The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-12
The Household.
Washed or Unwashed Butter.


A few years ago an earnest controversy
was carried on as to whether butter should
be washed or unwashed, those advocating
the latter claiming that pressing or working
out the buttermilk without the aid of water
served to retain more of the aroma and de-
licious flavor naturally belonging Ito butter
and which should not be removed by allow
ing the butter to come in contact with wa
ter. On the whole, the advocates of ash
ing butter were the most numerous, and as
the art of butter-making has progressed they
have had rather the best side of the argu-
ment. OF course it will be understood that
good, clean, sweet water must be employed
in washing butter, and that it should never
come in Contact with water having taints or
odOrs of any description. The fbest butter
makers of the present endeavOr to avoid
working butter as far las possible in order
to keep the "butier-grain" uninjured and
preserved in all its integrity. To accom-
plish this object the cream, must not be over
churned, for the butter is often seriously
impaired in the grain by over-churning.
When the butter begins to form or is in
small particles about the size of wheat ker
nels or little larger, stop churning. The
butter is then in granulated state, and the
buttermilk may now be drawn loft and the
grains of butter can then be washed with
cold water, and then with brine, which will
free it from all Gaseous matter. Some drain
the buttermilk from the churn in hair
sieve, and then wash by turning water on
the butter in the churn. Butter treated in
this way is never salvy or greasy, but re-
mains with its grain uninjured and Should
be in its best state. Thus, as our knowledge
of what constitutes perfect butter obtains,
together with the art of producing it, the
old method of working out the buttermilk
without the aid OF water must be pushed
aside for more intelligent and safer prac-
tice. In conclusion, it may be remarked
that whatever working is required, care
should be taken to avoid grinding motion,
as it Injuries the grain. If lever worker be
used, the working should be by pressure,
and the lever should not be allowed to stop
or slide on the butter in grinding fashion.
Butter-making may now be said to be ap-
proximating rapidly to high art. Consum-
ers are fast being educated to distinguish
the finer grades, and now regard with dis
gust those greasy, salvy, and rank favors
which, a few years ago, perhaps, could be
tolerated. This is as it should be for the
old-time poor buffers were not conducive to
health, and were the cause many times of
serious ills which the more educated taste
now avoids.
Of course, we do not dispute the fact that
large quantities of poor butter get upon the
market, but the prices for such are so low
that they do not pay the cost of production;
and this helps to raise the standard, for
price has wonderful influence in stimulat-
ing to better methods, which the enterpris-
ing dairyman soon tries to reach. The
creameries and butter factories have been
great educators to the butter dairymen, as
they have been to the taste of consumers;
and the spread of these institutions, with
the knowledge they disseminate, will, we
trust. at no late date, wipe out the great
bulk of inferior and low butters.-X. A,
Willard, in the Country Gentleman. 7A