Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-08-26
Sailing and Washing Butter.

Twenty-Five years ago butter was much
more heavily sailed than is the practice
today. Still there is a wide difference
even now between the gilt-edge-seventy-
five-cents-a pound butter consumed by the
city epicure, sailed at the rate of three
ounces to ten pounds OF butter. and the
butter product of the British Provinces,
or even of soma parts of Maine, with it's
one to one and one half ounces of salt to
the pound of butter.
Fashion extends even into the realm of
taste and appetite. Thus comparatively
fresh butter is the order of the day among
most city and town consumers. Pro-
ducers must accept the fact, and salt their
butter accordingly. if they wish to COM
mand the best prices. The higher the grade
of butter the less proportion of salt re-
quired. One third of an ounce to the
pound is the rule for the best makers of
butter in Boston market. The best lots
of Vermont lump butter tor immediate
use have one half ounce of salt to the
pound. Western butter generally carries
one ounce of salt to the pound before
washing, some of which is lost in the
washing process. Some old fashioned
butter makers in Maine and large
pIOpOltlOu VI luoSt III lut TONlDCpS.
use from one to one and one half ounces
to the pound of butter Many
dairymen in other sections use too much
salt. The argument that the addition of
salt increases the weight of the butter
product, and hence its selling value, is
falacious, because butter oversalted is
thereby reduced in value and quality.
Oleomargarine is heavily sailed
Salt is condiment. A little salt gives
relish to butter. If any butter should be
heavily sailed it is that in which good salt
tastes better than poor butter. The choic-
est butter needs but little salt, because the
fine flavor of the butter is the desired
taste and quality. Choice, aromatic fresh
butter has natural, delicious flavor Pc
culiar to itself, which is far preferable 10
the salty taste impaired by an overdose of
salt. Heavy sailing makes all butter taste
alike, and DISCUSSES the natural flavor.
To the daryman who desires to hide his
sins in making poor butter, plenty of salt
comes to the rescue. Buyers are always
suspicious of butter which carries to much
salt. Bogus butter makers understand
this when thcy give oleomargarine
heavy dose of salt to disguise the greasy
fiavors.
In whatever form salt is used it should
be of the purest and finest quality. The
most successful dairymen who market
their goods here prefer Higgins Eureka
salt over any other brand. They claim
that the Ashton salt is too harsh and sharp.
not questioning the strength of the latter.
In our own experience we are not fully
determined which of the two brands is the
best.
Never put layers of salt on top of tubs,
tirkins or crooks of butter. If used at all
in this connection, place the salt on top
the cloth which may cover the butter. Salt
is not needed to preserve pure fat or pure
butter. 1t is cheap preventive of mat.
ters subject to decay. which latter are too
prevalent in low grade, inferior butter.
The gilt edge butter of the future will
not be washed at all. The fine aromatic
odors, the nutty flavor, will be retained.
and not washed away in streams of water.
Water in contact with butter has deleter-
GUS influence. Ice water kills the quality
in butter. and takes out its life. A tub of
butter exposed for single night to the
dropping Of ice water on its surface will
turn the top white and impart q strong
taste. rapidly fastening rancidity. A cloth
wrung on. in lee water. or even in fresh