I grew up on a four generation family farm - built by my great grandfather in 1848.
Grampa would milk twice a day - we had twin Jerseys, high in butterfat.
Grampa would bring the milk pails up the house - where the day’s household milk was poured off and the rest went into the separator that sat in a corner of the ‘cook room.’
This ‘separated’ the cream from the milk. Some cream was kept out for things like coffee and making whipped cream for hot gingerbread.
The rest went into the cellarway for Friday’ butter churning. (I I had been ‘good’ and had done my ‘chores’, I got to help churn! ;)...)
The blueish, watery stuff left after the cream was separated out was put in the swill bucket for the pigs. (Now it’s sold as ‘low fat’ milk.)
Grammie would occasionally hold out some whole milk for making cottage cheese - which resulted in a separation of the milk fats from the whole milk, resulting in ‘curds and whey.’
Remember,, Little Miss Muffett ate BOTH her ‘curds and whey’. Grammie used the whey in soups, bread, etc.
today, athletes use whey for bulking up - and it works. it helps build/keep muscles - and strength. NOT just for athletes, but for anyone - as we lose 1% of muscle mass per year after 30, according to reports.
I’m a great-grandma - and just started making my own ‘curds & whey’ - takes about 5-7 minutes to cook down. I do 3 qts of whole milk at at time, which gives my a weeks worth of cottage cheese and whey. I mostly use the whey in one third to 2 thirds with V8 juice - and drink following exercise. I expected maybe to see some effect in a few weeks - I was floored to find a MARKED difference in just 24 hours. I can get up off chairs etc, and up stairs, MUCH easier! 2 weeks later, I find I can even RUN - something I haven’t been able to do for some years! - I won’t be doing any marathons anytime soon, but what a great feeling. Maybe I’ll even be able to take tub baths again - and be able to get OUT of the tub? (It was getting to a point where I was afraid my living alone & independence was coming to a close.)
I use Organic whole milk - and it DOES taste so good - can’t abide the ‘fat free’ stuff - nor ‘low fat’ cottage cheese. (It also doesn’t go sour in a few days! It will stay good for weeks. Like fresh organic eggs and vegetables fresh out of the garden.
Interesting. I get raw Jersey milk now. Make kefir and occasionally kefir cheese and whey from it. Have also made paneer from regular milk.