62 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



be used for 1,000 pounds of milk, and about 2 to 2^/^ 

 pounds of salt. The other conditions that influence 

 the moisture content of cheese, such as the tem- 

 perature of heating- the curd, the fineness of cutting 

 curd, the amount of acid developed in the curd, 

 cheddaring, etc. (p. 45), should be well under 

 control, so as to produce a cheese containing, when 

 fresh from the press, about 37 per cent of water. For 

 ripening, it should be kept at a temperature below 50° 

 F. in a fairly moist atmosphere for a period of 3 to 6 

 months or more. 



HOME-TRADE CHEESE 



The majority of cheese consumers desire a cheese 

 soft in body and with a mild, clean flavor. Soft- 

 ness is synonymous with richness in cheese to 

 most people. While it is true that cheese rich in 

 fat possesses a characteristic softness, it is not true 

 that all soft cheese is rich in fat. The desire for a 

 mild-flavored cheese is a reaction from the taste 

 for a cheese of strong, pungent flavor. To meet in 

 the easiest way the demand for soft-bodied, mild- 

 flavored cheese^ there has arisen quite an extensive 

 manufacture of what is known as ''home-trade" 

 cheese. The method of making this kind of cheese 

 varies in its details in different localities, but the 

 general object is the production of a quick-curing 

 cheese which will be ready for consumption in four 

 to six weeks. The distinctive characteristics of 

 such cheese are its high water content, a conse- 

 quent softness of body and open texture, a mild 

 flavor when a few weeks old, and a poor-keeping 

 quality. These results are attained, in general, by 



