Litchfield enquirer., 1831-04-07
ON PRESERVING BUTTER.

that it seems to me that if one quarter OF
the attention had been paid to its improve
ment, that there has to subjects of minor
importance, our markets and tables would
not so often be the subject Of complaint.
shall not attempt to give chemical a.
nalysis of butter, or even directions for ma
king it, as it is only good article that can
obtain buyers, or gain admittance to the ia
bles of private families, who provide for
themselves but would here observe that
there is not such marked difference in
particular districts or pastures, or in breeds
of cows, or even skill in the manufacturing,
except as to neatness and cleanliness, as
most persons imagine.
In buying your butter, the most sensible
question you can ask, is how many cows
do you keep 2 the chance of good article
is generally in favor Of the larger number ;
any other inquiries are mere moon-shine.
Tasting, smelling, seeing, and feeling, are
the only true criterions. Fresh, sweet, and
clean, is all that is required: the grand Sc
cret is preservation, land this is so simple that
no one who loves good article should ev-
err complain Of having bad, rancid, frowey
butter.
Butter is an oil, rather more appertain-
ing to animal than vegetable origin, and
when pure, does not contain the elements
Of spontaneous fermentation, or decompo-
sition, and il not exposed to the air, is as
Interchangeable as gold, or the diamond it.
self; and the first pound that was made by
the Scythians, who were the first discover
ers. 500 years before the christian era, if
properly prepared, and Theoretically sealed,
would be as fine and palatable this day, as
the best pound made in the "Genesee
sountry''' this year.
Allow me to give one fact within my
knowledge, to support this assertion. In
the summer 1926, had presented to me
a piece Of butter 81 years old, and which
to taste and smell, was as fine and sweet as
it was the day it was churned, and for
aught l know, even sweeter, for it was the
very cream Of butter. 1t had been pre-
served under the following circumstances.
A farmers wife, during very hot weather,
had put large roll on a pewter plate, and
tied it over with white napkin and low
cred it into deep we'll TO cool and fit it for
the table. In Withdrawing it the string
broke, and it sunk to the bottom. Twen-
ty-ome years after, the we'll was cleaned,
and during the operation, it got loosed from
its Imprisonment, rose and swan ON the
surface, to the no small annoyance and sur
prise of the man who was in the well. 1t
was carefully drawn up as the egg of some
land or sea-serpent, but the good wife soon
laid the spook, and explained the mystery.
Now for the grand secret of preservation,
for the PRONUNCIATION of which, l ask my
readers to try it once, and they may forever
after do as they please.
After butter is made, or comes into your
possession, ifin warm weather the first OPP
GRAFTON is, to put it either in cool cellar or
into cold well or spring water, till it be-
comes of as hard consistency as it can
readily be worked with ladle or PADDLE.
In small portions work out all the milk or
whey that it contains, which is best done in
a wooden bowl, held in a sloping direction.
Nay,you may even work it with cold water,
changing it till it comes off clear, except in
which case, add an additional quantity of
salt, and if you will do it with the follow
ing compound, you will decidedly find your
account in it; viz two parts common
salt, not too tine) one part saltpetre, and
one part sugar, by measure. And above
all, remember that the working must be
thoroughly done, If you wish it to keep a
long time, and that il can only be done
when cooled down to proper tempera-
ture, for by this process you purify it of all
self-acting and purifying particles, that are
capable ofspontaDeous change and decom-
position: and it now only wants to be kept
from contact with air, to render it perfect
~ Interchangeable. To do this, take any
sweet wooden cask, tub, or Grkin. that has
been used at least one year before, and
lost its wood flavor, or what is decidedly
better. stone and earthen jars or pots,
make the butter inro rolls Of that conven-
lent size, that the half of one shall be fit for
the table, and lay them carefully and snug
ly down till the vessel is full, or within a
few inches, then make brine Of cold wa
ter, as strong as salt will make it, or to sat-
uration, and cover fairly the whole of the
butter. IL properly packed, it will not
swim as you use from it, and if kept COW
cred, it is as sweet and good at the end of
ten years as when put down.
1t is important to be in rolls, to prevent
its coming too much in contact with the
wood, whereby it would receive air and be
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