18 



The Story of Cheese 



Next add the rennet. Where cheese is made from less than 500 

 lbs. of milk Rennet Tablets are handy, one tablet to 80 or 100 lbs. 

 For less than 50 lbs. of milk, Junket Tablets may be used, one to 

 a gallon. Dissolve the tablet, or tablets, or fraction of a tablet, as 

 the case may be, in cold water and stir the solution well 

 into the milk, making sure of thorough mixing. Let stand 

 covered for half an hour until a firm curd is formed. Cut 

 or break the curd very carefully with a big knife or spoon 

 or home-made fork with wires across the prongs, imitating 

 as far as possible the operation with curd knives in the 

 factory. 



"Cook" the curd as in factory cheese making. If steam 

 is not available, allow the curd to settle and dip off some 

 of the whey which is then heated and poured back on the 

 curd so as to raise the temperature of the whole mass about 

 2 degrees. Repeat this several times, gradually raising 



Curd Fork '^ -, nno r i ■ ' 



the temperature to 100 , a tew degrees at a time. 



Keep the curd gently stirred up and floating in the whey and do 

 not allow it to lie on the bottom of the vat long enough to pack 

 firmly together, stirring once in a while until by smell and taste 

 (if not also by acid or hot iron tests) it appears to be sufficiently 

 fermented for the whey to be 

 drawn, a condition that can 

 only be learned by experience. 

 This will be about two or three 

 hours from the time the rennet 

 is added. 



Draw the whey and press 

 more out of the curd with the 

 hands. Let the curd mat and 



break it up alternately several Plain Wooden Vat and Curd Mill 



times; finally crumble and pulverize it and keep it stirred with the 

 hands, adding salt at the rate of three to four ounces to the curd 

 from 100 lbs. of milk and continuing the stirring until the curd is 



_ cooled down to below 80°, when it should be 



packed into the hoop and put to press. This 

 salting and cooling may take another hour. 

 The hoop may be made of wood or heavy 

 tin of any size desired, with a loose follower 

 of wood. The sides and bottom should be 

 perforated to allow the whev to escape. Or 



-E] — " -^ 



Mold or "Hoop" 



