The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-12-20
XV.-Farm Cheesemak-
ing.
By LAURA ROSE,
Demonstration and Lecturer In Dairyins
at the Ontano Agricultural Co..
lege. Guelph. Canada.

grown and homemade food
products. This is mainly why
the making Of small farm cheeses ap-
peals to them. If made at the time of
the year when milk is cheapest one can
produce an extra nice quality of cheese
at very reasonable cost
Cheese does not hold it's proper place
in our dietary. 1t should be more
largely used on our tables and should
often take the place of meat at meal
The process Of manufacturing cheese
on the farm should be as simple as
possible. and the time from starting
until the cheese is put to press should
be between four and five hours. The
milk must be sweet and pure, and es-
pecially Of good flavor. If the fresh
mornings milk be mixed with the
previous days milk properly cared for.
it is usually in about the right con-
dition for making cheese in regard to
the acidity.
In factory work much stress is laid
on having the mix at a proper ripe
ness. before setting it, and either the
acidimeter or the rennet test is used
to determine the amount of acid pres
ent in the milk With the acidimeter
it should show from 10 to 10 per
cent of acid by the rennet test. 20 to
"a seconds. when in condition for set
ting.
A large tin or churn or new tub-in
fact, any clean vessel which will hold
milk and not injure twill answer as
a cheese vat.
Heat the milk to Sc degrees F. by
setting it on the stove and stirring or
by placing a clean can Of hot water
in it. Be prepared to go on with the
work or the milk kept at this temper
allure may develop too much acid
If the cheese is to be colored use a
small teaspoonful Of cheese color to
100 pounds of milk (ten gallons). Add
the color to pint of the milk and stir
well into the milk in the vat.
For every twenty-five pounds Of milk
use one teaspoonful of rennet- Try to
get the rennet at a cheese factory.
gists sell, are often not satisfactory.
Dilute the rennet in a pint of cold
water and pour it in a stream up
and down the milk, stirring well all
the time and continue stirring two or
three minutes. Cover the vat to keep
the milk warm.
Try the milk occasionally to see when
it has sufficiently coagulated by insert
ing the index finger into the curd and
with the thumb making dent or slight
cut in the curd just at the base of the
finger, then slowly moving the finger
forward If the curd breaks clean like
a firm but tender custard it is ready to
cut The time from setting or adding
the rennet to cutting is usually about
twenty minutes. The older or ripper
the milk the more quickly the rennet
will act upon it. Overripe milk will
give dry, acidulous cheese
Cutting the curd.
If you expect to make much cheese
would advise getting a set Of curd
knives. Use the horizontal knife first.
cutting slowly lengthwise of the vat.
Then with the perpendicular knife cut
crosswise and afterward lengthwise of
the vat. This makes the curd into
cubes from a quarter inch to half
inch square. according to the knife
used. For factory work the quarter
inch wire knife is highly recommend
ed While more tedious. long bladed
carving knife or thin bladed sword
answers the purpose. First cut length
wise into strips one-third inch wide.
then crosswise the same, then horizon
tally as well as you can. Begin stir
ring gently. and continue the cutting
If the carving knife is used till the
curd Is of uniform size.
While the stirring is going on heat
may be slowly applied. The vat may
he set in vessel holding warm water.
Or a clean can filed with hot water
may be put into the vat. After the
whey has separated pretty well from
the curd a pailful may be dipped ont
and heated to 1870 to 140 degrees. Do
not have any curd in the whey. The
warm whey is returned to the vat. and
in little while more whey may be
dipped out and heated. Half an hour
should he taken to get the curd heated
10 % degrees. IF heated too quickly
lie curd does not eXpel enough mois-
ture. and weak bodied cheese is the
result 1t is bad fault to get the
"urd too warm. After 1t is brought to
,e degrees it is not necessary to stir
continuously. but it must be frequently
stirred to prevent the curd from mat
ting. and the temperature must be
maintained. 1t is well to keep the vat
covered
me curd is usually ready to dip In
from three and a quarter to three and
half hours from the time the renne.
ls added to the milk. The right cob