West Country Cheeses. S3 



on an average about 1 per cent, of butter-fat, makes a very 

 suitable milk for the purpose. 



Since the introduction of mechanical separators a great 

 many makers use a proportion of separated milk with the hand 

 skimmed, and in some cases the cheese is made from separated 

 milk alone. Whilst it is quite easy to make a blue cheese from 

 separated milk, it must be borne in mind that the quality is not 

 so good — the weight of green cheese is less, and there is a greater 

 shrinkage during the ripening of the cheese. 



A gallon of skim milk containing 1 per cent, of butter-fat 

 will produce about three-quarters of a pound of ripe cheese, 

 as compared with about half a pound from an equal quantity of 

 separated milk. 



The method of manufacture as employed by the best 

 makers of the present day is as follows : — 



The evening's milk is hand-skimmed after having been set 

 for twenty-four hours, and then put into the cheese-tub. A little 

 cream will have risen on this by the following morning. 

 This should be skimmed off, and when the whole of the milk 

 has been raised to the required temperature the cream should be 

 heated to about 98" and strained back into the tub, well mixing 

 it with the milk. 



The morning's milk is treated somewhat similarly, that is to 

 say, it is set for twenty-four houi'S, skimmed, and a sufficiency 

 of it is heated — usually about one-tifth part of the bulk 

 — to bring the whole up to the required temperature. The 

 temperatui-e for renneting varies considerably with the seasons 

 of the year, also with the soils from which the milk is pro- 

 duced. For instance, from ^^'' to 72" is the general temperature 

 for milk produced on a chalky soil in summer, and from 

 72° to 78° in spring and autumn ; whilst milks produced on a 

 heavy soil — clay for instance — require a higher temperature, 

 usually from 74" to 78" in summer, and from 78" to 84" in colder 

 weather. 



After both milkings have been raised to the required tempera- 

 ture they should be allowed to ripen together. The length of 

 time this will take varies with the amount of acidity in the milk 

 — as a rule from twenty minutes to an hour. This ripening 

 process is most essential in the making of this variety of cheese, 

 as it is absolutely necessary to have a ripe milk to make a good 

 blue cheese. 



When the milk is fit for renneting it should have a decided 

 acid taste and smell, and should show from '3 to ''6b per cent, 

 acidity by the acidimeter. Formerly home-made rennet was 

 the only agent used for curdling the milk, but this was often very 

 uncertain in its action, although its use is maintained in some 

 dairies at the present time, as some makers prefer it ; if the 



VOL. 73. C 



