>Holstein vs. Brown Swiss

Milk is milk. Yes?

While we routinely differentiate thousands of different wines, and cheeses for that matter, Americans seldom give much thought to differentiating our humble cow milk. Whole milk, 2%, nonfat... anything else do you think of while buying a quart?

Protein and fat contents of milk (lactose and minerals, too) vary with cow breeds, and the final quality depends on how it's processed.

Shouldn't we classify milk according to regional origin, breed, climate and feed as well? Is the milk from a young cow or a mature one?

Why don't we have more milk tastings to determine, say, aroma, body, finish? I am not imagining milk's complexity and dimension. Some milks smell like clover, some like dishwater. Some taste like honey, some are a bit tart. I've seen cream-colored milk, even buttery gold, as well as snowy white ones.

Holstein seems to have won on quantity alone.
Who knows what will happen when people start to notice taste differences?

May the best cow win.