The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-07-12
farm aud Garden.
HOW Fine Butter is Made.

D. j. H., Niagara county, n. Y: The
process of making butter is an important
one, for the best butter may be spoiled
and poor butter may be improved in the
working. When the butter is churned
it is taken from the churn and placed on
smooth maple, birch, or chestnut table
or other butter worker, or put into a
bowl. If the churn will admit of it, the
buttermilk may be drawn off and clear,
cold water poured into it, and the butter
washed in that way in separate waters
until it runs off quite clear, and the but
ter is quite free from milk. This is in
dispensable if the butter is expected to
keep well. 1t is then sailed at the rate
of one ounce to the pound of butter. The
butter is pressed out with the ladle, and
never to be worked by the hands under
any circumstances, and the salt is spread
over it; it is then doubled and pressed
out again and cut and gashed with the
ladle, but never rubbed or plastered, but
only squeezed and pressed, until the salt
IS pretty evenly mixed, it is then put
away in cool place for "a hours or less,
as may be convenient. 1t will then ap-
pear streaky and patchy, and is worked
over in the same way as before until it
becomes free from this streakiness and
even in color, by the thorough mixture
of the salt This is done by squeezing it
with the ladle, small piece at time,
and pressing it out into fat sheet, doub-
ling it, and again squeezing it out, so as
to get all the salt and moisture in it even
ly through the mass. The color is then
alike all over No more working is then
required. The first working requires
about 10 minutes for 20 or 25 pounds,
the second about Is minutes. It should
then break with coarse, uneven fracture
much like that OF piece of beeswax, and
should appear when cut of granular
texture and quite free from greasiness,
and fine drops of clear brine should fol-
low the knife as it is cut 1t is not well
to try to get all the moisture out of the
butter, as this improves its texture and
flavor. Ii the cream has been well kept
and the butter well made and churned,
this should have a very sweet and fra
grant scent, quite free from acidity or
pungency. 1t is a peculiar scent and be-
longs only to the best butter, and when
this odor is absent, the right flavor is
wanting, because the scent and aroma,
and the flavor as well, are all attributes
of pure fresh butter. The butter should
be packed as soon as it is worked the last
time; no butter needs third working
the package should be quite free from all
dlsagreeabIe scent or impurity; white
oak, spruce, or white ash are the best
materials for the tubs or pals White
oak has an agreeable scent when fresh
and stands first for butter packages. The
package should first be scalded, then
rlnsed IN cold water, then rubbed with a
little salt, then rinsed with a little water,
Just enough to wash off the salt, but not
to treshen the wood, and the butter is
packed IN the damp pail at once, being
pressed down solid so that no air-holes
are left. The pail is filed completely
tull and may be covered with piece OF
muslin dipped in brine, or with parafine
paper, and close up at once tightly and
put away in cool place or sold, which is
the best plan.-N Y. Times.