Colby | |
---|---|
Other names | Longhorn |
Country of origin | United States |
Town | Colby, Wisconsin |
Source of milk | Cows |
Pasteurised | Yes |
Texture | Semi-hard |
Related media on Commons |
Colby is a semihard orange cheese made from cow's milk. It is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was first developed in 1885 and quickly became popular.
Colby is manufactured in a similar process to cheddar cheese. Instead of the cheddaring process, the whey is partially drained after the curd is cooked, and cold water is added to decrease the temperature of the mixture. Traditionally, Colby has an open texture with irregular holes and is pressed into a cylindrical form called a longhorn. The washed-curd process results in a cheese with a mild flavor that is moister and softer than cheddar. Colby is typically used in snacks, sandwiches, and salads.
Derivatives include Colby-Jack, a marble cheese produced by mixing Colby and Monterey Jack curds, and Pinconning cheese, a style of Colby that was developed in Michigan. The city of Colby considers the cheese an important part of its history, and organizes an annual festival to promote Colby cheese. Several proposals have been made in the Wisconsin state legislature to designate Colby the official state cheese.
In 1882, Ambrose and Susan Steinwand established a cheese factory near Colby, Wisconsin, on a 160-acre (65 ha) site they had purchased five years before. The Steinwands' son Joseph developed the cheese at the factory in 1885 when he was handling a batch of cheddar cheese and washed the curd with cold water. [1] Accounts differ on whether the creation was intentional. According to some sources, Joseph had attended a cheesemaking course and was specifically interested in developing a new type of cheese; according to others, he neglected to drain the excess moisture after adding cold water and accidentally discovered the result. [2] [3] The resulting cheese, which was moister than cheddar, was named after the nearby city and quickly became popular because it did not involve the complicated cheddaring process. [2] [4]
By 1896, the family was producing US$3000 (equivalent to US$110,000in 2023) worth of cheese each year. Though Ambrose and Joseph Steinwand have traditionally been credited for its development, historian Joan M. Jensen notes that cheesemaking at the time typically involved the entire family, including women who were often expert cheesemakers. [5] In 1898, the Colby Phonograph reported that "a merchant in Phillips gives as one of the 13 reasons why people should trade with him, that he sells the genuine Steinwand Colby Cheese." [6] The city of Colby has organized an annual festival in July, "Colby Cheese Days", to promote the cheese since 1965. [7] [8] That same year, Lawrence Hoernke built a new Colby Cheese Factory on the site of the Steinwands' original factory; it produced about 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) of Colby a day until it shut down in 1983. [9]
Several proposals have been put forth to make Colby the official state cheese of Wisconsin and to add the designation to the Wisconsin Blue Book published by the state government. In 1998, the city of Colby adopted a resolution supporting the measure and the Wisconsin State Assembly voted 81–15 in support, but the bill was not voted on by the Senate. A similar measure was introduced in 2019, but did not receive a vote in either the Assembly or the Senate. [10] In 2021, the bill was introduced again in an Assembly committee by state representative Donna Rozar and state senator Kathy Bernier, with Joseph Steinwand's great-granddaughter speaking in support of the measure. Supporters of the bill said that it commemorates Wisconsin's dairy history, while critics argued that a special designation for Colby could undermine the sales of other cheeses, including cheddar and mozzarella, that are also produced in the state. [10] [11]
The manufacturing process for Colby is similar to that of cheddar cheese, except that the mixture does not go through the cheddaring process. [12] Cow's milk that has been standardized to a protein–fat ratio of 0.96 undergoes pasteurization and is stored at 88 °F (31 °C) while the starter Lactococcus lactis (subspecies lactis and/or cremoris) is added. After an hour, 2.4 US fl oz (70 ml) of annatto, a coloring agent, and 6.4 US fl oz (190 ml) of diluted rennet are added per 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) of milk. [13] [14] The mixture is left to set for 15 to 30 minutes. The curd is then cut and cooked at 102 °F (39 °C) until the pH of the whey is about 6.2 to 6.3. [13]
