272 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



262. Securing the sample. The sample of cheese to 

 be examined is best obtained by means of a cheese-trier 

 (Fig. 55). This is a piece of steel about five or six inches 

 long fitted with a suitable handle. It is semicircular 

 in shape, about J to f of an inch in diameter. The 



edges and end 

 are sharpened 

 to aid in cut- 

 ting. This is 



FIG. 55. - A cheese-trier. inserted into 



the cheese and turned around and then drawn out. It 

 removes a long cylinder of cheese, commonly called 

 a " plug." This plug should be drawn from the top 

 rather than from the side of the cheese, because when 

 the bandage is cut it often splits, due to the pressure 

 against it and so exposes the cheese. 



263. How to determine quality. As soon as the plug 

 has been removed, it should be passed quickly under 

 the nose to detect any volatile odors which are liable 

 to leave the cheese quickly. Next, the compactness of 

 the plug should be noticed and the color carefully ex- 

 amined. Then the outer end of the plug should be 

 broken off and placed back in the cheese in the hole 

 made by the trier. It should be about an inch long and 

 pushed in so that the surface of the cheese is smooth. 

 This prevents mold and insects entering the cheese. 

 Usually the cheese will mold after a short time where 

 the plug has been removed. The remainder of the plug 

 should be saved for determining the flavor and the body 

 and texture. 



The flavor can be determined by the first odor obtained 

 from the cheese on the trier and by mixing or crushing a 

 piece of the plug between the thumb and fore-finger and 



