CHEESE. 181 



CHEESE. 



Cheese is mentioned by the most ancient writers. 



" Around the grot we gaze ; and all we view, 



In order ranged, our admiration drew : 



The bending shelves, with loads of cheeses prest, &c.'" 



Homer. 



But let us attend to the best mode of loading our 

 shelves with first rate cheeses. 



Make your milk blood-warm, and put in your runnet ; 

 but no more than will just make the curd come. Add an 

 ounce of fine salt to so much curd as will make a cheese 

 of fitlteen pounds, and in proportion for a greater or less. 

 Stir the curd till it is gathered ; put it in a strainer, 

 and with your hands work out all the vvhey ; then lay it 

 in a clean linnen cloth, put it in the hoop, and, cover- 

 ing it with the cloth, put it in the press, and let it stand 

 there two hours ; then take it out, rub it over with fine 

 salt, put it in another dry cloth, and put it in the press 

 eight hours ; then take it out again, put in another dry 

 cloth, and put it in the press again, where it is to remain 

 till the next cheese is ready. When taken out of the 

 press, put it in brine twenty-four hours, and add to the 

 brine about a tea spoon full of saltpetre. Some little 

 additions of salt and saltpetre must be occasionally made 

 to the brine ; and let it he cleansed as soon as necessa- 

 ry, by heating it and taking off the scum. When you 

 take the cheese out, dry it with a cloth ; bind it round 

 with a long string to make it keep its shape, which must 

 be kept round it tor some days, and let it be daily turn- 

 ed on the shelf, for two months. 



Let the evening milk be put with that of the morning ; 

 and, to make the best cheeses, let none of the cream 

 be taken away. If the evening milk, however, be 

 skimmed, and added to that of the morning, it will 

 make tolerable cheese. Skim-milk cheeses are also 

 made ; but they are not worth much. 



Wooden vessels are considered most wholesome for 

 holding the milk ; but if tin be used, they should be 

 washed every time they are emptied, with warm water, 

 in which a little salt has been dissolved, and should be 

 kept clean by scouring; and to prevent acidity in wood- 

 en vessels, they should in like manner be scoured and 

 cleaned with warm water. 



