Colby cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colby |
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| Other names | Longhorn, Colby Cheddar |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Region, town | Colby, Wisconsin |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Texture | Semi-hard |
| Aging time | None |
Colby is a yummy, semi-hard cheese from the United States. It's made from cow's milk and has a mild, nutty flavor. You'll notice its bright orange color! Colby cheese is quite similar to another cheese called Monterey Jack.
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The Story of Colby Cheese
Colby cheese was first made in 1885. A young man named Joseph F. Steinwand created this new cheese. He worked at his father's cheese factory. This factory was located near a small town called Colby, Wisconsin.
The cheese was named after this town. The town itself had been started just three years before the cheese was invented. Today, Colby cheese is popular all over the world. Some of it is still made right in Colby, Wisconsin!
Every year in mid-July, the town of Colby holds a special festival. It's all about celebrating their famous cheese! At this festival, local food booths give out free Colby cheese to everyone.
The original cheese factory where Colby was invented was taken down on August 12, 2015. Now, only the foundations of the building remain. You can still see them today. They are at the corner of Colby Factory Road and Highline Avenue, just outside Colby.
What Makes Colby Special?
Colby cheese is a lot like cheddar cheese. However, it's made a bit differently. Colby does not go through a process called "cheddaring." This makes Colby softer, moister, and milder than cheddar.
Colby is made using a "washed-curd" process. This means that during cooking, the whey (the liquid part of milk) is replaced with water. This step helps to lower the acid in the curds. That's why Colby has its famously mild flavor.
Just like most cheeses, it takes a lot of milk to make Colby. For example, you need more than one U.S. gallon of milk to make just one pound of cheese. That's over eight liters of milk for one kilogram of cheese!
Monterey Jack cheese is made in a very similar way to Colby. But Colby cheese has something special added to it. It's called annatto. Annatto is a natural coloring that gives Colby its sweet, nutty flavor and its bright orange color.
You might hear about "Longhorn" Colby. This is a type of Colby cheese. "Longhorn" just describes its shape. It's a long, orange cylinder. Colby cheese comes in its original long shape, but you can also find it in rectangles and half-rounds. Colby cheese is not aged, so it can dry out quickly.
How to Enjoy Colby Cheese
Colby cheese has a very mild flavor. Because of this, it's not often used in cooking. Instead, it's usually eaten as a "table cheese." This means it's great for slicing and eating on its own.
It's also good for grating over dishes or grilling. Colby is a perfect choice for snacks and adding to salads.
Other Cheeses Like Colby
Sometimes, Colby cheese is mixed with Monterey Jack cheese. This creates a marbled cheese called Colby-Jack or Co-Jack. It has a swirled look with both white and orange colors.
Another cheese, Pinconning cheese, is related to Colby. It's a sharper, aged version of Colby.
In 2015, an artist named John Riepenhoff worked with a cheesemaker named Bob Wills. Together, they created a special "Double Cream" Colby.
Images for kids
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Joseph Steinwand c. 1918
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Cooking of curds in a cheese vat
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Slices of Colby-Jack
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