Next, instead of draining all of the whey and cheddaring the remaining curds, only about two-thirds of the whey is drained until the curds break the surface. [12] [13] Cold water is added until the temperature of the mixture is about 81 °F (27 °C); increasing this temperature slightly produces a cheese that is less moist. [12] After washing with the cold water for 15 minutes, the mixture is fully drained and salt is added to the curd. The curd is placed into molds that press it at 10 to 20 psi (69 to 138 kPa) for 16 to 18 hours. [13] It is then packaged and ripened for 2 to 3 months at 37 to 39 °F (3 to 4 °C). [15] This process produces 22 to 24 lb (10 to 11 kg) of cheese per 220 lb (100 kg) of milk. [13] Monterey Jack has a similar manufacturing process, with the difference of allowing the curd to sit after draining the whey until it reaches a pH of 5.3. [16] Colby is traditionally pressed into a cylindrical form that is 13 in (33 cm) long with a diameter of 3.9 to 5.9 in (10 to 15 cm). In this form, it is also known as a "longhorn". The cheese can also be pressed into a rectangular form with smaller rectangles or half-moon shapes cut from it. [17]
In its annual report on the dairy industry, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) groups together "other American varieties" of cheese, including Colby, Monterey Jack, and other washed- and stirred-curd varieties. In 2020, the USDA reported that the United States produced 1.5 billion lb (0.68 billion kg) of these cheeses at 144 plants. Wisconsin was the leading state with 320 million lb (150 million kg) produced at 44 plants, and California produced 286 million lb (130 million kg) of cheese at 11 plants. [18]
Colby is a semihard cheese. Its washed-curd process produces a moister and softer texture than cheddar. [15] The reduced acidity of the curd results in a mild and milky flavor and it gets its orange color from annatto. [14] [17] Compared to more crumbly cheeses such as Cheshire, Colby is relatively elastic because its whey is drained at a high pH. [19] The standard of identity in the United States, according to Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dictates that Colby must have a moisture content of 40% or less and that the solids content must contain at least 50% milkfat. In practice, the solids content is typically 52–53%, resulting in a total fat content of 31–32%, and the salt content is usually 1.5–1.8%. [17] Compared to cheddar, the calcium content is slightly lower. Traditional Colby has an open texture with irregular holes. This aspect used to be required by its standard of identity in Wisconsin, but the requirement was removed due to vacuum packaging removing the holes from the cheese and creating a compact texture. [12] [17]
The higher moisture content of Colby compared to cheddar leads to a weak body and it does not keep its quality for as long. It often develops a bitter taste and becomes extremely soft after 100 days, and is typically recommended to be consumed within three months. [17] [20] Foodborne bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes , Staphylococcus aureus , and Salmonella species are more likely to grow in cheeses with a moisture content greater than 50% than in hard or semihard cheeses such as Colby. [21]
Because of its mild flavor, Colby is seldom used in cooking. Instead, it is typically used as a table cheese and in snacks, sandwiches, and salads. It can also be grated and combined with other cheeses for use on pizza. [17] [22]
Colby can be mixed with Monterey Jack to produce a marble cheese known as "Colby-Jack" or "Co-Jack". The colored Colby and uncolored Monterey Jack curds are mixed before the pressing and ripening steps, resulting in the marbled effect. It is a popular cheese; in 2006, an estimated 84 million lb (38 million kg) of Colby-Jack were sold in supermarkets, more than either Colby or Monterey Jack individual sales. [23]
Pinconning cheese is a style of Colby named after Pinconning, Michigan, where it was created in 1915 by Dan Horn, who had moved to the city from Wisconsin. Horn created the cheese in response to an excess of cows and milk in the city. Pinconning cheese has been consumed over a wide range of aging periods, including as long as 16 years. [24]
Cheddar cheese is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, southwest England.
Dairy products or milk products, also known as lacticinia, are food products made from milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, nanny goat, and ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food around the world such as yogurt, cheese, milk and butter. A facility that produces dairy products is a dairy. Dairy products are consumed worldwide to varying degrees. Some people avoid some or all dairy products because of lactose intolerance, veganism, environmental concerns, other health reasons or beliefs.
Pinconning cheese is an aged semi-hard whole cow's milk, Colby-style cheese named after Pinconning, Michigan. It is made and distributed by a number of different companies including Pinconning Cheese Company and Wilson's (Horn) Cheese Shoppe in Pinconning, Michigan, and Williams Cheese in nearby Linwood, Michigan.
