62 SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF CHEESE-MAKING 



be used for 1,000 pounds of milk, and about 2 to 2^2 

 pounds of salt. The other conditions that influence 

 the moisture content of cheese, such as the tem- 

 perature of heating the curd, the fineness of cutting 

 curd, the amount of acid developed in the curd, 

 cheddaring, etc. (p. 45), should be well under 

 control, so as to produce a cheese containing, when 

 fresh from the press, about 37 per cent of water. For 

 ripening, it should be kept at a temperature below 50 

 F. in a fairly moist atmosphere for a period of 3 to 6 

 months or more. 



HOME-TRADE CHEESE 



The majority of cheese consumers desire a cheese 

 soft in body and with a mild, clean flavor. Soft- 

 ness is synonymous with richness in cheese to 

 most people. While it is true that cheese rich in 

 fat possesses a characteristic softness, it is not true 

 that all soft cheese is rich in fat. The desire for a 

 mild-flavored cheese is a reaction from the taste 

 for a cheese of strong, pungent flavor. To meet in 

 the easiest way the demand for soft-bodied, mild- 

 flavored cheese, there has arisen quite an extensive 

 manufacture of what is known as "home-trade" 

 cheese. The method of making this kind of cheese 

 varies in its details in different localities, but the 

 general object is the production of a quick-curing 

 cheese which will be ready for consumption in four 

 to six weeks. The distinctive characteristics of 

 such cheese are its high water content, a conse- 

 quent softness of body and open texture, a mild 

 flavor when a few weeks old, and a poor-keeping 

 quality. These results are attained, in general, by 



