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