Maytag Blue cheese facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maytag Blue Cheese
Country of origin	Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Region	United States of America
Town	Newton, Iowa
Source of milk	Cow
Pasteurized	No
Texture	semi-hard

Maytag Blue Cheese is a special blue cheese made on the Maytag Dairy Farms. These farms are located near Newton, Iowa, which is also where the famous Maytag Corporation (known for appliances) used to be.

In 1938, experts at Iowa State University figured out a new way to make blue cheese. They used homogenized cow's milk instead of the traditional sheep's milk. This was a big step for making blue cheese in the United States!

History of Maytag Blue Cheese

The Maytag family started making this cheese in 1941. Frederick L. Maytag II and Robert Maytag, who were grandsons of the Maytag appliance company's founder, began the cheese business. The milk first came from a special group of Holstein cows. These cows were part of a prize-winning herd started by E. H. Maytag, another family member.

As of 2016, the Maytag family's third and fourth generations still owned the company. It's interesting because the farm has grown without needing a lot of advertising or a big sales team.

In early 2016, Maytag temporarily stopped making and shipping cheese. This was to make sure everything was safe after some checks by the FDA. They wanted to be extra careful about possible tiny germs. By November 2016, the farm started making cheese again, and sales picked up by September 2017.

How Maytag Blue Cheese is Made

The special way to make Maytag Blue Cheese was created and patented in the United States. Two scientists from Iowa State University, Clarence Lane and Bernard W. Hammer, discovered it. Before this, making blue cheese like Roquefort (a famous European blue cheese) in the U.S. was tricky. It was hard to get the flavor right, and the blue mold didn't always grow evenly.

The process starts by treating the cow's milk. The cream is separated, then mixed back into the skim milk. This step, called homogenizing, helps the fat in the milk break down properly. This breakdown is very important for the cheese's flavor.

Next, the milk rests for a while. Then, rennet is added. Rennet is a mix of enzymes that makes the milk thicken and separate into solid curds and liquid whey. The scientists found that using a bit more rennet and a slightly warmer temperature helped speed up the process.

Their changes made the cheese-making much faster. For example, the time it took for the cheese to set and drain was cut almost in half!

After the cheese is formed, a special mold called Penicillium is added. This mold is what gives blue cheese its famous green or blue veins.

Finally, the cheese rounds are shaped by hand. They are then aged in special caves. These caves have cool temperatures and high humidity, which are perfect conditions for the cheese to develop its unique flavor and texture.

As of 2017, Maytag Blue Cheese was still being made by hand using milk from local dairy farms.

What Makes Maytag Blue Cheese Special

The special way Maytag Blue Cheese is made helps create a very consistent product. This means each batch of cheese has a similar color, taste, and texture. This consistency is a big reason why it's so popular.

Nutritional Information

Here's what you get in about 1 oz|g|abbr=on of blue cheese:

• Food energy (calories): 100 calories
• Energy from fat: 73 calories
• Total fat: 8 grams
  • Saturated fat: 5 grams
  • Monounsaturated fat: 2 grams
• Cholesterol: 21 milligrams
• Sodium: 395 milligrams
• Total carbohydrates: 1 gram
• Protein: 6 grams

Awards

Maytag Blue Cheese has won awards for its quality. For example, it won "Best Hard Blue cheese" at the 2005 World Cheese Awards.

See also

In Spanish: Maytag (queso) para niños