176 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



and consequent overheating. As soon as the curd shows 

 signs of hardening, which the experience of the worker 

 will enable him to determine, the whey is drawn off until 

 the upper surface of the curd appears, when one should 

 commence to fill the press molds. 



Filling molds, pressing and dressing Edam. The 

 molds, which are described later in detail, are well soaked 

 in warm water previous to use, in order to prevent too 

 sudden chilling of curd and consequent checking of sepa- 

 ration of whey. As soon as whey is drawn off, as indi- 

 cated above, one begins to fill the pressing molds (Fig. 27) . 

 The filling should be done as rapidly as possible to prevent 

 too great cooling of curd. When the curd has been put 

 into the molds, its temperature should 

 not be below 88 F. Unless care is taken 

 to keep the curd covered, the portion 

 that is last put into the molds may be- 

 come too much cooled. In making Edam 

 FIG. 27. Edam cheese on a small scale, it is a good plan 



cheese mold. , i , ^1.111 



to squeeze the moisture out with the hands 

 as much as possible and then break it up again before put- 

 ting in the molds, when the curd should be pressed into 

 the mold firmly by the hands. The molds should be filled 

 as nearly alike as possible. The cheese should weigh from 

 5 to 5J pounds each when ready for the press. When the 

 filling of molds is completed, they are put under continual 

 pressure of 20 to 25 pounds for about twenty-five or thirty 

 minutes. While the cheese is being pressed, some sweet 

 whey is heated to a temperature of 125 or 130 F., and 

 this whey should not be allowed to go below 120 F. at 

 any time while it is being used. When the cheeses are 

 taken from their molds, each is put into the warm whey 

 for two minutes, then removed and dressed. For dress- 



