Green cheese facts for kids
Green cheese is a special kind of fresh cheese. It hasn't been fully dried or aged, which means it's still quite new. This cheese is usually white and round. The word "green" here doesn't mean the color! Instead, it means "new" or "young," like a plant that's just starting to grow. It's called "green" because the whey (the liquid part of milk) hasn't been fully pressed out yet.
You might hear the word "green" used this way in other places too. For example, a "greenhorn" is someone who is new and doesn't have much experience. So, when we talk about "green cheese," we're talking about a cheese that's fresh and young!
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Green Cheese in Sayings and Stories
The Moon and Green Cheese
Have you ever heard the saying, "the Moon is made of green cheese"? This old saying comes from how a round, white, fresh cheese looks a bit like the full Moon. People sometimes think it means the Moon is actually green, but that's not true! The Moon's surface is actually quite dark, like old, black asphalt. The saying just points out how similar the shapes are.
A Scottish Saying
In Scotland, there's a popular saying: "You can't see green cheese go past you." This means that if someone else has something, you feel like you absolutely must have it too! For example, if your friend gets a cool new bike, even if you can't ride a bike yet, you might really want one just because they have it. It's all about not wanting to miss out!
A Fun Frisian Phrase
There's a tricky phrase from the West Frisian language that mentions green cheese. It goes: "Bûter en brea en griene tsiis, hwa't dat net sizze kin is gjin oprjuchte Frys." This means "Butter and bread and green cheese, who can't say that is no true Frisian." It's a fun way to test if someone can speak the language properly!
Cheeses That Are Actually Green!
Even though "green cheese" usually means "new cheese," some cheeses really are green or have green parts! For example, the veins in most blue cheese are actually a dark bluish-green color.
Here are some types of cheese that are truly green or pale green:
- Cherni Vit – This is a green cheese that comes from Bulgaria.
- Sage Derby – This English cheese has a marbled green pattern because sage herbs are added to it.
- Schabziger – A unique Swiss green cheese.
- Y Fenni – This is a Welsh green cheese.
Other cheeses can also be partly or completely green because different herbs or ingredients are added to them.
