Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-19
Cheese.
A Paper read at the PlainheId meeting OF
the Board, by Joseph l.. COlburn, Of East
Montpelier.

MOhtpeAlefs
Cheese is becoming one of the important
productions of our country. Its manufac-
ture is increasing rapidly and its quality is
improving. The cheese that was made forty
years ago would be considered poor to-day,
and yet there was cheese made in those days
that would compare favorable with farm dali
ries at the present time. But the manufac-
ture of cheese was not as well understood
and consequently our mothers groped more
in the dark than the factorymen do at the
present time. l can remember when my
mother first commenced to make cheese. 1t
was in 1887. My father and mother were
the first in this section to make business Of
making cheese, although cheese was made by
others in a smaller way, and had been for
years before.
The necessary outfit was tub to coagu.
late the milk in, basket with cloth in it
to whey of the curd in, and press. When
the cows were milked at night the milk was
strained into the tub, and rennet put in as
soon as the milk was all in. The rennet was
pailful Of milk. In the morning the curd
was dipped from the tub into the basket and
the corners cf the cloth folded ever the top
of the curd aud pinned and weights put on
to press out the whey. The mornings milk
was strained in the tub and coagulated the
Same as the nights milk had been. After it
had been coagulated sufficiently it was cross
ed of or cut up with a wooden knife made
for the purpose, into squares Of about two
inches. When the curd had separated sufi.
ciently from the whey the nights curd was
put on board aud the mornings curd dip
ped into the basket and treated the same as
the nights curd had been. The nights curd
was now cut into slices and put back into
the tub and cloth spread over it. After
the whey had been sufficiently drained from
the mornings curd it was also sliced into the
tub with the nights curd, and cooked by
pouring on it hot water and stirring it. 1t
was sufficiently cooked when you could put
a piece in your mouth aud make it squeak
between your teeth. 1t was now dipped into
the basket again and the water drained away.
This being done, it was cut into small squares
on a board with a case knife and put back
into tub. 1t was salted and put into the
hoop and into the press. 1t was pressed
lightly at first, for fear of starting the white
whey, and the power increased after a short
time as the cheese would bear. They did
not swathe their cheese the first few years,
but soon found that it was better so to do.
They also altered their way of cooking the
curd as follows After the mornings curd had
been crossed off, and it had partially sepa-
rated so that some Of the whey could be
dipped off and heated to cook with, the
nights curd was sliced into the tub with the
mornings curd, aud the hot whey turned back
into the tub to cook it with, aud the whey
was dipped out and heated and turned back
until it was sufficiently cooked, and then
dipped into the basket and the whey drained
off. 1t was then cut up and salted as before
described. They cured their cheese wholly
in a chamber for some years, but finding it
too warm for new cheese as it came from the
press, they finally used a cooler room down
stairs for their new cheese until it was about
one month old, aud then carried it to the
chamber to finish curing.
Since the associated principle has been
adopted In the manufacture Of cheese, science
and chemistry have been used to demonstrate
and explain the different changes through
which milk goes in the manufacture Of
cheese. Chemists tell US that rennet acts on
milk as a ferment, the same as yeast on
dough that it contains large quantity Of
fungus that this fungus put into the milk
increases very rapidly and forms what is
called coagulation, so that coagulation is a
species OF fermentation. You can produce
coaguation by using piece Of curd or old
cheese, as well as to use rennet, simply by
the increase of the fungus that it contains.
Milk to receive the rennet should be at about
9O@ f., aud sufficient ronnet used to coagu.
late it in about thirty minutes. When it
has become sufficiently firm so that it can be
cut without breaking it should be cut into
squares Tor cubes if you have the knives for
the purpose) Of from one TO two inches
square. Alter the curd has separated and
settled somewhat, part Of the whey can be
drawn of, and the balance with the curd
should be raised to 1909 f., to cook. When
by putting piece in your mouth you can
make 1t squeak between your teotb, it is sut'
sciently cooked the balance of the whey can
now be drawn of aud the curd put on cloth
or a rack over sink, so that whatever whey
there is remaining can drain of. The air
and light will deepen the color. Let 1t re-
main on the rack until it has slight acid
taste then cut il into small pieces, (about
One-halt inch square,l salt it about one pound