3.How Did It Get Its Name?
Cottage cheese began as a kind of “cottage industry.” In the 1800s, people used this method to make fresh cheese at home with milk that had soured naturally or that was left over from making butter. The name likely comes from the type of homes they lived in — cottages. During World War I, the U.S. Department of Agriculture pushed this cheese as a protein source in order to save meat for soldiers overseas. It’s thought to be the first commercially made American cheese.
4.Cottage Cheese’s Curd Appeal
Those white lumps give this fresh cheese its distinct appearance. You can buy it in large-curd or small-curd varieties. The smaller nuggets are about a quarter inch in diameter. The big ones measure up to 3/8 of an inch. It’s the size of the knives used in cottage cheese production that determines the size of the curd. The nutrition profile is the same either way. It’s just a matter of personal preference or what your recipe requires.
