"Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey…" Wait. What are curds and whey? If you answered cottage cheese, you're right. The curd is the lumps and the whey is the liquid. While it may not sound very appetizing, cottage cheese has some health benefits to consider.
Cottage cheese starts out with pasteurized nonfat milk. Cultures and enzymes are added, which starts the fermentation process. This acidification makes some of the proteins in milk clump together (curds separate from the whey). Once the curds are formed, they are cut into small, medium or large pieces, cooked and blended with a salty cream dressing. Besides the size of the curd, cottage cheese is sold in varying fat levels. Creamed cottage cheese is made by containing nonfat cottage cheese with a light cream dressing. It contains at least four percent milkfat. Lowfat cottage cheese is also made with a cream dressing but contains no more than two percent milkfat. Nonfat cottage cheese does not contain any cream dressing and contains no more than 0.5 grams milkfat per serving. It's important to understand that even full-fat cottage cheese is only 4% fat; most cheeses hover around 30%.
Cottage cheese has a team of nutrients for good bone health, including protein, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. The caveat is that cottage cheese is high in sodium. Compare labels, as sodium content will differ by brand, and try to avoid other high sodium foods that day. While many people eat cottage cheese right out of the container, consider other uses, such as in scrambled eggs, pasta dishes, potato dishes, fruit parfaits, or smoothies. So go sit on your tuffet, and eat curds and whey. Wait. What's a tuffet?
Cottage Cheese Fettuccini Alfredo (Printable PDF)
8 oz. fettuccini noodles
1 cup skim milk
½ cup 2% milkfat cottage cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Cook noodles according to package directions. In a food processor or blender, add remaining ingredients except parsley. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally. Cook until slightly thickened and heated through. Add cooked pasta and toss. Serve garnished with parsley if desired.
Yield: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 300 calories, 5 grams fat, 380 milligrams sodium, 49 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 16 grams protein
FAQs
Milk contains a protein called casein and when you add an acid (like vinegar or lemon juice) it causes those proteins to clump together. The solid clumps are called curds, and the leftover liquid is called whey–just like in “l*ttle Miss Muffet!”
What are curds and whey in Little Miss Muffet? ›
Rennin is an enzyme from a calf's stomach, and it makes some of the proteins in milk clump together. These clumping proteins are called "curd proteins," while the milk proteins that refuse to clump are called "whey proteins." These proteins are the curds and whey of Miss Muffet's lunch.
What does it mean to eat curds and whey? ›
"Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey…" Wait. What are curds and whey? If you answered cottage cheese, you're right. The curd is the lumps and the whey is the liquid. While it may not sound very appetizing, cottage cheese has some health benefits to consider.
Are curds and whey healthy? ›
The Healing Benefits of Curd Cheese
It is packed with protein, rich in healing fats (the best coming from properly raised grass-fed animals) and, most important, is an excellent digestive aid. Fresh, unripened cheese made from raw cultured dairy products is bursting with probiotic (pro-life) activity.
Are curds and whey junket? ›
In 1886 Hansen's Household Rennet Tablets made their appearance, accompanied by a simple recipe to make junket, an English dessert known also by other names such as curds and whey, slip, or rennet custard. The basic recipe has not changed materially since then.
What is the curds and whey in cheese? ›
Coagulation is one of the first steps in cheese production. After the curds are formed, they're pressed and drained before different elements are introduced, depending on the type of cheese being made. The liquid that is leftover after the curds are drained is called whey.
What is the real meaning behind Little Miss Muffet? ›
“l*ttle Miss Muffet” is about a girl named Patience, who was Dr Muffet's stepdaughter. The lyrics probably tell the story of an incident when Patience ran away from her breakfast, being frightened by a spider from Dr. Muffet's collection.
What are curds and whey quizlet? ›
Whey. Thin, watery part of milk separated from the thicker curds. Yogurt. Milk-based food produced when milk is clotted by lactic acid-producing bacteria.
What does curds mean? ›
noun. Often curds. a substance consisting mainly of casein and the like, obtained from milk by coagulation, and used as food or made into cheese.
Is curd the same as cottage cheese? ›
Cottage Cheese is a Rinsed Curd Cheese. Similar in the make for gouda, cottage cheese also experiences the rinsing of its curds after the cooking process, which removes any lingering whey content.
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.
How does milk become curds and whey? ›
The curdling is the result of a chemical reaction between the vinegar (acid) and the fats and proteins. You can separate the curds out of the milk by pouring the clumpy mess through a filter like a strong paper towel or piece of cheesecloth. The liquid that passes through the paper towel or cheesecloth is called whey.
Did people actually eat curds and whey? ›
While it's not exactly commonplace to chow down on plain cottage cheese these days, eating curds and whey as a snack was a relatively normal thing to do when the nursery rhyme was first published. If you do choose to spoon your cottage cheese directly into your mouth, though, no judgment here.
Who eats curds and whey? ›
"Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Alon..." You may remember this beloved nursery rhyme, but have you ever wondered, 'what are curds and whey?"
Is ricotta curds and whey? ›
You have the solids, called curds, which will be separated out and pressed to form cheese. And you have the liquid that is left behind, called whey. Most cheeses that we know and love are made from the curds but, traditionally at least, ricotta is made from the tiiiiiny bit of curd left behind in the whey.
What is curd made of? ›
Curd is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. In this process, lactose in milk is converted into lactic acid by several probiotic microorganisms.
Are curd and yogurt same? ›
Curd typically has a looser texture and a milder flavour, as its fermentation process is less controlled. Yoghurt, on the other hand, undergoes a more controlled fermentation, resulting in a thicker, custard-like consistency and a distinct tangy taste.
What does whey mean? ›
whey. noun. ˈhwā ˈwā : the serum or watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat.
What is another name for curds and whey? ›
Cottage cheese, also called "curds and whey"
