A type of American cheese similar to cheddar but with a more open texture and milder flavor. Named after Colby, Wisconsin where it was first produced.
Named after the town of Colby, Wisconsin, where cheese maker Joseph F. Steinwand developed this variety in 1885. The town itself was named after Gardner Colby, a philanthropist and railroad financier.
Colby cheese represents a uniquely American innovation in cheese-making - while European cheeses evolved over centuries, Colby was deliberately invented to meet American tastes for milder flavors. The cheese's characteristic open texture comes from washing the curds with cold water, which stops the acid development and creates those distinctive irregular holes.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.