Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-07-15
LESSONS IN
DOMESTIC SCIENCE
Prepared by the
Agricultural Department
WAshINaToN, o. c.
CHEESE AS A FOOD.

used in the same way as meat The
fact that 1t 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
favor 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 d.
gested as other staple foods, and is
not likely to produce physiological dis
furbances.
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 unshmmed
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 we'll liked
One of the best ways Of keeping
cheese which has been cut Is to wrap
it in a slightly damp cloth-or paraf-
fin paper may be used-and then In
paper, and to keep 1t in a cool place.
To dampen the cloth, sprinkle it Snd
then wiring it, until 1t seems barely
damp to the touch. When cheese is
put In a covered dish, the air should
never be wholly excluded, for If 1t is
the cheese molds more readily.
In some markets 1t is possible to
buy the 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. It is possible to buy at the
hardware store knobs which, inserted
in the layer cut from the top, make
1t easy to handle.
The customary use Of highly flaw
ored cheese as a condiment is to be
recommended as a simple way or 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 ind
that II 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.
j 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
Teady-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. It consists merely OF
curdiing the milk, separating the curu
from the whey, seasoning and press
ing it.
The curd is formed by the souring
Of milk and the process is fastened
II the milk is kept warm, the best
temperature being about blood heat,
96 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
place where the milk could stand TIL
It was uniformly warm throughout
With our present cooking arrange
ments it is often desirable to hasten
the process. This may be done by
setting the milk into pan of warm