4l6 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



Addition of rennet to milk. — The rennet should 

 not be added until the milk has reached the desired 

 temperature (88° to 90° F.) and this temperature has 

 become constant. Then one adds 4 to 5 ounces of 

 fresh rennet-extract for 1,000 pounds of milk. The 

 milk should be completely coagulated, ready for 

 cutting, in 15 or 20 minutes. The same precautions 

 should be used in adding rennet as those previously 

 mentioned in connection with the manufacture of 

 Edam cheese. 



Cutting the curd. — The curd should be cut when 

 it is of about the hardness generally observed for 

 cutting in the cheddar process. The cutting is done 

 exactly as in the cheddar process except that the 

 curd is cut a little finer in the Gouda cheese. Curd 

 should be about the size of peas or wheat kernels 

 when ready for press and as uniform in size as 

 possible. 



Treatment of curd after cutting. — When the cut- 

 ting is completed, one commences at once to heat 

 the curd and to stir carefully. The heating and 

 constant stirring are continued until the curd 

 reaches a temperature of 104° F., which should 

 require from 30 to 40 minutes. When the curd be- 

 comes rubber-like in feeling and makes a squeak- 

 ing sound when chewed, the whey should be run 

 ofif. The whey should be entirely sweet when it is 

 removed. 



Pressing and dressing cheese. — After the whey 

 is run off, the curd is put in the molds at once 

 without salting. Pains should be taken in this proc- 

 ess to keep the temperature of the curd as near 

 100° F. as possible. Each cheese is placed under 



