The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-09
HOW TO MAKE CAM
EMBERT CHEESE
The Secret of tho Bug or Mould
That Gives It the Flavor
Now Discovered
A SPECIAL STARTER IS USED
Directions Which. II Ia Asserted. WIN
Enable American Dslryn1en to Make
Better Camemher Than 10 Pro
duced in France.


After several months search at the
Storrs Agricultural Station for the
bug or mould that gives Camembert
Cheese its distinguishing hsyor. II Is
announced that the secret has been
discovered 1t is declared that by fol-
lowing directions American dairymen
can make better CGmembert cheese
than imported.
The United States Department Of
Agriculture has been helping in the
experiment and specialists have been
sent to Europe to study the cheese
factories there. While the Frenchmeu
trust largely to luck to turn out their
best Camembert. the scientists here
have eliminated chance in the process
that they have evolved. so that the
ordinary dairyman can, II he follows
directions, turn out perfect cheeses.
The milk is heated to s5 degrees
Fahrenheit and a starter is added.
Just here comes the frat divergence
from the usual method employed in
cheese making. In cheese and butter
making some homemade starter, such
as buttermilk or sour milk is general
ly used in the ordinary dairies but
in order 10 get good Canembsrt re-
suit the Storrs cheese makers have
prepared special starter.
After giving the usual directions as
to getting the curd ready and into the
forms and tho sailing process the
.h~
features in Camembert cheese max
Ing that distinguishes this variety
from other soft cheeses. While the
French cheese makers do not inocu-
late their cheese with mould. but de-
pend upon natural conditions, the
American cheese makers rely on tbs
introduction Of two mouldB to deliver
the Csmembert favor.
Then the American Camemhcrt
chooses are ready for ripening. the
most important part OF the process
Two ripening rooms are necessary,
The first must have an atmosphere
nearly saturated with moisture and
kept at = temperature OF from about
so to 81 degrees Fahrenheit The sec-
ond room is kept somewhat cooler,
from Sc to so degrees Fahrenheit.
Both rooms must be equipped with q
cooling apparatus for use in summer.
The other equipment OF the room in
eludes only shelves on which tho
eheeses are to ripen.
During the first week there is lit
tie rlpening and the cheese remains in
the form OF hard curd. The surface
often becomes slightly Shiny and rome
change IN the color can be noticed.
Toward the end OF the first week the
mould can be seen upon looking close
ly.
During the second week the mould
covers the cheese completely, giving
1t snow white. cottonlike appear
ancs. The white coat Of mould turns
to a gray green in from two to four
days, and the cheese then begins to
show actual ripening. The cheese
grows softer just under the coat OF
mould, and in this way ripens toward
the centre
Just here the American makers
have had to depart from ths proceed
ure followed by the French cheese
makers. The cheeses in France are
often left to ripen, just as they are
IN the ripening room, while in this
country, where the air is considerably
drier; the cheese experts have been
obliged to wrap the cheeses during the
second week in tinfoil or parchment
paper to prevent hardening and evap-
grafton, which checks the growth Of
the mould and promotes the growth
Of other organisms
The favor of the cheese can be
much affected by the kind and time of
wrapping. II cheess with strong
flavor Is desired the makers wrap I'D
the cheese when IL is slightly covered
with mould, while when a mild flavor
is wanted they wait until the growth
Of mould 10 luxuriant and has turned
blue. The cheeses wrapped in tinioil
develop stronger iayors and softer
texture than those wrapped in paper.
When tho chsesss are ready to be
wrapped they ars put into small
round boIes such as the imported
sheese generally comes 10 thig coun-
try in and are then transferred to the
second ripening chamber During the
third week the riponing proceeds rap
idly, and the cheeseB become one-halt
10 twothirdE ripe. On the surface
slimy reddish spots appear and the
choose begins TO give on the eharac-
tsristie CAmSmbert odor. BetWssn
the third and the fourth week the
hard curd In the centre disappears
and the cheese is Of a creamy. wax.
like texture and has the delicious nav.
or that connoisseurs like.
Dealers who make a specially of
this variety Of cheese frequently have
a cellar in which to ripen their Cam
embsrt, while others let them ripen
on the shelves OF their shops OF sell
them unripS. or, even Worss, over.
ripe. That's where the American
sheoSs makers, II 10 asserted, win
have the advantage over the foreign
srs In that the American Camsmbsrt
can be almost entirely ripened In the