216 



CREAM-RIPENING AND STARTERS 



acids, and the aroma from a fermentation of the milk-sugar. 

 Good cream must possess a clean, pleasant, acid taste. For this 

 reason, it is essential to have the acid-producing germs predom- 

 inate during cream-ripening. 



Butter has been made from sour cream from time immemorial. 

 Housewives discovered a great many years ago that butter made 

 from ripened cream had a more pronounced flavor and aroma 

 than butter made from unopened cream. They also found 

 that cream properly ripened would churn more easily and give a 



FIG. 71 Progress vat pasteurizer and cream -ripener. 

 Da'rymens Mfg. Co.) 



(Davis-Watkins 



more exhaustive churning; hence, the practice of souring cream 

 has been handed down to the creameries from the home dairies. 

 Some women became noted for making butter of an exceptionally 

 fine quality, because, in addition to observing cleanliness as the 

 first requisite in making good butter, they selected nice, clean- 

 flavored milk and let it sour naturally; this was added to the 

 cream for the purpose of hastening the souring or ripening. 

 Some of these dairies produced butter which was not only of good 

 quality but also possessed good keeping qualities. 



In the early days of butter-making it was customary for some 

 to pack their butter in glazed crocks during the latter part of May 



