Cottage cheese is a
fresh cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed, so some
whey remains and the individual curds remain loose. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity, giving sweet curd cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from milks with different fat levels and in small-curd or large-curd preparations. Cottage cheese which is pressed becomes
hoop cheese,
farmer cheese,
pot cheese, or
queso blanco.