West Country Cheeses. 27 



that they shall not be marked, or the edges damaged in the 

 press, the cheese being soft and readily lending itself to injury 

 at this stage. 



"Where care is taken, however, they come out finished very 

 nicely, and after a few days in the cheese-room become firmer, 

 and are more easily handled. 



Single Gloucester is eaten comparatively new ; for household 

 use they are often cut in about four or five weeks, while most 

 of them are ready at the end of about two months ; though well 

 made ones will keep for some time longer, but owing to the 

 large surface exposed in proportion to their size they lose 

 weight somewhat considerably. 



The texture of the ripe cheese is open, rather than close, 

 and the flavour is also quite distinct from that of the 

 Double Gloucester. There is a general impression that Single 

 Gloucester is especially suitable for cooking, and it is sometimes 

 spoken of as "toasting" cheese. While some years ago the 

 wholesale price was often quoted at about 50s. per cwt., and 

 Avas occasionally even less, in these days, owing to the enhanced 

 value of cheese, and partly perhaps to improved quality, they 

 are worth considerably more. 



The bulk of the output is made in the Berkeley district, 

 and at the auction sale folloAving the recent Berkeley Hunt 

 Agricultural Show some of the best exhibits touched 80.s. 

 per cwt., though this was no doubt a fancy price. 



The demand for it is chiefly local, and it is probably not a 

 suitable cheese to find its way easily into a new market. 



Double Gloucester had once a great reputation of its own, 

 until a dwindling output accompanied its displacement by the 

 ubiquitous Cheddar. Though still worthy of every consideration 

 from the cheese eater, it is to-day made in such small quantities 

 in the county of its origin that it has not its former opportunities 

 of getting far afield. 



In type this variety comes between the Single Gloucester 

 and the Cheddar, approximating more in these days perhaps 

 towards the latter. Broadly speaking, the maker aims at 

 obtaining a curd which, though finer and drier in the whey 

 than that of a Single, is, on the other hand, not so dry or 

 " shotty " as a Cheddar at this stage. A.n acidity of about 0*16 

 when the whey is run off" generally prodiices satisfactory results, 

 and should ()-i8 be exceeded the cheese will, as a rule, be too 

 acid. 



When fit for milling the curd should " draw " well on the 

 hot iron, and the acidity of the whey from the press is about 

 0'8 to 0*9, though many good cheeses have a somewhat lower 

 acidity. No caps or bandages are used, the cheese being 



