Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-09-24


to SETTLE preparatory to drawing of the whey
but previous to doing that for convenience
should have worked the curd towards the END
Of the vat, opposite Che strainer, which will
much facilitate the separation. When il ha'
stood some fifteen minutes the whey should be
drawn off, first without tipping the vat, at las
tip il so, that it will thoroughly drain out a
the lower end. Previous to this, however the
water should mostly be drawn out, as 1t is wei
for the curd to cool considerably in the whey
The water thus drawn is ia the incest order fol
all purposes Of cleansing the dairy utensils il
every respect, excepting when hot is needed
When separating the whey, the curd should
not be moved or stirred until it is needful to do
so, to keep it from packing, and experience on
| ly can instruct one Just hoto to do it. Begin at
the higher end of the vat and commence NOV
ing the curd as thoroughly as may be necessary
to keep it loose, but with care to prevent bruis
ing or rubbing, as it occasions waste. When
the whey has well drained out, and the curd SO
| far shruuk and cooled as not too readily incline
to pack, sprinkle on one teacupful, or OF. o
clean fine salt for each l6 lbs of cheese, as il
would come from the hoop and mix it thorough
| ly, and let it stand to cool It will now need
Gf it has been properly managed) but little at.
tention to keep it from packing The time
needed to prepare cheese Of 80 or 60 lbs for
the hoop from the time the curd was formed,
is about two hours. Larger cheese only need
more time to cool We wish here to be under
stood, that these rules are only general varia-
tions being required according to circumstances
For instance, the lower the temperature the
longer time is necessary to perfect the separa-
ton of the whey; the drier the curd, the less
salt is needed, so that each manufacturer will
find occasion to vary, according to the condi-
tions Of his own practice. The succnss Of the
cheese-maker depends almost entirely upon the
condition in which the curd is brought to the
hoop, and no rules can be given, which will
leave nothing to the observation and judgment
of the manufacturer. A very warm damp at
mosphere, will induce a change in the milk,
that will hasten the process, although it is yet
sweet when toorked at the same temperature,
and giving equal time that will produce dry
hard curd. The reason is it is nearer being
sour. The bulk is less, and the salt should be
less in proportion. When sated, the curd
should not appear in the least like pulp, but
quite elastic and firm, without any feeling of
harshness. Take a handful between the hands
and squeeze it smartly for a moment, it will ap-
pear readily to pack together, but upon releas-
ing it, will readily separate. But should it ap-
pear soft upon squeezing so as to squash" to-
gether, you may rest assured that you will have
"leaky' or weeping" cheese, and if the tears
are not those Of regret, the maker would shed
some such, if obliged to be the consumer.
A cheese from such curd needs a large pro-
portion of salt to keep it from souring and
when the whey has dried out, leaves q hard,
dry, and crumbly cheese, with less weight than
would have been the result of thorough manu-
facture; but should the effort be TO have it soft
by Withholding The salt, it will become a sour
lrowy' in fact, putried mass. Salt is the great
regulator in controlling the hardness of cheese
and when made at time when it must neces-
sarily cure in very warm weather, just as little
salt should be used, as will properly control it,
Cheese that lack for salt when the curd is other
wise well prepared, are liable to "huff" or
swell, but wheyey one seldom docs so. A
curd may be prepared well for the hoop with
out raising the temperature above 100, or even
90 degrees, by giving more time. There is dang
er, however, from a lack Of careful working
and unless somewhat skinned, failure to form
sufficient rind. Such cheese are apt to be de.
fcient in the buttery consistency that is con
sidered desirable, and appear and taste some
what mealy. 1t will be noticed that more par
ticular care is necessary to separate the whey
when the grass is very fresh, as is usual in the
month of June
The rind and .fImness of the cheese is most
ly regulated by the temperature Of working tht
curd; the hardness by the use of salt AS coo
weather approaches, the curd may be left lit
tie more soft with some diminution of salt, tt
the benefit of the manufacturer and satisfaction
OF the consumer. 1t may be noticed that whel
milk is skinned, it should be set, and the curc
worked at a lower temperature, as the wbe,
more readily separates. In regulating the
temperature, thermometer is very convenient
but will not supply deficiency in Judgment
Common ones are apt to vary considerable
Their greatest use to the experienced cheese
maker, is, in determining the condition OF thu
milk for the rennct, which is not so easily don't
in changes Of weather. without definite guide
1t is usually admitted by cheese makers thai
sailing curd very warm, and putting soon t.
press, especially large cheese, and smaller il
proportion, induces q rank favor. To avoid
this some have put on cold water, previous tC
sailing. This is bad practice. 1t cools i
too suddenly and stops the separation of the
whey. With the double vat, the cooling may
be gently facilitated by turning cool water into
the space, which surrounds the tin, to advantage
The experiment has been tried in warm wealth
er, of keeping the curd after being thoroughly
prepared for the hoop, until the following day
that it might have time to thoroughly cool, ant
then putting it TO press. But the expectation
was not answered. The cheese looked wei
from the press, but few warm days brough
n.