30 Oct., 1911-] Cheddar Cheese-making. 705 



to be fresh and sweet, a good starter must be used. Should there be a<ny 

 bad flavours evident, a good starter will also assist in overcoming them. 



Starters for Cheese-making. 



In preparing starters from commercial cultures for cheese-making, it 

 is essential that all vessels be washed and scrubbed in tepid water and soda 

 and then thoroughly rinsed with hot water and soda, and sterilized with 

 «team. 



It is advisable to get the best milk obtainable and as fresh as possible 

 from cows that have not advanced too far in their period of lactation. The 

 milk should be strained through a Ulax strainer before putting it into the 

 can or bucket in which it is scalded. 



Stand the vessel in a trough of water heated by steam. Keep the water 

 boiling slowly to prevent any water spla.shing into the milk. In this way. 

 the temperature of the milk is raised up to nearlv boiling point (say 

 200 deg.) and should he maintained at that temperature for half an hour, 

 stirring occasionally with a clean sterilized rod. 



Take the can out and strain the milk into a clean vessel, and wash the 

 <an first with cold water and then hot water and soda, and sterilize with 

 steam. 



Take one gallon of the scalded milk and cool down to 80 deg. when 

 the culture may be added, stirring it in thoroughly with a clean glass rod. 



Cover the top of the vessel with a piece of clean cheese cloth that has 

 been scalded and dried, to prevent any flies or dust getting in. 



Set the can in a tub of water at a temperature of 78 deg., giving the 

 milk a stir for the first 5 hours at intervals and maintaining that tempera- 

 ture from 18 to 24 hours. The startoline should be nicely thickened; skim 

 off about 3 ins. and discard it. Stir it up with a clean glass rod till it be- 

 comes like cream and keep back one pint to be used to start the second 

 day's pasteurized milk. 



The second propagation should be started at a lower temperature (about 

 180 deg.) and maintained at 70 deg. for the same period. 



Test the acidity by using the acidimeter test which should be 0.65 per 

 -cent. Keep back about i| pints to be added to third day's pasteurized 

 milk. 



The third propagation should be cooled down to from 6-^ to 70 deg. 

 and kept at that degree from 18 to 24 hours. This propagation will be 

 found sufficient to set the ordinary starter. The quantity to he used for 

 the ordinary starter will depend on the acidity developed, which should not 

 -exceed 0.80 to 0.85 per cent. One per cent, to i.^ per cent, will be suffi- 

 cient if the starter is mild to the .sense of smell, clean and sharp to the 

 palate, and firmly coagulated. If found to be over-ripe, use less. 



It is a very important matter that the starter be kept covered and in a 

 pure atmosphere. Before using a starter always reject i in. from the top 

 of the starter which is not so good. The starter should be poured from 

 ■one vessel to anolher until it becomes smooth and uniform. If it is found 

 desirable to add the starter to the vat of milk after the temperature has 

 been raised, mix the starter with an equal quantity of warm milk from the 

 vat. After pouring from one bucket to another it may be put into the vat 

 by straining it through cheese cloth so as to prevent the cold starter from 

 curdling or forming into white lumps, causing mottled chee.se. 



A good clean flavoured starter gives the desired flavour, aroma, and 

 keeping quality, reijuired in cheese. A poor flavoured one should never 

 'be used, as it spoils tlie fl.uinir of the whole vat of milk. 



