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MY HUSBAND AND I are moving to Wisconsin this week, so it seems right to dedicate today's column to cheese, glorious cheese. Not only is Wisconsin a major cheese-producing area here in the states, but also I've been told that my ancestors were cheese makers in 16th-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic.

Americans are fond of cheese, eating 31 pounds per year, mostly mozzarella, Cheddar and cream cheese.

Moderate amounts of cheese can be a nutritious source of calcium and protein, and cheese is easier to digest than milk. It's also tasty on sandwiches, pasta and in casseroles.

But the calories, fat and sodium in many cheeses quickly add up.

Not all cheeses are equal: You may be surprised to learn that ounce-for-ounce, Brie, Neufchatel and even Velveeta are lower in fat than Cheddar; while Parmesan has 19 times as much calcium as cottage cheese.

Because cheese is fermented, it is easier to digest than milk. Many people who are lactose-intolerant and feel bloated or crampy after drinking milk have no symptoms after eating a hard cheese such as Parmesan.

It takes an 8-ounce cup of milk to make 1 ounce of cheese--a 1-inch cube. That cube often packs all the protein and calcium of the entire cup of milk into a small space: about 110 calories, 7 to 9 grams of protein and 200 to 300 milligrams of calcium.

Just how much protein, fat and calcium are in the finished product depends on what type of milk was used and how the cheese was made.

People can make cheese from any kind of milk. Cow's milk is most common, but you can find cheeses made from goat milk, sheep milk and even reindeer and water buffalo milk in other parts of the world. Using whole milk, 2 percent milk or nonfat milk affects the amount of fat in the cheese, as well as the taste and texture.

There are many ways to make cheese. One of the most common is to take milk, add vinegar or friendly bacteria, then add enzymes which curdle it, separating the solid curds of cheese from the liquid whey. (Remember little Miss Muffet, sitting on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey?)