TO MAKE CHEESE. 71 



curdling begins. This curdling shows that the 

 rennet is forcing the milk to surrender its 

 curd. 



The curd gradually begins to appear in the 

 vat as a solid mass, which, when formed, you 

 can cut with a knife. 



The liquid portion of the milk now left is 

 called whey, and this whey is run out of the vat 

 or tub by means of a tap. 



The curd mass is heaped up and allowed to 

 drain ; it is cut with a knife so as to allow as 

 much of the whey to escape as possible. Some 

 salt is then added and mixed thoroughly with 

 it. The curd is then cut into small pieces by a 

 mill, and it is placed on a " cheese form." 

 These "cheese forms" are then placed in a press, 

 and great pressure is placed upon them till the 

 cheese is made firm and free from whey. 



You can see at once that this rolling, heaping 

 up, cutting, and pressure are to make the curd 

 firm by forcing out of it all the whey. 



The made cheeses have then a cloth bandage 

 placed round them and are taken into a curing 

 room, where they remain under careful treatment 

 till they are ready for eating. 



It must not be forgotten that the butter fat 

 still remains in the curd and therefore in the 

 cheese ; in fact, it is the butter fat that gives 

 cheese a rich flavour. 



