Colby cheese is an American semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk. Its taste is compared to cheddar cheese, but Colby differs from the latter in greater softness and tenderness, pliable texture, and greater moisture.
What is colby cheese taste like? It has a slightly sweet milky taste with salty notes. The heads of cheese are tall cylinders weighing about 18 kg or rectangular bars of various sizes.
Colby is considered one of the first truly American cheeses, as it was developed by an American in the United States and was not intended to copy European products. In 1875, Ambrose and Susan Steinwand moved with their three children to the small town of Colby in Wisconsin in the USA, where they bought a piece of land where they opened a dairy in a small wooden building in 1882. The stone walls produced about 125 pounds (about 62 kg) of cheese a day.
The eldest son of the Steinwand, Joseph, showed great interest in the product and helped his father make cheese at the age of 16.
A new cheese was created thanks to diverse experiments in 1885. Joseph F. Steinwand named the cheese after his hometown Colby. White colby cheese is now produced throughout the USA, but the dairy in Colby, where it was developed and produced for the first time, no longer exists today. In honor of cheese, however, a cheese festival takes place in Colby every year in mid-July.
Manufacturing
In Article
Colby is made from pasteurized cow’s milk, which is heated to 30-35 degrees and lactic sourdough is added. After that, the resulting curd is cut into medium-sized squares and the whey is drained. Now cold water is added to the cheese to increase its moisture and remove lactic acid. This gives Colby its softness, distinct from cheddar cheese.
After a while, the cold water is drained, and the cheese is transferred into molds, pressed, salted in brine, and sent to ripening for 4-6 weeks.
The calorie content is about 100 grams of the product containing 394 kcal. Fatness is 32%.
What Is Combined With
Colby cheese uses are diverse. It is used in cooking like traditional aged cheese. It is added when preparing hot dishes, sandwiches, pizza, side dishes, hamburgers, fajitas, snacks, salads.
Cheese on its own is served with young wines, beer, cider, accompanied by pears, apples, tomatoes, onions, rye bread. There is also another type – colby jack cheese.
Appearance and Taste
Ready-ripened Colby is reminiscent of a young cheddar cheese, although it is milder in taste and softer and more elastic in softer texture. The cheese has the typical shape of an elongated cylinder or roll weighing about 6 kg (13 pounds). This form is also called “Longhorn”. It is occasionally also offered in other shapes (round loaf shape, semicircular cylinder, rectangle). It usually has an orange color that comes from the annatto. The product is compact, soft, and elastic and has only a few small holes. The taste is very mild and slightly sweet with milky aromas.
Colby should be consumed relatively quickly after his maturation period, as he does not age very well. With age, it becomes dry and crumbling.
This product is often used for gratinating and baking, as a sandwich topping, for baking crackers, or is simply cut into cubes as an ingredient for salad.
Eating
This delicious cheese can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, as we have mentioned. There are many ways to get a good meal. Here are a few common ways to add it to dishes:
- It is usually eaten as a snack.
- Colby cheese is also often added to salads. Hence, it can bring a certain flavor to the vegetables.
- The cheese is also suitable for eating simply with bread. Thus, it is a good choice to eat just bread and this cheese for breakfast in the morning.
- Pizza, pie, even desserts – it will taste great!
Benefits
The cheese is not only delicious but also has many benefits. For additional health benefits, check the lists below:
- High calcium level. Like any other cheese, this one is also high in calcium. Thus, it can be a good alternative to meet the body’s calcium needs. You can get similar health benefits from Bulgarian buttermilk, which also provides calcium to the body.
- Strength of bones. The high calcium content will help maintain bone strength. This will help increase bone mass and density. Thus, it is good for children and seniors.
- Avoid cavities. Another benefit of cheese is to maintain healthy teeth. This is also due to the calcium content. Therefore, it helps to support the teeth to avoid any cavities by adding more calcium ions to the teeth.
- Avoid osteoporosis. Calcium content is another way to avoid osteoporosis symptoms in older people. So eating cheese every day will keep your bones healthy and strong.
- Child development. Consuming this product will also help support your child’s development. This should help accelerate bone growth in children and support increased growth. Therefore, it is suitable for daily consumption by children. These are the same benefits of playing with construction toys that also contribute to your child’s development.
- Increase the amount of breast milk. Other health benefits of Colby cheese include supporting breast milk in a nursing mother. Therefore, it is beneficial to maintain the breast milk content and quantity during breastfeeding. However, make sure your child is not allergic to dairy products. If so, then it is best to avoid eating cheese.
- Anti-Bacteria. Another benefit of vitamin A in products of this type is great antibacterial protection. It can help the body avoid any bacterial infection.
- Improve immunity. Eating other cheeses is also a good alternative to improve the body’s immune system. Good immunity helps to avoid getting infected with viruses. Hence, it maintains a healthy body and wellness.
What Is a Colby Jack?
We have previously mentioned that another type of this product is Colby Jack. Let’s find out what it is.
Colby-Jack or Ko-Jack is American cheese. It is made from a mixture of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses. It is usually sold in round shape when young and has a mild flavor. Monterey Jack Cheese has a semi-hard consistency. This product is mainly produced in the states of Wisconsin and California. It is used in various dishes or as a topping for melting. This includes dishes such as hamburgers, pasta, baked goods, mac and cheese, casseroles, and so on.
Choose the Best Colby Cheese With Our Help
So, it is high time to get to know what products are better to choose.
Colby Cheese Longhorn Half Loaf
Longhorn is a style of American Colby cheese defined by its round, long, orange cylindrical shape. Similar in mild flavor to Cheddar, it is softer and has a more open texture and high-moisture content. Colby is made the same way as mild Cheddar except the curds are kept separate with cold water, which prevents them from knitting together.
This gives it a more elastic texture than Cheddar . Although all Longhorn cheeses are shaped and packaged the same way, the texture and aging time may vary depending on the cheese type.
Deer Creek’s The Robin
Named after Wisconsin’s state bird, this product has a fitting name for this uniquely Wisconsin cheese. This cheese by Deer Creek takes the traditional Colby formula into uncharted territory by bandage wrapping each miniature 12-pound wheel. The result? A lush, buttery cheese that’s flavorful yet subtle.
Sargento Colby Jack Slices
This product is perfect if you are looking for a product that melts greatly. It will make your burgers and nachos simply perfect. The color is also amazing – clean and orange, it will make your appetizer plate impressive. The ingredients used are pretty simple, like milk, salt, and enzymes. You can be sure it will be a nice experience.
Organic Valley Stringles Colby Jack Cheese
This product is ideal for those looking for GMO-free dairy products. The amount of calcium is impressive, so your bones and teeth will benefit from such a choice. The slices are individually wrapped, which adds extra points to this Colby cheese. It goes well with crackers, fruit, sandwiches, and so on.
FAQ
What Does Colby Cheese Taste Like?
This product is an ideal choice for those who don’t like stinky cheeses. Its taste is incredibly delicate, soft, and sweetish. It reminds of milk and sour at the same time, with some species added. Simply delicious.
What Is Colby Cheese Made Of?
This product is not suitable for those who do not consume dairy products, as it is made of cow’s milk.
Can You Freeze Colby Cheese?
Yes, it is allowed. To freeze it, do the following: cut it into portions, and wrap tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place inside a heavy-duty freezer bag.
