60 CHEESE AND CHEESE-MAKING 



slightly humid as well as cool, one reason being 

 that it is essential to maintain the moist character 

 of the cheese, and to prevent the evaporation 

 which, if allowed to continue, would ensure its 

 being dry, unpalatable, and unsalable. 



i/' GERVAIS. The Gervais cheese is a delicate 

 little luxury produced upon an enormous scale 

 by several makers in France, two of whom are 

 pre-eminent, M. Gervais and M. Pommel, both 

 of Gournay. These makers produce millions in 

 the course of a year. M. Gervais supplies Paris, 

 sending up fabulous numbers every day ; M. 

 Pommel, I believe by private arrangement 

 with his neighbour, supplies other markets, in- 

 cluding that of London. I have paid a visit to 

 both establishments, and was able to see a great 

 deal that was interesting and instructive in the 

 factory of M. Pommel. Gervais is a mixture of 

 cream and milk ; it is unnecessary to suggest what 

 proportion should be used, inasmuch as every 

 maker has his own idea, but one-third of average 

 cream mixed with two-thirds of whole milk will 



J produce a most palatable and luxurious cheese. 

 The essence of this system is the low tem- 

 perature at which the mixture is set, 65 F. 