Pizza cheese encompasses several varieties and types of cheeses and dairy products that are designed and manufactured for use specifically on pizza. These include processed and modified cheese, such as mozzarella-like processed cheeses and mozzarella variants. The term can also refer to any type of cheese suitable for use on pizza. The most popular cheeses used in the preparation of pizza are mozzarella, provolone, cheddar and Parmesan. Emmental, pecorino romano and ricotta are often used as toppings, and processed pizza cheeses manufactured specifically for pizza are mass-produced. Some mass-produced pizza cheeses are frozen after manufacturing and shipped frozen.
Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of hard cheese, like cheddar or Swiss cheese. Acid whey is a byproduct brought out during the making of acid types of dairy products, such as strained yogurt.
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavor and slight sweetness. It has been called "an American original" and "as a vestige of Spanish rule in the early nineteenth century, derives from a Franciscan monastic style of farmer's cheese."
Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet, a culture, or any edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then allowing it to coagulate. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins (casein) to tangle into solid masses, or curds. Milk that has been left to sour will also naturally produce curds, and sour milk cheeses are produced this way.
Cheesemaking is the craft of making cheese. The production of cheese, like many other food preservation processes, allows the nutritional and economic value of a food material, in this case milk, to be preserved in concentrated form. Cheesemaking allows the production of the cheese with diverse flavors and consistencies.
Acid-set or sour milk cheese is cheese that has been curdled (coagulated) by natural souring, often from lactic acid bacteria, or by the addition of acid. This type of cheese is technologically simple to produce.
The manufacture of Cheddar cheese includes the process of cheddaring, which makes this cheese unique. Cheddar cheese is named for the village of Cheddar in Somerset in South West England where it was originally manufactured. The manufacturing of this cheese has since spread around the world and thus the name has become generically known.
Colby-Jack, or Co-jack/Cojack, is an American marble cheese made from Colby and Monterey Jack. It is classified as semi-hard in texture and is mild due to its two-week aging process. It is generally sold in a full-moon or a half-moon shape when it is young. The flavor of Colby-Jack is mild to mellow. Colby-Jack cheese is mainly produced in the states of Wisconsin and California. It is used in various dishes or as a topping to be melted. These dishes include burgers, pasta bakes, macaroni and cheese, casseroles and so on. It is predominantly used in the United States, and is not readily available internationally.
Sulguni is a brined Georgian cheese from the Samegrelo region. It has a sour, moderately salty flavor, a dimpled texture, and an elastic consistency; these attributes are the result of the process used, as is the source of its nickname "pickle cheese". Its color ranges from white to pale yellow. Sulguni is often deep-fried, which masks its odor. It is often served in wedges. Sulguni is patented by Georgia since 24 January 2012
Cheese is a dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk. During production, milk is usually acidified and either the enzymes of rennet or bacterial enzymes with similar activity are added to cause the casein to coagulate. The solid curds are then separated from the liquid whey and pressed into finished cheese. Some cheeses have aromatic molds on the rind, the outer layer, or throughout.
Granular cheese, also known as stirred curd cheese and hard cheese, is a type of cheese produced by repeatedly stirring and draining a mixture of curd and whey. It can refer to a wide variety of cheeses, including the grana cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano (pictured) and various others.
There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most commonly and traditionally used is based on moisture content, which is then further narrowed down by fat content and curing or ripening methods. The criteria may either be used singly or in combination, with no single method being universally used.
Beecher's Handmade Cheese is an artisan cheesemaker with retail locations in the greater Seattle area and several airports. The company was founded by Kurt Beecher Dammeier in 2003 and opened in Pike Place Market after Dammeier acquired a difficult-to-obtain storefront lease in the Market. Because Dammeier had never been a cheesemaker, he sought out the assistance of Brad Sinko, who helped run a family cheesemaking business in Oregon. A second location was opened in 2011 Manhattan's Flatiron District; this closed in October, 2022.
Marble cheese is a name given to cheeses with marbled patterns. These are produced by combining either two different colored curds, cheese curds or processed cheeses.
Dairy is a major industry in the state of Wisconsin. Being known for its dairy production, the state is often called "America's Dairyland." The industry is prominent in official state symbols—being displayed on the state's license plates, state's slogan, and on the state quarter.
Commercial cheesemaking in Wisconsin dates back to the nineteenth century. Early cheesemaking operations began on farmsteads in the Michigan and Wisconsin territories, with large-scale production starting in the mid-1800s. Wisconsin became the largest producer of cheese in the United States in the early 1900s, and in 2019 produced over 3.36 billion pounds of cheese in more than 600 varieties, accounting for 27% of all cheese made in the country that year.