| The value of cheese as a food has not been fully | | | | The curd should be cut into half-inch cubes. To |
| appreciated. | | | | make these cubesit will be necessary to cut the |
| A point in favor of cheese as an economical food | | | | curd lengthwise and crosswiseinto strips, half an |
| is that it doesnot require cooking before being | | | | inch thick, and into half-inch layers fromtop to |
| served. It may, however, begrated and served in | | | | bottom. A knife long enough to reach the bottom |
| a variety of ways with cooked foods. | | | | of thevessel may be used for making the |
| Considering its high nourishing qualities cheese is a | | | | lengthwise and crosswise cuts. |
| moreeconomical food than meats of any kind. | | | | Raise the temperature at the rate of about two |
| This is especially truein times of meat shortage | | | | degrees everyfour or five minutes until it reaches |
| when prices soar. Consequently, awider use of | | | | 114 degrees F. The curdshould be stirred gently |
| cheese will not only relieve meat shortages, butwill | | | | with a dipper during the heating. Itshould be held |
| effect a considerable saving for the consumer. | | | | at 114 degrees for an hour. The curd should |
| Largerquantities of this valuable food should be | | | | thenbe run into a strainer cloth to drain off the |
| produced and used. Itcan be made on most | | | | whey. After aboutten minutes of draining, it |
| farms at comparatively low cost. | | | | should be put into a dish pan andbroken into small |
| APPARATUS FOR CHEESEMAKING | | | | pieces with the hands. Four ounces of saltshould |
| The apparatus and equipment needed for farm | | | | then be thoroughly mixed through the curd. The |
| cheese making can besupplied largely from the | | | | saltshould be put on in three applications, each |
| average farm house utensils. Followingis the list: | | | | two or threeminutes apart. When the salt is |
| Milk vessel - A metal wash tub, a wash boiler, | | | | dissolved the curd is ready topress. A mold such |
| orany large vessel in which the milk may be | | | | as that described under the list of apparatusmust |
| heated and which canbe set on the stove, will do. | | | | be used for pressing the cheese. The grooved |
| Thermometer - A thermometer mustbe used so | | | | board,previously prepared, should be covered with |
| that the temperature may be regulated. Dipper - | | | | a cloth and the moldplaced on it. Line the mold |
| Adipper is necessary to stir the milk and curd. | | | | with the cheese bandage. It is nowready to |
| Knife - A longknife with which to cut the curd is | | | | receive the curd. Place a circular piece of cloth |
| desirable. Mold -Lardpresses or fruit presses may | | | | andthen the board disk on top of the curd and |
| be used for cheese molds. A sheetof galvanized | | | | apply pressure with afruit or lard press, or with a |
| iron or heavy tin, 22 by 10 inches, can be cut | | | | home-made press. The pressureshould be applied |
| andsoldered or riveted into the shape of a | | | | gradually or the cheese will not mold into asolid |
| cylinder 7 inches indiameter and 10 inches high, | | | | cake. If a press is not at hand, one can be made |
| which can be used as a cheese mold. | | | | bythrusting one end of a 12-foot plank under a |
| Cheese cloth -The cheese should be protected | | | | support whichshould be about 16 to 20 inches |
| with a bandage. | | | | above the ground. The supportcan be made by |
| This bandage should be made of cheese cloth or | | | | nailing to the wall a short piece of 2 by 4. |
| flour sacking orunbleached linen beforehand so | | | | Themold should then be placed about 2 feet from |
| that it will be ready to use. Itmust be made to fit | | | | the wall and theplank placed in position across its |
| the inside of the mold. Rennet tablets - | | | | top. The free end of theplank will cause a |
| Rennet tablets are used to coagulate the milk. | | | | downward pressure on the cheese. It will |
| They may bepurchased from any dairy supply | | | | benecessary to place a block of wood about 4 |
| house. Check the Yellow Pages. | | | | inches square on topof the cheese and to |
| Cheese press - Fruit presses or lard presses will | | | | regulate the height of the mold so that theplank |
| serve forcheese presses. A home made press | | | | will be level when pressing on the cheese. |
| can be made by thrusting oneend of a long plank | | | | Increasedpressure should be applied by attaching |
| under a cleat or support so that the freeend may | | | | a weight to the extremeend of the plank. As the |
| serve as a weight to press down against the | | | | pressure should be gradually increased,about 10 |
| cheese whichis placed under the plank near its | | | | pounds should be added to the weight each two |
| stationary end. | | | | or threeminutes until at the end of 15 minutes 75 |
| METHOD OF MAKING CHEESE | | | | pounds of pressure hasbeen applied. Let the |
| For five pounds of cheese, about 50 pounds of | | | | cheese remain in the press for three orfour |
| milk will berequired. Fresh, sweet, morning milk | | | | hours, then remove it, straighten out the cloth |
| should be used. It shouldbe put in a wash boiler or | | | | bandage andsmooth down with hot water. |
| similar vessel, set on the stove andheated to 90 | | | | Replace the cheese in the mold andpress over |
| degrees Fahrenheit. A thermometer should be | | | | night. Take the cheese out of the mold, |
| used sothat the temperature may be read and | | | | applyparaffin or grease to the outside and place it |
| regulated exactly. Whilethe milk is warming up to | | | | in the cellar orsuspend it in the well where it will |
| 90 degrees, dissolve one No. 2 | | | | ripen. It should be ripenedat a temperature of |
| Hansen's rennet tablet in half a glass of cold | | | | about 60 degrees F. and should be rubbedwith the |
| water. When themilk is exactly 90 degrees, add | | | | hands every day or two to prevent the growth |
| the rennet solution. Stir gentlyfor two or three | | | | of mold. |
| minutes. Regulate the heat to keep the milk at | | | | Sometimes, because the salt has not properly |
| 90 degrees until the curd is cut. Record the exact | | | | penetrated thecurd, the finished cheese may puff |
| minute ofadding the rennet solution. By dipping into | | | | or bloat when a few days old. |
| the milk with ateaspoon at intervals of every half | | | | Salt rubbed on the surface with the finger tips will |
| minute, determine when themilk first begins to | | | | correctthis tendency. Application should be |
| coagulate. Record the exact minute | | | | repeated the following day. |
| thatcoagulation first appears. Setting usually takes | | | | The cheese will be ready to eat in about four |
| 30 -45 minutes. | | | | weeks. |