Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese with a mild flavor and a creamy, heterogeneous texture made from skimmed milk, low in milk fat at 0 to 5 percent, produced by adding an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice to milk so its proteins separate from the whey. The resulting curds are drained and mixed with cream and salt, giving the finished cheese its slightly tangy taste, and unlike many cheeses it is not aged; it is a rich source of vitamin B12 and is sold in low-fat and fat-free versions as well as full-fat form. The name first appeared in print in 1831, likely from Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants who made curds for spreading on food in their home cottages, and it is commonly added to fruit, vegetables, bread, breakfast foods, pasta, sauces and desserts.