100 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



used. The quantity to use depends on the quality of the 

 milk. With skimmed-milk, a pint for each thirty-pound 

 can is recommended by Matheson and Cammack 1 and 

 by Dahlberg. (See page 98.) For whole-milk Neufchatel, 

 2 c.c. to a thirty-pound can of milk commonly gives good 

 results. On this basis 2 ounces of starter would be suf- 

 ficient if properly stirred into about 1000 pounds of milk. 

 Too slow development of acid is preferable to over-rapid 

 souring. 



124. Renneting or setting. The milk should be 

 cooled after pasteurizing to between 70 and 75 F. Ren- 

 net is added at the rate of f c.c. to a thirty-pound can 

 (roughly J ounce to 1000 pounds). This will thicken 

 the milk sufficiently in the first few hours to reduce the 

 separation of the cream. For completion of the curdling 

 and souring process, twelve to eighteen hours are required. 

 Usually the cans stand overnight at uniform temperature. 

 When ready to drain, the curd should be firm, smooth 

 and mildly acid. Whey separating from it should not 

 titrate above 0.35 per cent titrated as lactic acid. 



125. Draining. A cloth is spread over a draining 

 rack and the contents of one " shot-gun " can poured 

 upon the cloth with as little breaking as possible. In 

 this way a large surface is exposed. The room must be 

 kept wet to prevent the surface of the curd drying to 

 form crusts which stop draining. A temperature of 60 

 F. is favorable to the maintenance of proper texture and 

 humidity without the development of objectionable 

 organisms, especially Oidium lactis, which tends to cover 

 every exposed surface in such rooms. Draining may be 



1 Matheson, K. J., and F. R. Cammack, How to make cottage 

 cheese on the farm, U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 850, pages 

 1-15, 1917. 



