The Colorado statesman., 1914-07-11
L[o> ,.,S IN !
DOMESTIC SCIENCE |
Prepared by the [
Agricultural Department
WASHINGTON. D. C.
CHEESE AS A FOOD.


fact that it is not more commonly
used here is probably due to several
causes. One is habit, which makes a
meal seem incomplete unless it in
cludes meat; another Is the fact that
since cheese has a more pronounced
flavor than meat, it is not so likely to
be generally agreeable as the chief
food of a meal. Another cause is
that it is commonly believed to be
indigestible, and still another is the
fact that housekeepers, through lack
of experience, are much less skillful
in the arrangement of bills of fare in
which cheese is the central food than
they are in arranging menus in which
meat is thus used.
Cheese has nearly twice as much
protein weight for weight, as beef
of average composition, and its energy
and heat-supplying power is more
than twice as great. 1t also contains
an appreciable amount of mineral mat
ter. Recent experiments have shown
that when eaten raw or carefully
cooked. cheese is as thoroughly di-
gested as other staple foods, and is
turbances.
The American factory cheese, the
so-called American cream cheese of
the English cheddar type, is the most
commonly used of all commercial va
rieties in the United States. 1t is
made from sweet cows milk, which
may be skinned, partly skinned. or
unskimmed If made from unskimmed
milk, the cheese Is called full
cream; If the cream is removed, 1t
is designated as part skim" or
Skim" as the case may be. Many
other kinds of cheese are of course
sold in this country. Swiss cheese
and the different varieties of cream
cheese being especially well liked.
One of the best ways of keeping
cheese which has been cut is to wrap
it in slightly damp cloth-or paraf-
fin paper may be used-and then in
paper, and to keep 1t in cool place.
To dampen the cloth, sprinkle it and
then wiring 1t, until 1t seems barely
damp to the touch. When cheese is
put in covered dish, the air should
never be wholly excluded, for If it is
inc CHeeSe luOTe
In some markets 1t is possible to
buy tho small whole cheeses. These
may be satisfactorily kept by cutting
a slice from the top to serve as
cover and removing the cheese as
needed. 1t is possible to buy at the
hardware store knobs which, inserted
in .the layer cut from the top, make
It easy to handle.
The customary use of highly flaw
ored cheese as a condiment is to be
recommended as a simple way of add
ing to the attractiveness of the diet.
They should, however, accompany
moderate rather than a very generous
menu.
Cheese may, however, be used as
the chief protein-supplying dish of
meal, preferably for lunch or supper
Cheese. being rich in both protein and
fat. logically replaces such foods as
meat, fish and eggs, when taken in
quantity.
Housekeepers would probably find
that il in planning meals OF which
cheese dish is the chief feature they
were to take pains to supply also
crisp. watery vegetables, water cress,
celery, lettuce, or simple fruit salads,
and would give preference to refresh
ing fruits, either fresh or cooked,
rather than to what are known as
heavy desserts, they would in the
main be more successful In pleasing
those they serve.
Whether raw or cooked, cheese has
a tendency to be somewhat soft and
so seems to call for the harder kinds
of bread, as crusty rolls. toast, crack
ers or some of the numerous crisp
ready-to-eat cereal breakfast foods.
Brittle cookies, too. seem more suit
able than soft cakes or puddings for
dessert in such meals.
Certain kinds of homemade cheese
are very appetizing. Recipes for
few of these follow:
Cottage Cheese-This cheese is
very simple. 1t consists merely of
curdling the milk, separating the curd
from the whey, seasoning and press
ing il.
The curd is formed by the souring
of milk and the process is fastened
If the milk is kept warm, the best
temperature being about blood heat,
90 degrees F. A temperature much
above this should be avoided, as
the curd is likely to become hard and
tough If much heated The danger is
usually not that the whole will be
overheated but that the portion near
est the fire will be- In the old fash
toned kitchen there was usually a
place where the milk could stand till
It was uniformly warm throughout.
With our present cooking arrange
ments 1t is often desirable to hasten
the process. This may be done by
setting the milk into pan of warm
water or by pouring hot water di-
rectly into the milk itself The effect
l.. h.