232 3filk and Its Products. 



Butch cheese {cottage cheese, schmierkase, pot cheese, 

 etc.). — A toothsome and nutritious article of food is 

 made from sour skimmed milk or buttermilk by al- 

 lowing the casein to coagulate by the 'action of lactic 

 acid already formed, and then expelling the water by 

 the aid of heat. A considerable number of products 

 locally distinct, and differing in the degree of dryness 

 of the casein, are made in this way, the general pro- 

 cess of manufacture being to take sour buttermilk, or 

 skimmed milk which has coagulated, heating gently to 

 from 85° to 125° F., according to circumstances, drain- 

 ing off the whey through a cloth strainer, and then 

 reducing the texture of the resulting curd by knead- 

 ing with the hands or a pestle ; salt is added, and 

 the product is improved by the addition of a small 

 amount of cream or butter, and occasionally by the 

 use of some of the more common spices, as nutmeg, 

 caraway, etc. It is commonly made only for domestic 

 consumption, but in most cities and villages, es- 

 pecially during the summer months, there is a con- 

 siderable demand for fresh cheese of this sort, and 

 its manufacture is often a source of revenue to fac- 

 tories suitably located. It is usually sold and eaten 

 in a fresh state, but it may be subjected to cer- 

 tain curing processes, which quite materially change 

 its character, and which vary widely in different 

 localities. 



WJiey cheese (primost and myseost) . — These are pro- 

 ducts manufactured from whey in some of the north 

 European countries and among the Scandinavians in 

 our own. They are really forms of evaporated whey 



