26 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



Example: 



Time when rennet was added, 7 130 A. M.. 



Time of first thickening, 7:40 A. M. 



From adding rennet till first thickening^=io min- 

 utes. 



2^/2 times 10 minutes=25 minutes. 



7:30+25=7:55. 



Time of cutting is 7:55 A. M. 



When curd is cut too soon, the loss of fat, and 

 probably of casein, is increased and there is a 

 smaller yield of cheese. If the curd becomes too 

 hard, it cannot be cut uniformly; if a wire knife 

 is then used, the wires may break. 



How to cut curd. Uniformity in the size of 

 pieces is the aim of good cutting. This can be 

 most easily accomplished by cutting slowly length- 

 wise of the vat with a ^-inch steel horizontal 

 knife having sharp edges. Then cut crosswise 

 with a 5- 1 6-inch perpendicular, wire knife. Finally, 

 cut lengthwise with the same wire knife. Care 

 should be taken not to smash the curd when insert- 

 ing the knives or when turning them at the ends 

 of the vat. The resulting cubes should be of uni- 

 form size to insure an even escape of whey, a 

 well-regulated development of acidity in curd and a 

 uniform color in the cheese. Extra losses of cheese 

 constituents (p. 193) in the whey are due to care- 

 lessness or lack of skill in the cutting or in the sub- 

 sequent stirring. The knives should be drawn 

 straight and even and should not overlap the por- 

 tions previously cut. The faster the cutting, the 

 smaller and more uneven the cubes will be. 



