FANCY CHEESES 377 



ments are made. In France the making rooms are generally 

 kept quite warm, and the cheese will naturally drain faster there 

 and develop the acid in the curd. 



Several experiments have shown us that it is not entirely 

 necessary to use such a high degree of acidity to secure a prop- 

 erly drained cheese, but by using a starter which will work 

 rapidly after the cheese is dipped, very satisfactory results have 

 been obtained. The milk in such cases was ripened only to 

 about 0.2 to 0.25 per cent of acid. 

 The starter. 



It is best to use a starter which is a pure culture of lactic 

 organisms, prepared by inoculating sterilized milk with these 

 bacteria. In cheese- and butter-making some home-made 

 starter is generally used, such as sour milk or buttermilk. These 

 often give excellent results, but are by no means pure cultures 

 and cannot be depended upon ; in fact, they sometimes cause 

 considerable trouble. 



The various commercial starters have been used here and 

 have produced excellent cheese of a mild type. The one found 

 most satisfactory, however, was prepared from a certain brand 

 of imported cheese. This cheese has a peculiar flavor of its own, 

 which differs from that of any other brand. Experiments to 

 produce this flavor have been carried out here. After many of 

 these imported cheeses had been carefully examined and ana- 

 lyzed a certain kind of lactic acid organism was found by the 

 bacteriologist. This organism was separated, and from it a 

 pure-culture starter prepared, which was used in the making of 

 the cheese with excellent results. The flavor sought for has been 

 produced repeatedly with this starter. As this brand of cheese 

 is more popular than almost any other, this starter is probably 

 the best that can be used in the manufacture of this cheese. 1 



1 As soon as a demand for this starter arises in the trade, cultures 

 of it will be furnished to such companies as regularly supply starters for 

 other creamery work. 



