The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-06-26
FOR CHEESE.MAkERS.
Valuable Practical Suggestions FurniaIl
by Prof. j. w. Robertson.

Valuable Practical Suggestions Furnished
by Prof. J. w. Robertson.
Let the milk be we'll matured by heat
ing before the rennet is added. The
addition Of sour whey, to hasten tho
maturity, is Objectionable and should
never be practiced. Old milk which has
become we'll ripened and nearly sour
may be added, but loppered or thick
milk should never be used. More rem
net is necessary for milk from fresh
cows than from others The more rem
ret is used the more moisture will be
retained in the cheese, under similar
conditions of making. For spring cheese
rennet enough to thicken the milk for
cutting in Is or 20 minutes at q tenn
perature Of IL or 20 degrees is required.
For summer and fall cheese As minutes
must be allowed for the same process
with milk in good condition. The rails
ing Of the temperature to gS degrees in
creases the favorable conditions and aids
rennet action.
The horizontal knife should be used
first lengthwise and followed by the
perpendicular knife crosswise. After
the whey has separated enough to half
cover the curd, the mesh Of the knives
should be SO close that three cuttings
should be enough, except in case of .
quick curd, which should be cut un-
usually fine. The knives must be moved
fast enough to prevent much disturb
ance Of the curd by pushing. After the
coagulatiOn Is rerfect the curd should
be cut finer during the late fall than
during the summer. Stir the curd
slowly and gently at once after the cut
ting is complete. Heat should not be
applied until Is minutes after the STIR
ring is begun. Hot water doesn't scorch
the curd. The temperature must BIO
raised gradually to 9So.
The curd PARTICLES must be made so
dry before the development of acid that
after being pressed in the hand they
fall apart when slightly disturbed.
When the hot iron test shows fine hairs
from one-fourth to one-eighth of an inch
long. they whey should be removed. II
acid be discernible by the hot iron test
before the curd is properly formed, the
whey should be Immediately removed
and the stirring continued until the firm
condition Is brought about. Tenderness
in the body OF cheese, or pastiness. is
caused by too much moisture in the curd
while the acid is developing.
When the curd is ready for cutting
and sailing is best learned by expert
ence. The degree of change has taken
place when the curd feels mellow, vel
vety and greasy, smells like new made
butter from sour cream and tastes aro-
matte rather than sour. When curd is
gassy or very porous, sOuring should be
allowed to go further before it is ar
rested by cutting or sailing. II the
curd be too moist or soft, it should be
cut or ground at an earlier stage and
hand-stirred some time before salt il
added to it. 1t is generally beneficial
to the curd to stir it 10 minutes after
cutting before sailing. A maximum
quantity of salt for April and early May
cheese is ~ lbs. to 1000 lbs. of milk; 2
to 81 lbs. is right for summer on fairly
dry curds and to 81 lbs. during October
and November. Salt has . tendency to
dry curd and cheese and thus retard
curin !.
The curd must be hooped and pressed
stirred in. Pressure must be applied
lightly at first, and gradually increased.
The curd-cutter or grinder must be
thoroughly cleaned every day. bad fla
vors are given cheese by ncglccting this
precaution, and the same is true of
other unclean dairy utensils. Curing is
effected by fermentation. Heat up to
7Oo is favorable and cold under 6Oo is
unfavorable for its operation.-Prof. ].
w. Robertson, in Farm and Home.