CHEDDAR CHEESE 



305 



Fill the cup with milk to the zero mark, add the rennet, mix 

 thoroughly and allow it to stand. The sweeter the milk is, 

 the longer it will take to coagulate, and the more milk will run 

 out of the cup before the point of coagulation is reached, when 

 the flow of milk will cease. The time required for coagulating 

 the milk is shown directly by a scale on the inside wall of the 

 cup (see Fig. 53). 



It is important that the proper degree of acidity should be 

 developed in the milk, and this may be done by allowing it 

 to stand at a temperature favorable for the development of 

 the acid-producing bacteria, 

 which are already in the 

 milk; or the ripening pro- 

 cess may be hastened by 

 the addition of starter. If 

 starter is to be used, it 

 should be prepared and 

 handled in the same man- 

 ner as described for use in 

 butter-making (see p. 238). 

 Special care should be taken 

 that the starter is of good 

 quality, and contains no organisms which will later develop 

 undesirable conditions in the curd. If properly used, starters 

 may be of much value in controlling undesirable fermentations 

 and in hastening the ripening of sweet milk. The amount of 

 starter which can be used will depend on the acidity of the 

 fresh milk. Ordinarily from 2^- to 5 per cent will be sufficient 

 to give the desired results. Under certain conditions, a higher 

 percentage may be desirable. 

 Proper degree of ripeness. 



The main purpose in ripening the milk is to develop the 

 degree of acidity so that the curd will not remain in the whey 

 more than two and three-quarters to three hours. The correct 



FIG. 53. The Marschall rennet test. 



