218 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



more than with normal milk. It is a question of making 

 as good a cheese as possible, and the subject of losses 

 is ignored. 



(1) Over-ripe milk. The fact that the milk is over- 

 ripe shows that there is already too much acid present. 

 Every effort must be made to get the curd as firm as pos- 

 sible in the whey with the acid development as low as 

 possible or before the acid has had time to develop any 

 more than can be helped. Although the milk is over-ripe, 

 it is a good plan to add about J of 1 per cent of starter just 

 before the rennet. This starter will not begin to work until 

 the curd is being cheddared and it will help the flavor, 

 especially if any bad fermentation should be present. 



The rennet is added at 80 F., as this lower temperature 

 tends to check the acid development. More rennet is used, 

 commonly from 4 to 4| ounces to 1000 pounds of milk. 

 This gives a quicker coagulation. The curd is cut soft, 

 as this tends to expel the moisture more quickly. The 

 heat is turned on sooner after cutting. The time to turn 

 it on and the length of time to heat are determined by 

 the amount of acid. A curd should not be heated in less 

 than fifteen minutes. If the curd has enough acid and 

 has not begun to firm up much, the whey should be drawn 

 down to the surface of the curd, water the temperature 

 of the whey and curd put into the vat, and the curd firmed 

 up in this water. The water washes the acid out of the 

 curd and because of the lack of milk-sugar checks the 

 acid development. 



If the milk is not so ripe and the curd nearly firm 

 enough, the whey may be drawn off and the curd firmed 

 up by hard stirring in the vat or sink. The curd should 

 not be pushed back enough to be very deep or thick 

 when ready to cheddar. 



