102 



THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



of other fermentations which cause objectionable flavor. 

 Too much water favors more active bacterial growth as 

 well as produces cheese too soft for the necessary handling 

 in the market. 



In the press, several bags of curd may be piled together. 

 The press should be released and the bags turned from 

 time to time to insure even drainage. Several hours of 

 pressing are usually required. The danger of insufficient 

 pressing is due to the difference of texture between the 

 worked and unworked curd. Before working, curd carry- 

 ing 10 per cent excess moisture resembles the finished 

 product sufficiently to deceive any but the experienced 

 maker. But if this curd is transferred to the worker and 

 to the molding machine, it is found to become soft, 



pasty and sticky, to 

 lack "body," hence to 

 make very unsatis- 

 factory packages and 

 to spoil very quickly. 

 The masses of curd 

 should come out of 

 the press as dry and 

 hard flat cakes. 



128. Working and 

 salting Neufchatel. 

 The cakes of curd go 

 from the press to the 

 working table. Here 

 they are broken by 

 hand or by a butter- 

 worker or kneading 



machine (Fig. 16). Salt at the rate of one and one- 

 half pounds to 100 pounds of curd is added. If the 



FIG. 16. Working Neufchatel. 



