268 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



may result from lack of moisture, fat or both, and may be 

 due to the following causes : (a) making the cheese from 

 partly skimmed-milk ; (6) heating the curd in the whey 

 for too long a time; (c) heating the curd too high; (d) 

 stirring the curd too much in the whey or as the last of 

 the whey is removed ; (e) using too much salt ; (/) develop- 

 ing of too much acid in the whey ; (g) curing the cheese 

 in too hot or too dry a curing-room; (h) not piling the 

 curd high or fast enough in the cheddaring process. 



The cause should be located and the corresponding 

 remedy found, as follows: (a) make cheese only from 

 whole milk ; (6) draw the whey sooner ; (c) firm the curd 

 at as low temperature as possible in the whey ; (d) stir 

 the curd in the whey only enough to keep the curd par- 

 ticles separated but do not hand-stir it ; (e) use less salt ; 

 (/) develop less acid in the whey ; (g) cure the cheese in 

 a cool moist curing-room ; (h) pile the curd sooner and 

 higher during the cheddaring process. 

 . The number of causes which may singly or in combina- 

 tion produce dry cheese demands experience and technical 

 skill that calls for the development of a high degree of 

 judgment. 



258. Gassy textured cheese. Gassy cheese has large 

 numbers of very small round or slightly flattened holes. 

 When round these are called " pin-holes," and when 

 slightly flattened " fish eye " openings. These are due 

 to the formation of gas by the micro-organisms in the 

 cheese. When a cheese is gassy, it usually puffs up 

 from gas pressure as in the rising of bread. If enough 

 gas is formed, it will cause the cheese to break or crack 

 open. Instead of being flat on the ends, such a cheese 

 becomes so nearly spherical as to roll from the shelf 

 at times. 



