The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-02-27
HOW SOME CHEESE rs MAZE.
The best quality Of Gorsonzola takes two or
three years 10 Ripen.

unique food productions, has its
legend of accidental origin" says
Mary J. Lincoln in Tie Amerieaa
Kitchen Magazine. "a shepherd lad
having for once more luncheon than
he could eat, while tending his flock
of sneep. laid large portion of his
bread and cheese upon natural shelf
in one ofthe caverns nearby. Boyllke,
he forgot all about it, until several
months later, on returning to that
cavern, he found his luncheon. The
cheese, instead of being dried up or
rotten, was rich, moist and creamy,
and streaked with greenish blue veins
of mould, the remains of the bread
which had lain on or under it. He
probably told his mother Of his dis.
covery, and shared his piece Of cheese
with others. The villagers were quick
to recognize the improved texture
and quality of the cheese, and hence
forth all their cheeses we're taken to
these caves to ripen. The caves are
owned by joint stock company, who
employ about SIX hundred women to
tend the cheese. Oak. shelves on
which the cheeses are placed and SO
arranged that each cheese may have
one side next the cold wall of the
cave, give over sixty.hve thousand
square yards of storing room.
"The women wear upon their chest
a small oil lamp, like a miners, to
enable them to see their work, and
the temperature is so cold that they
wear thick woolen clothing even in
the summer. The value ofthese caves
to this little hamlet is inestimable.
"Gorgonzola, or Strachno, is an
Italian cheese resembling Roquefort
both in manufacture and quality.
"The hot and cold curds from two
milkings are used, and the imperfect
union of the two causes minute
interstices, into which mouldy bread
crumbs are introduced, making a
green mould called parsley The
curd is hung IN hempen cloths to
ierment, and is slowly cured in caves
near Lake Lecco, where the temper
ature never exceeds 10 degrees, even
in summer. After SIX months it is
ready for market, but the finer quail
ities are hung there for two or even
three years. 1t has the plquancy Of
the Roquefort, but is not so strong,
and costs about ten cents less.
"From the little town of Limburg,
in Belgium, the odoriferous cheese
known all over the world as Limburger
originated, but it is now made in
many other parts OF Europe and the
United States. 1t is rich cheese,
made with but little heat, and allowed
10 ripen until actual putrefaction has
set in. 1t is wrapped in tinfoil to
hide the offensive odor, which is so
unmlstakable that this cheese should
never appear at table unless you are
sure all the company can tolerate it.
The American Limburger is made
with rennet in the usual way; the curd
is drained IN a perforated box, then
salt, parsley, tarragon and onions all
mashed to a pulp are mixed with it.
1t is then put into moulds, drained,
and after two days taken to a we'll
aired room, laid on an osler hurdle
covered with wheat straw, and left for
six or eight days. 1t is then salted
and placed in a cellar on shelves COW
cred with fresh straw. The sailing is
repeated and the cheese turned fire.
quently, and at the end of three
months the cheese is ripe.
"When in its best condition Linz
burger is soft and waxy, and to those
familiar with its merits 1t is consider
ed one of the most nourishing and ap-
petizing of the cheese products, and
has no stronger nor more decided
.odor than a properly ripened Brie OF
Camembert. All of these strong
cheeses should be kept at a very low
temperature.
"The natural repugnance to these
highly odorlferous cheeses may be
overcome, as is proved by the popu.
larity of Roquefort and Gorgonzola at
the present time, as compared with
twenty years ago. Some one who
has evidently not yet acquired liking
for all of them, says the Gorgonzola
Is good cheese to swear by and the
hamburger cheese to swear at"
"Holland sends us some of oul
most valuable and satisfactory varie-
ties, the Edam and Gouda. Occasion
ally we find the Dutch spice cheeses,
which are favored with cloves and
caraway seeds.
"The utmost cleanliness is used in
the Dutch da,ries, and their products
are unrlvalled in this respect"