VARIETIES OF CHEESE f DESCRIPTION'S AND ANALYSES. 25 



GORGONZOLA. 



This variety, known also as Stracchino cli Gorgonzola, is a rennet, Italian 

 cheese made from whole milk of cows. The name is taken from the village of 

 Gorgonzola, near Milan, but very little of this cheese is now made in that 

 immediate locality. The interior of the cheese is mottled or veined with a peni- 

 cillium much like Roquefort, and for that reason the cheese has been grouped 

 with the Roquefort and Stilton varieties. As seen upon the markets in this 

 country the surface of the cheese is covered with a thin coat resembling clay, 

 said to be prepared by mixing barite or gypsum, lard or tallow, and coloring 

 matter. The cheeses are cylindrical in shape, about 12 inches in diameter 

 and 6 inches in height, and as marketed are wrapped in paper and packed with 

 straw in wicker baskets. 



The manufacture of Gorgonzola cheese is an important industry in Lombardy, 

 where formerly it was carried on principally during the months of September 

 and October, but with the establishment of curing cellars in the Alps, especially 

 near Lecco, the manufacture is no longer confined to those months. 



The milk used in making this cheese is warmed to a temperature of about 75° 

 F. and coagulated rapidly with rennet, the time required being usually from 15 

 to 20 minutes. The curd is -then cut very fine, inclosed in a cloth and drained, 

 after which it is put into hoops 12 inches in diameter and 10 inches high. It 

 was formerly the custom to allow the curd from the evening's milk to drain 

 overnight and to mix it with the fresh, warm curd from the morning's milk 

 prepared in the same way. The curd from the evening's milk and that from 

 the morning's milk, crumbled very fine, were put into hoops in layers with 

 moldy bread crumbs interspersed among the layers. The cheese is turned fre- 

 quently for four or five days, the cloths being changed occasionally, and is salted 

 from the outside, the process requiring about two weeks. It is then transferred 

 to the curing rooms, where a low temperature is usually maintained. At an 

 early stage in the process of ripening, the cheese is usually punched with an 

 instrument about 6 inches long, tapering from a sharp point to a diameter of 

 about one-eighth inch at the base. About 150 holes are made in each cheese. 

 This favors the development of the penicillium throughout the interior of the 

 cheese. Well-made cheese may be kept for a year or longer. In the region 

 where it is made, much of the cheese is consumed while in a fresh condition. 



GOUDA. 



This is a Holland cheese made from cows' milk whole or partly skimmed. It 

 is round and weighs from 10 to 45 pounds. The milk, to which coloring matter 

 has been added, is set at 91° F. with sufficient rennet to coagulate it in 15 

 minutes. The curd is cut or broken with a wooden scoop, a harp, or an Amer- 

 ican cheese knife. It is allowed to stand for a minute, and the whey is dipped 

 off. Hot whey or hot water is poured on the mass of curd until, the whole has 

 reached a temperature of 104° to 110° F. When the curd squeaks or whistles 

 if it is crushed between the teeth the whey or water is dipped off and the curd 

 is stirred and piled where it will drain well. The curd is then thoroughly 

 kneaded and sometimes lightly salted. After salting, the curd is put into 

 round molds and placed in a press, where it remains for 24 hours with increas- 

 ing pressure. The cheese is then salted, either by immersion in brine or by. 

 rubbing salt on the surface. The salting continues from four to eight days, after 

 which the cheese is washed with hot whey and is transferred to the ripening 

 cellar, where it is turned daily for several days and finally once a week until 



