Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-03-14

PAEMESAN CHEESE.
Costs Il Dollar Pound in New York
and Chicago.


This cheese, which takes its name
from Parma, one Of the Italian PROV
ineas in which the pastures are proven
biaIIy rich and Iuxuriant, is an example
of what the skilled cheesemaker may
do with skimmilk to develop a most
desirable flavor and quality that will
rive to the cheese higher value than
my other cheese made from the whole
milk, or even Of the double cream
CheeSeS
This is the cheese which is always &C
companied by the macaroni of the
same country and makes the standard
table Wand so highly extolled of mac
aroni and cheese. 1t is also used for
those savory side dishes to which the
grated cheese in a crust as with pastry,
etc 1t is hard, finty cheese, mostly
used grated finely as f1avoring to other
foods 1t is made of a weight Of from
80 to 40 pounds, broad, up to over ESQ
pounds, round and fiat 1t is sometimes
made in cooperative diaries, the Curd
being contributed by several neighbors.
each of whom might find it difficult To
get together the 1000 pounds of milk
or more needed TO make a cheese a day
The milk is skinned and heated to a
much higher temperature than for soft
cheese, and it is this to which 1t owes
its hard texture as well as to the pecul-
lar working Of the Curd The milk l.
set at a temperature Of about So de-
erees The rennet is thoroughly stirred
into the milk, which quickly sets. when,
as there is no fat to be lost, the curd Is
broken very fine by means of an imp!r-
ment much like one of our egg heaters,
having several rings on 1t, by which tho
curd is completely cut and divided cv-
cry way The curd is then set over tha
fire or heated in any convenient manner
to temperature of 1870 degrees, during
which heating the curd is broken up
and beaten until it forms a viscouS gIu-
tinous mass. colored a light greeni~h
yellow by the previous addition Of pow
dered saffron leaves
As soon as the breaking of the curd is
completed 1t Is left to suhslde to Ii"
bottom of the vat, after which /; l..
carefully enveloped III a cloth and lift
ed out of the vat and put in the mold
and the press 1t is lightly pressed at
first, the pressure being gradually in
creased until the mass of curd exactly
fits the mold, when the formed cheese
is carefully turned, and if need be the
cloth is changed and the pressure again
applied, until at the end of - hours
the cheese is firm enough to be lifted
and moved to the curing rooms, where
it is sailed Some cheeseS are made in
localities. where the supply eff milk is
sufficient. of a weight Of 200 TO 300
pounds These are not pressed any more
than by their own weight. the whey es-
Gaping by this pressure, as the curd in
the mold lies on level, smooth table,
with wooden form on the topof it, on
which moderate weight is placed,
In the curing house the cheeseS are
rubbed with salt at the rate of per
cent The sailing continues fer 40 days,
curing which time the cheeSes are turn
ed daily if necessary; otherwise every
second or third day They are daily
wiped clean Of all moisture which may
gather on them, rubbed lightly with oil
to close the pores aud make the crust
alrproof, the surface Is scraped, AID If
necessary tho oil Is again applied to pre-
vent drying and cracking Of tire crust
This process finished, the last stage Of
curing begins This is carried Oh iii
another building or room, in which the
cheesoS are ranged on tables according
to their age and exposed to regular but
low temperature, where little change of
air occurs, and the air is slowly renew
ed, Here they slowly acquire their spe.
clal character which Is a rather sharp
agreeable flavor and hard, firm con
sistenCe The color becomes a light gray
ish green and the texture close and
firm and entirely free from all vacant
places At the end - six months the
cheescs begin to mature, but the best Of
them are kept two or even three Yeas
The peculiarities Of the Parmesan
cheese are a delicate melting texture IN
the mouth and an exquisite flavor,
which continues on the palate Experts
in this manufacture liken the flavors of
the different qualities to the bouquets
of the finest wines, and it has been
hHOWu tudt ile CHeese "HlCn ms II Il
kept for 20 years has developed a con.
tinuous Improvement in quality all TIE
time without a particle of decay, tn
texture being like marble and of tAat
peculiar granular kind which resemble,
loaf sugar This granular texture is Con
sidered to be the highest mark of excel
lence. as is also a yellowish tinse Ct
color, which whitens Oh exposure to tn
air when the cheese is cut A cheese
which takes on a green tint when cut IS
considered inferior. The curing proecs.
goes on best in the largest cheeses, and
thus the first quality is rarely less than
$50 pounds in weight, the lowest qpal.
ity being from 40 to 100 pounds These
smaller cheeses. of which the largest
product consists, are about 6 inches thick