THE SWISS AND ITALIAN GROUPS 281 



into pieces about the size of kernels of corn. The 

 practice of " breaking " curd instead of cutting it with 

 sharp curd-knives produces excessive loss at times. 

 Experimental study has shown that the loss of fat 

 may be kept as low as 0.3 per cent if modern curd- 

 knives are substituted for the breaking tool formerly 

 used. Study of Swiss cheeses of all grades supports 

 the opinion that the removal of a small part of fat 

 from usual grades of factory milk produces a better 

 quality of product than the use of rich whole milk. This 

 may be accomplished through the escape of fat in the whey 

 on account of breaking the curd and stirring it vigorously, 

 or by skimming a part of the milk which is then curdled, 

 cut and stirred under such conditions as to minimize 

 the loss of fat. 



Cooking the curd. After cutting, the curd is stirred 

 in the whey for about twenty minutes before the steam 

 is turned on and is then heated to 128 to 135 F. While 

 this heating is in progress, constant stirring must be 

 given to avoid matting. This excessive stirring breaks 

 the curd up into pieces about the size of wheat kernels, 

 and accounts for the large fat loss, which is one of the 

 main sources of loss in making Swiss cheese. This stir- 

 ring is accomplished by a rotary motion, and the use of 

 a brake, which is a piece of wood closely fitting the side 

 of the kettle. This creates an eddy in the current at that 

 point and gives a more uniform distribution of tempera- 

 ture. The process of cooking takes from thirty to forty 

 minutes, and at the end of that time the degree of tough- 

 ness may be determined by making a roll of curd 

 in the hand, and noticing the break when it is given a 

 quick 'flip. A short sharp break indicates the desired 

 toughness. 



