River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-01-18

Customers in town are usually glad
to get buttermilk, fresh from the farm
churn, as well as butter, eggs, cot
because buttermilk is liquid, and not
so convenient to carry to town, it is
often neglected and left at home.
1t has recently been found at the
Wisconsin agricultural experiment
station that buttermilk can be easily
made up into buttermilk cheese, eth
er at the creamery or the farm
dairy The new product resembles
skim milk cottage cheese in appear
ance, but it has a rich buttermllk
flavor which most consumers prefer.
after they have tasted it.
The process of making buttermilk
cheese on the farm is very simple,
and requires only ordinary household
utensils, and an ordinary dairy Their
mometer. Any thermometer which
can be easily cleaned will serve. A
floating dairy thermometer made en-
tirely of glass can be obtained from
any dealer in dairy supplies for 20
cents or less. The thermometer is
also useful in churning, since by prop
erly regulating the temperature OF
the cream, much time can be saved In
churning, and less fat wasted in the
buttermilk
Uses of a Dairy Thermometer
Only clean f1avorsd, sour cream
should be used in churning, in order
to get butter and cheese of the best
flavor. The fresh buttermilk, just as
it comes from the ehurn, is put into
a large, clean tin pan, or granite iron
kettle in which it can be heated on
the stove. A clean new tin wash
boiler is also suitable, where so large
a vessel is needed to hold the butter
milk The buttermilk may be left sew
eral hours, or the cheesemaking may
begin at once.
The First Heating.--The buttermilk
is set over the fire and warmed, with
occasional stirring, until it is all at
about so degrees, Fahrenheit, by the
thermometer. At this temperature the
curd will begin to separate from the
whey, and the pan is at once lifted
from the fire. and left to stand undis-
turbed for about an hour, or 1t may
be left for longer time If more con-
venient.
The Second Heatlng.-The entire
quantity of curd and whey Is then
heated with occasional stirring to
about 100 or 40 degrees by the Their
mometer. and again set off of the fire,
and covered to prevent cooling. After
standing undisturbed for at least half
an hour the curd separates completely
from the whey, and either floats In
a mass or cake at the top or the liquid
or sometimes the cake Of curd may
settle to the bottom, which does not
affect the quality of the cheese In any
way.
Draining the Curd:-The curd is put
on a cloth to drain, while still hot
as it drains more rapidly hot than
cold. The cloth may be a cotton -four
or sugar sack, into which the curd
and whey is poured, or square yard
of cheese cloth may be laid loosely
over the top of a barrel or jar and
fastened in place with the top hoop or
a piece of string. Or, a very conve
nient square draining rack may be
made, with wooden sides, six inches
deep, and a bottom of A-inch gal
vanized iron wire netting, IL or Ia
inches square, as shown in figure
with the cloth in place. Such a
drainer is useful fer many purposes
about the house. beside buttermilk
cheese making.
The floating curd may be trans
ferred to the draining cloth with 6
dipper, or the entire quantity of ma
terial may be poured carefully on the
cloth. the clear whey coming first. and
running through the cloth, and the
curd coming last. being collected
without loss.
The draining rack Is loosely GOV
cred. and the curd is left to drain for
several hours or overnight, until it is
sufficiently firm and dry, so that IL
will not leak whey, when put or g
plate. or packed in a jar for sale
When properly drained the cheese can
be piled up as shown in the figure
page Z, bulletin I'll, and the pile will
retain its shape for time. and will
not stick to the fingers.
Sailing and Packing ButtermiIk
Cheese.-After draining, and just be
fore packing, the curd is sailed by
thoroughly mixing in about one ounce
of cosnmon table or butter salt to five
mounds of curd. 1t is then packed i'm
medlately in jars. or may be nodded
with the hands into balls, or made
into prints, using dry butter printer