RURAL LIFE IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY 



cheese. Every farm was a small cheese factory. The 

 milk was brought in at night, strained and set. Very 

 frequently the cream was taken off in the morning and 

 used either for making a small churning of butter or in 

 cooking. 



If the cream was not taken off it was thoroughly 

 stirred in and the milk was then brought to a lukewarm 

 heat. The morning's milk was strained and left until 

 the animal heat escaped, then the two were mixed and 

 as much rennet added as would turn it to a curd. I find 

 no definite measure for the amount of rennet. The ex- 

 perienced cheese makers must have known subcon- 

 sciously when they had enough for the amount of milk. 

 The curd was supposed to set in one-half to three-quar- 

 ters of an hour; then the smooth white mass was cut 

 into cubes with a broad-bladed wooden knife. After 

 cutting, the curd was left for half an hour or so to let 

 the whey separate, and then the whey was dipped off 

 and the curd again cut, this time usually into cubes 

 about an inch in size. After a good deal of the whey had 

 been dipped off the curd was ladled into a cheese basket 

 to drain. The draining was quite complete. Then the 

 curd was returned to the tub and thoroughly scalded 

 with hot whey "until it squeaked," when it was ready 

 for the final draining, the salting and the press. The 

 rule for salt varies from "salt to taste" to "a teacupful 

 of Liverpool salt to ten pounds." 



[76] 



