The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-08-02
RiPENiNG CREAM.
A Simple Explanation of an Intey.
esting PrOceuu.

A simple Explanation of an HnteY.
estinE Process.
The educated housekeeper knows very
well that good bread cannot be made
without the use OF yeast to cause the
sponge to get light-to rise, rs we say,
says n writer in The Practical Farmer,
This she does by adding yeast to the
sponge, and the effect Of this yeast lie
Suc to the existence in 1t Of 4 vast
aumber Of minute organisms which In
oculate the sponge, and these, growing
in the sponge. produce n gas In 1t, by
which the sponge is filled with q vast
number Of little cavities or cells, In
which the yeast has produced the gas
by which the sponge is swollen and, as
she says, is raised. Then the bread
goes into the oven, and the heat kills
these germs Of yeast and stops the pro-
duction Of more gas and the bread,
when baked, is filled with open cells,
by which 1t Is made light and spongy.
Now we can by a similar incubation
of the cream ripen 1t for the churn by
means Of the growth In 1t Of count
less number OF minute germs. which,
as 1t were. fill the cream with exceed
ingly small spaces, SO that when 1t
is stirred 1t has a shiny appearance,
rs we say, like satin; and when In this
condition the churning Is done. the
small particles OF butter separate and
by cohesion gather together and form
little pellets Of butter. and these, adj
herring together by the dashing togetA-
er Of them In the churning, increase
in size until Jumps Of butter form. But
1t Is most convenient to stop the churn-
ing when these pellets are Of the size
Of buckshot or sweet peas, and this for
the reason that when the butter Is In
this form the buttermilk is more easily
washed from it and the butter may be
gathered in a pure state. This we call
the philosophy Of butter making 1t Is
the wisdom, in factor this Is the
meaning of the word philosophical
churning. 1t saves labor and 1t leaves
the butter In the best condition for
gathering and washing 1t free from the
buttermilk, which otherwise would
quickly cause decomposition Of 1t. and
this would produce the strong. dis
agreeable odor and flavor Of rancidity
in 1t. All this Is included In this term
ripenlng or perfecting the cream for
the churning. And this condition Is
most easily produced In this way: We
take the cream when it Is still sweet
and mix in it by stirring gently for
each gallon Of 1t teaspOOnful OF the
buttermilk Of the previous churning,
just ms the baker mixes some of the
last made dough in the bread sponge
as starter-ns we may say-of fer
mentation in the cream by which the
needed ripeness or fitness Is produced.
And Just as the baker sets the sponge
In a warm place to rise, so the cream
Is set in n warm place to ripen for a
space of IL hours. The right time Is
easily known by the shining. satiny
appearance Of the cream when 1t Is
stirred in the jar. or course all this Is
to be done with the same care with
which the good housekeeper manages
her bread sponge, and when on stirring
the cream it Is seen to be thick and
shines and glistcns in the light and has
pleasant, mild souruess, then the
cream is ready to be churned. Then u
may be churned in the shortest time.
just as the ripened bread sponge Is,
and as this is. too. so the butter Is pro-
duced In the same time always. every
day in the year. In fact. both these
operations are subject to the same
rules, and If the same care is taken
with the cream as is taken with the
bread. there will always be the same
certainty In the making of butter.
There Is no witchery about this; 1t Is
q plain, simple effect of certain causes.