Crowdie facts for kids

Crowdie is a special kind of soft, fresh cheese from Scotland. It's usually made from cow's milk. Sometimes, the name "crowdie" can also mean a type of uncooked porridge made from oats and cold water, but most of the time, it refers to the cheese!

What is Crowdie Cheese?

Crowdie is a "lactic cheese." This means it gets its special texture and taste from bacteria. These tiny helpers turn the sugar in milk (called lactose) into lactic acid. When there's enough lactic acid, the milk naturally thickens and forms curds. Curds are the solid parts of milk that become cheese.

A Taste of History: Crowdie's Past

This cheese has a long history! People have been making Crowdie for a very long time in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. It was traditionally made by crofters and smallholders. These are people who farm small pieces of land. They would use milk from their own family cow. Crowdie's origins might go back to the time of the Vikings, or even earlier to the Picts, who were ancient people in Scotland.

How Crowdie Was Made (The Old Way)

In the past, Crowdie was made in a simple way. People would let raw, skimmed milk warm up. They might place it on a windowsill or near a fire. As it warmed, the milk would naturally sour and thicken. This happened because lactic acid formed in the milk.

Once the milk was thick, it was gently heated. This made the curds form. The warm curds were then put into a special cloth, like muslin. They were hung up to drip, letting the watery part (called whey) drain away. After draining, the curds were mixed with salt. Sometimes, a little cream was added too. This made a soft, crumbly cheese. It had a lot of moisture and didn't last long. The natural souring of the milk gave it a fresh, slightly tangy taste.

Crowdie's Comeback

After World War II, fewer people made Crowdie at home. Old farming traditions started to fade. But Crowdie survived thanks to a woman named Susannah Stone. She kept making it near a village called Tain in Scotland.

One day in 1962, she made too much cheese. She offered the extra to a local shop. Her traditional Crowdie became very popular! Because of this, she and her husband started making it for sale. They also made other traditional Scottish cheeses.

Today, Crowdie is usually made from milk that has been pasteurised. This means most of the bacteria in the milk have been killed. So, lactic acid is now added to the milk to start the souring process.

Ways to Enjoy Crowdie

Crowdie is often eaten with oatcakes. Some people suggest eating it before a ceilidh. A ceilidh is a traditional Scottish party with music and dancing. It's said that Crowdie can help with the effects of drinking whisky.

There are a few different kinds of Crowdie:

• Black Crowdie (or Gruth Dubhcode: gla promoted to code: gd ) is made by mixing Crowdie with double cream. It's then rolled in a mix of pinhead oatmeal and crushed black peppercorns.
• Hramsais is Crowdie mixed with wild garlic and white and red pepper.
• Galic Hramsa is rolled in crumbled flaked hazelnuts and almonds.

One very popular way to eat Crowdie is as a dessert. It's called "cream crowdie" or "cranachan." This dessert is often eaten as part of a Burns supper. A Burns supper celebrates the Scottish poet Robert Burns. The recipe for cranachan usually includes double cream, oats, whisky, honey, and raspberries.