The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-04-26
Philosophy of Butter-Making.

AS We all know, butter exists in the form
OF minute balls or globuies, each being EN-
closed In sack or membrane-like cover
ing. 1t is not the material of which but
ter is made that is contained in these little
sacks, but butter itself, in perfect state.
While invested with their coverings, these
globules float about in the milk, or rise to
the top as cream, but cannot be made to
adhere together. Before this can take
place, the coverings must be removed
The effect of ''churning" is to remove
them, thus liberating the butter, and then
to bring them together into a mass
These facts are known to all intelligent
dairymen. But now comes the error,
namely, the supposition that it is of no
consequence hoU the coverings of the but
ter globules are removed, and the contain
ed butter liberated that it is of no mo-
meat whether the butter globules are
crushed or ground between hard surfaces,
or burst by conclusion from being dashed
violently against hard substances, or by
whirling bars, Stats or rods rapidly through
the milk or cream; or whether they are
released from their investments in some
more gentle manner. Now this is all a
mistake. 1t as Of the most essential i'm
portance, if we would have good butter,
how the globule is divested Of its cover
ing; and we will state why:
Butter being in the most perfect con-
dition possible while it is in its globular
state, and covered with its natural invest
ment, any change of that condition except
ing the mere removal of this investment
whether from the temperature being raised
too high, from the globules being crushed
mashed or broken down, or their natural
conformation being in any other manner
destroyed or to any extent altered, neces
sarily inju1es the quality of the butter
1t is for this reason that too much butter
is injured by being worked" which i;
only process of pressing the globule:
upon each other, and thereby crushing
them out of their original shape and state
into compact mass, like lard. 1t is fol
this reason, also, that the modern contri
vances for grmdig milk and cream be
tween metallic rollers or revolving disks
and all the quick moving rotary churns
while they may bring the butter" quick
ly, injure its quality, making good greas
rather than good butter. The best butte
is said to have ''grain." What doe
this mean! Simply that the origina
globular formation of the butter has no
been broken down, and just to the exten
, that it as broken down is the quality inju
) red the grain disappearing, and tn
mass becoming GREASY" and lard-like.-
The butter globule must not, then, be di
, vested of its covering by any process whic
t shall break down its original structure,
We would have good butter.
r What, then, is the true method of re
1 moving the coverings of the butter glot
t ules? We answer, that it is to wear the1
| off by the rubbing of the globules agains
/ each other and upon the fluid surroundin
them not by crushing or bursting thel
: by grinding, pressing or striking thel
1 with or against hard substances, but by
f continuous but gentle agitation, causin
friction among the globules themselves.
Another essential is that all the butte
. globules shall be divested of their cove
: ings, as nearly as possible, at the san
d time; otherwise, some are too muc
"worked" before the others are free, an
: some may not be liberated at all, and L
|. main in the butter-milk.