Cottage cheese seems to be a love or hate type of food. Many people hate it for its chunky and slightly liquid texture. Others cannot stand the smell. While some can’t bear cottage cheese for its smell and texture. There are also people who love it for its creaminess and high protein content among other aspects. However, there are many people who have never tasted cottage cheese, but have wondered what it tastes like.
Cottage cheese is produced by coagulating milk from a liquid into a semi-solid to create curds. How does the milk curd? By an enzyme added to milk called rennin, which separates the curd protein (semi-solid) from the whey protein (liquid). Although a lot of whey is drained during manufacturing, some remains to create that classic cottage cheese texture. Cream, salt, and potentially starch are included as ingredients for many brands. So when “Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey” she was probably eating cottage cheese or a something similar like junket custard.
The taste and texture of cottage cheese varies based on brand and/or product. There are large curd and small curd cottage cheese products. Additionally, products vary on milkfat (1%, 2%, 4%, fat free, etc.). Cottage cheese with the highest milkfat (4%) will taste the creamiest and is likely tolerated or enjoyed by most people in terms of taste.
In general, cottage cheese has a pronounced milky or creamy taste with a noticeable salty aspect to it. The curds are the prominent feature because they are numerous. Even after several chews you can still the feel curds within the mouth. This is even true with small curd cottage cheese, although the curds are a lot less evident. Lower fat varieties like fat free or 1% will typically be less creamy and have a slight sour bite to them.
There are ways around the texture and taste issues. Cottage cheese can be put through a food processor to eliminate the curds. Additionally, many different foods like pineapple, peaches, pears, tomatoes and jellies can compliment cottage cheese to make it taste much better. Also, some of the liquid can be drained from lower fat cottage products to help reduce the mild sour taste. Admittedly, cottage cheese is not for everyone, but it may be a matter of finding the right product or brand for some people to like it.
