is now in every supermarket and it is obvious that any connection between it and cottages can only be historical. Its ancestors, which were as commonly called ‘cottagers’ cheeses', were indeed home made and constituted an important category in the group of simple so-called ‘bag cheeses’ (drained in a cloth bag).
Mention of cottages brings to mind the English countryside, but the name ‘cottage cheese’ originated in N. America in the 19th century and was little used anywhere else until the 20th century. Bartlett (1848), whose reference is said to be the earliest in print, had the following entry in his dictionary: ‘Smear-Case, a preparation of milk made to be spread on bread, whence its name, otherwise called “cottage-cheese”.’
By ‘smear-case’ he meant Smierkase, a Pennsylvania Dutch term. It is interesting that in this early definition the spreadability on bread is given as the chief characteristic. Bartlett was on the right track here. A very wide range of simple, fresh (i.e. unripened) cheeses have been made in both N. America and Britain under the umbrella term ‘cottage cheese’; but the vast majority, if not all, have been spreadable. It would also be fair to say that skimmed cow's milk is the standard basis for such cheeses, although some recipes call for adding a proportion of whole milk, and some of the cheeses are even enriched by a little cream. The differences between cottage cheese and cream cheese and curd cheese are explored in those entries.
Commercial manufacture started around 1915 in the USA. Factory-made cottage cheese is made from powdered skimmed milk by a scaled-up version of the same simple process. Production and consumption are greatest in the USA, where a number of different kinds are available. Sweet-curd cottage cheese is a variety made with rennet, and of low acidity. In this the particles of curd are large and resemble kernels of popped corn; so it is sometimes called popcorn cheese. Small-grained varieties are apt to be called ‘country-style’ or ‘farm-style’.
Cottage cheese is usually sold in tubs, often with flavouring agents such as chives added. These are desirable since, unlike the tangy cottagers' cheese of the past, which was naturally soured, it has little flavour of its own. Its growth in popularity has evidently been due to its combining a good supply of protein with a low calorie count and relatively low cost.
See also ricotta.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
Bartlett, J. R. (1848), Dictionary of Americanisms, New York.
