatively add a bit of vinegar to help the curdling along), the type of cottage cheese made in Colonial America is said to have been brought here from Central Europe, where it was/is also called Dutch cheese or schmierkase. Whatever the case, it is generally thought the “cottage” descriptor here is simply referencing this was a type of cheese regularly made in homes in the country where milk was often more readily available; cottage cheese is also relatively easy (and quick) to make compared to many other cheeses due to its unripened nature, the lack of any real specialized equipment needed, and the exceptionally small amount of processing required to get it to its final form. I always thought Cottage cheese was originally cotta cheese because you make ricotta cheese with the whey produced by it. Um, the title of this article is “WHY IS COTTAGE CHEESE CALLED THAT?”. There’s archaeological evidence of cheese making in Poland three thousand years earlier than that. So share the fun facts and spread the deliciousness! Every thing was in the smallest possible quantity that decency would allow. Fact. Privacy Policy What I found interesting is that there was no mention to the nursery rhyme “Little Miss Muffet”.. as ‘Curds in Whey’ was an old name for cottage cheese.. Jan B. asks: Who invented cottage cheese and why did they call it that? The curd is drained but not pressed, so some whey remains and retains moisture. (Peanut butter also saw a huge surge in popularity around these same decades for very similar reasons to cottage cheese, see: The Surprisingly Short History of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich). I always thought that there was some relationship between ricotta cheese and cottage cheese in that ‘cottage’ may have been a simplification of ri’cotta’. Wherever it happened, it does seem somewhat plausible that the practice of storing liquids in such things as bags made from animal stomachs may really have led to the accidental invention of cheese because of the rennet potentially found within. The term 'cottage cheese' is believed to have originated because the cheese was generally made in cottages from milk left over, after making butter. The enzymes from the stomach would have induced a coagulation process separating the curds from the milk. This predates recorded history in any case, and there is a good chance the story is made up. I guess I’m just looking for patterns that aren’t there , Today you found out…that Arabia is not in Mesopotamia , Your email address will not be published. The world of cheese is a complex one: I have vivid memories of this smooth European cottage cheese, from my time in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, which has left me with a love for this dairy product. If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular podcast, The BrainFood Show (iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, Feed), as well as: One 1876 recipe demonstrates how easy cottage cheese can be to make: Set milk on very low heat and cut in 1 inch squares. Use our large database to learn more about your favourite dairy! From popular Cheddar to exotic Shanklish and from soft to firm cheeses, you can find information such as Flavour, Rind, Producers, Fat Content, Type and Country of Origin. At this Goldilocks temperature, the bacteria thrived in its milk bath, and after a day or two, it would transform the liquid milk into a curd, producing a form of cottage cheese. Dubbed, “the cheapest meat you can eat,” cottage cheese was used by many families as a meat substitute, and in the years following America’s joining World War II, sales of cottage cheese jumped by 500%. At the point in time when “cottage cheese” was coined, the word “cottage” with the definition “small country residence” had only been around for about a half a century and those who owned such small homesteads were hardly thought of as poor in the general case. The “cottage” part in the name probably refers to the fact that this type of cheese was made a lot in country homes where milk was easier to get. Here could be your shop! Yeah I thought the same thing, but that would mean cotta cheese would be “cooked cheese” which I guess isn’t a very descriptive name. With our expert tips, we guarantee everyone will be grateful for your brie-lliant knowledge. @Some guy: Might want to read the article all the way through. Alternatively it has been suggested that it is the milk that was considered “poor.” Cottage cheese was often made from the leftover liquids after churning butter, as well as relatively old milk that had become too acidic to make certain other cheeses. 2020 ©Worldnews, Inc. The ancient Mesopotamians made a type of salty, sour cheese very similar to cottage cheese that dates back to at least 3000 B.C. Love cheese? These do commonly contain rennet, which is a mix of enzymes that can curdle the casein in milk. Over time, the art gained popularity as a way to preserve the nutrition of milk past a couple of days when people weren’t even close to discovering natural refrigeration in many parts of the world. Cheese is made for sharing. As the traveler and his camel traversed the hot environment, between the sloshing of the bags caused by the camel’s gait, the heat of the sun, the milk and the natural rennet from the sheep stomach, the entire process produced cheese curds. Some cooks would further treat the curd by cooking it dry and washing it with cold water, producing what is sometimes called pot cheese; others would add a bit of cream to add richness to the final product. Back in the Mesopotamian times, they made a sour, salty cheese that dates back to the 3rd century BC. The ancient Mesopotamians made a type of salty, sour cheese very similar to cottage cheese that dates back to at least 3000 B.C. TINE Cottage Cheese er en ferskost med svak, syrlig smak. Currently, consumption of cottage cheese in the U.S. has reached almost one billion lbs. A common legend is that it was invented when a desert traveler filled his sheep stomach saddle bags with milk prior to beginning his journey. As to the origin of the name “cottage cheese,” much like who first invented this variety of cheese, we can’t say for sure, but we can at least point to the first known documented instance of the cheese being called this, appearing in the July of 1831 Godey’s Lady’s Book, Volume 3 in an article titled Country Lodgings, A Sketch, by Miss Leslie, where she states: The aspect of the tea-table was not inviting. The term 'cottage cheese' is believed to have originated because the cheese was generally made in cottages from milk left over, after making butter.