The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-06-04
CHEESE WITHOUT COWS.

tinfoil. which are exposed for sale in our
shops at the appetizlng price of one dollar q
pound. They bear the name Of Roquefort,
village which is the centre of that manu-
facture This is the choicest cheese made
in France, and It's reputation has existed for
over 5000 years. The epicures Of ancient
Rome held it In great request, and Pliny,
the Roman historian, praised it enthusiastic
ally. 1t is made from the milk of ewes,
100000 of which are pastured in the district
supported by this industry. These sheep
are Of an ancient breed known as the Larzac,
and are especially remarkable for their pro.
duction of milk, all efforts to increase their
milking capacity by crossing with other
breeds having dsastrously failed. These
ewes yield on an average % pounds of cheese
yearly, equal to an income of 81 from the
milk alone. The feed is the natural pasture
of the rocky limestone hills OF the district
supplemented with clover, lucern and sam,
foin. Salt is regularly given with each feed
and only water from the ponds, which is
warmer than the spring water, is given to
them. The milking season begins in March {,
by which time the lambs dropped in Janua-
ry are weaned. One person milks % ewes.
Upon some of the farms each eve passes
through the hands of three persons before it
is dry. The evenings milk Is strained from
froth and left standing half an hour.
1t Is then strained again into a tin lined
copper cauldron, in which it is heated nearly
to the boiling point. After this 1t is put ino
to glazed carthenware bowls for the cream
to rise. A portion of the cream is then re-
moved and churned. The mornings milk
is not skinned, but after having been heated
is added to the evenings milk, stirred, and
well mixed. One tablespoonful of rennet
is added to every ITO pounds OF milk. AIS
ter coagulatlop, the curd is broken by a
wooden spatula upon which large portion
OF the whey separates. The curd is then
kneaded, broken by hand, and placed In
three layers into the molds. These are
glazed earthenware cylinders four inches
deep and 81 in diameter, perforated with
small holes. Powdered crumbs of barley
bread already prepared by peculiar pro-
cess by which they have become coated with
spores of the. blush mold known as Pendulum,
9laucusa, are scattered upon each layer of
curd. As the molds are completely filed
two are placed one upon another, the curd
in each touching, and leaden plate is placs
ed upon the upper one with extra weight if
needed. Here the cheeses dr. ain, and as they
drain the contract, and in this part OF the
They are then placed for short time in a
vat, which is surrounded with hot water uns
til the drying process is well under way,
after which they are wrapped In cloths OF
coarse linen for 10 or - lays, and are finally
placed in a Dom with a northern aspect.
we'll ventilated but preserved from dust and
flies By gauze shutters.
Here they are kept FOR few days, being
turned frequently until they are removed TO
the "eaves" of Roquefort for final curing /;
aud here begins the chief popularity of the
manufacture. koquefort is naturalcitadel
of limestone rock, fissured and perforated
by numerous caverns and grottoes, moss OF
them natural ones, but some having been
made by great labor and expense for this
express purpose. These caves are worth
vast sums OF money. The rental o! one of
them casts the annual value Of our mammoth
cave into the shade, amounting in some in.
stances to $4,000, and even $4,000 per an
num. To these caves the cheeses are carr led
by night lest the heat of the day injure their
quality. Here they are purchased from the
farmers by wealthy companies, the United
Caves Company being the largest, or are
received by the agents of "associated''
diaries composed of the farmers themselves
The caves have receiving, sailing, and Gu.
ing rooms. In the first the cheeses are
weighed and sorted in tue second, on the
evening OF their reception, they are salted
upon the upper surfaces and piled up in
threes tor one day and aspight Then Their
reverse surfaces are sailed, and they are
again piled up rs before for 48 'hours. Thee
they are rubbed oyer with a coarse cloth and
pied up for 48 hours more, after which the1
are returned to the receiving room to BE-
scraped and freed from sticky substance
winch mas gathered upon taem, and are once
more sortedinto three classes.
Inc ch"eses are now carried to the curing
rooms, which have temperature OF 400 tc
~ and a carefully regulated degree o
humidity, and in which they are piled up up.
on bed OF straw, Or upon shelves. in laver
OF three as before, bat now for eight days
From this position they are changed to on,
upon their sides In rows little way apart
Here they become covered with thicl
white mold two inches in length, which i
scraped off every 8 or 16 days, and the sur
face of the cheese is pared. After this Re,
crust forms upon the cheese, when is pare,
off and is sold as an article OF food. {.