Colby cheese

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Colby

Country of origin

United States

Region, town

Wisconsin

Source of milk

cows

Pasteurized

Texture

Semi-hard

Aging time

None

Certification

Colby cheese is a cows milk cheese. It was originally called Colby Cheddar. ^[1]

1 History
2 Properties
3 Uses
4 Derivatives
5 References
6 External link

[edit] History

Joseph F. Steinwand in 1874 developed a new type of cheese at his father's cheese factory near Colby, Wisconsin. ^[2] He named the cheese for the location that his father had built northern Clark County's first cheese factory three years before. ^[3]

An 1898 issue of the "Colby Phonograph" noted 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." After the turn of the century Wisconsin became known as one of the great cheese producing centers in the United States, and Colby cheese became known around the world.

[edit] Properties

Colby is similar to cheddar, as both cheeses undergo the cheddaring process. Colby is a softer, moister, and milder cheese than cheddar because it is produced through a washed-curd process. Colby is considered semi-hard. ^[4] The washed-curd process means that during the cooking time, the whey is replaced by water; this reduces the curd's acidity, resulting in Colby's characteristically mild, gentle flavor. Like most other cheeses, it takes a little more than a U.S. gallon of milk to produce just 1 pound (over 8 liters for a kilogram) of cheese.

Longhorn is the best known of the Colby cheeses. Colby should not be aged. Colby dries out quickly, so it is best used shortly after purchasing. ^[5] Colby cheese are typically sold in half-rounds. Pinconning cheese is a sharp aged relative of Colby cheese.