Cottage Cheese *Shudder*

There are eleven recipes in Moosewood that require cottage cheese. A few more have optional cottage cheese or the choice of cottage cheese or ricotta. I am literally quivering in fear.

            Now, full disclosure, I’ve never actually tried cottage cheese. At least, if I have, I don’t remember it. So, you might be saying it’s not fair for me to judge cottage cheese solely on its disgusting look. But seriously, it looks disgusting. Also, people have told me that it’s gross. So my judgments are based on appearance and hear say. Additionally, I was in a play in high school in which someone had to get cottage cheese dumped on him. And that pretty much ruined it for me permanently.

            But, because of Moosewood, I need to either learn to love it or find someone who really likes it. Like, eleven meals worth. I decided for my first cottage cheese exposure I would ease my way in with Cottage Cheese and Apple Pancakes.

            And shocker! They were totally delicious! I don’t know if it was because I was super hungry after three back to back classes, but seriously, these are awesome!

            I was ticking away my grievances with this recipe when it began: cottage cheese, grated apple (just annoying), separated eggs (also annoying). But I completely take them back now! I used my $5 Target hand mixer (a fantastic investment) to beat the egg whites and stirred everything else together by hand. I have to say that there’s nothing quite as fascinating as watching egg whites froth up and then turn to that thick creamy bowl of fluff. It’s actually just amazing. The pancake batter ends up thick and lumpy due to the cottage cheese and apples, but it pours well and fries up nicely.  

My pancake flipping skills leave something to be desired

            Moosewood recommends a few different toppings, but I forgot to buy maple syrup, so mine were plain. Though they do go nicely with a bottle of hard cider. I don’t think they need any additional toppings, but maple syrup would still be good. Moosewood also specifies using tart apples. I used Pink Lady apples, handpicked from a local orchard. They aren’t exactly tart, but I think they work perfectly!

            I’m excited to hit double digits in my recipe counter, but for now, I’m still at 9/241.