Hoop cheese
Hoop cheese is a simple, traditional cheese made only from milk, where the whey has been totally pressed out. It is different from farmer’s cheese in that farmer’s cheese is made with milk, cream and salt, while hoop cheese is made from milk alone.
Hoop cheese is difficult to find commercially in the United States, due to the difficulty of automating the manufacturing process. It was once so popular, however, that a device called a hoop cheese cutter was manufactured and used in general stores during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This object resembled a turntable with a knife blade suspended above it. It was built by scale companies of the period to cut the exact amount of cheese the customer wanted.
Hoop cheese can be found at many small restaurants and independent gas stations and grocers throughout the south.
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