Curd facts for kids
Curds are a cool dairy product made from milk. They form when milk thickens and separates into solid bits and a liquid. This process is called "curdling." Think of it like magic!
How does milk curdle? You can make it happen by adding something like rennet (a natural enzyme) or an acidic liquid, such as lemon juice or vinegar. When the milk becomes more acidic, its proteins (casein) clump together into solid pieces – these are the curds!
Sometimes, milk will curdle naturally if it's left out, especially raw milk or pasteurized milk with special lactic acid bacteria added. This is how some types of sour milk cheese are made. Making curds is actually the very first step in cheesemaking. The curds are then pressed and drained to create different kinds of cheese. The liquid left behind, which has other milk proteins, is called whey.
What Are Curds Used For?
Curds are used to make many different foods around the world! Here are some examples:
- Cottage cheese: This popular cheese has small, soft curds.
- Quark: A creamy, fresh cheese that's a bit like yogurt.
- Farmer cheese and pot cheese: These are firmer, fresh cheeses.
- Queso blanco: A white, fresh cheese often used in Latin American cooking.
- Paneer: An Indian cheese made by curdling milk with lime juice.
Sometimes, the word "curd" can also describe non-dairy foods that look similar, but usually, they'll have a word like "curdled" or a description to make it clear.
In England, curds made with rennet are sometimes called "junket." True "curds and whey" (like in the nursery rhyme!) usually refers to milk that has separated naturally due to temperature or acidity.
Images for kids
-
Heating and stirring the curd to make French Beaufort cheese, an Alpine cheese
-
Lithuanian curd
.jpg)
