The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1912-12-12
XV.-Farm Cheesemak-
ing.
BY LAURA ROSE
Demonstration and Lecturer In Daiyine
At the Ontano Agricultural Co..
lese, Guelph. Canada

|" lish enough to like home
H 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 q very reasonable cost
Cheese does not hold its 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 favor. II the fresh
mornings milk be mixed with the
previous days milk properly cared for.
II is usually In about the right con-
dition for making cheese in regard to
the acidity.
In factory work much stress is iaio
on having the milk at a proper ripe
ness before setting 1t. and either the
acidimeter or the rennet test Is used
to determine the amount Of acid pres
ent in the milk. With the acidimefer
II should show from Is 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 SG degrees F. by
setting 1t on the stove and stirring or
by placing clean can Of hot water
in it. Be prepared to 60 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
small teaspoonful Of cheese color to
100 pounds of milk Cten gallons. Add
the color to q 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.
u
gists sell. are often not satisfactory.
Dilute the rennet in a pint OF cold
water and pour 1t in q 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 il 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 q dry, acidulous cheese
Cutting the curd.
II you expect to make much cheese
l would advise getting 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 blinded 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
II the carving knife is used till the
curd is of uniform size.
While the stirring Is going on heat
may he slowly applied. The vat may
be set In o 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 he dipped out
and heated to 1870 to 140 degrees. Dc
not have any curd In the whey. The
warm whey Ia returned TO the vat. AND
In little while more whey may be
dipped out and heated. Half m hour
should ne taken to get the curd heated
TO as degrees. II heated too quickly
the curd does not eXpel enough mois
tire. and a weak bodied cheese is the
result II Is bad fault to get the
curd too warm. After II Is brought Il
| rs degrees II Is not necessary to still
continuously. hut Il rnust he frequently
stirred to prevent the curd from mat
ting. and the. temperature must b
maintained 1t is well to keep the val
covered
The curd IL usually ready to dip II
from three and a quarter to three and
a half hours from the time the renne'
] N addad To the milk The righs SRu