FANCY CHEESES 353 



coarse by means of a so-called harp. The cheese-maker with a 

 wooden scoop in each hand then draws the mass of curd toward 

 him, that lying on the bottom of the kettle being brought to the 

 surface. At this point the cheese-maker and an assistant com- 

 mence stirring the curd with the harp, a breaker having first 

 been fitted to the inside of the kettle to interrupt the current of 

 the whey and curd. The harps are given a circular motion and 

 cut the curd very fine — about the size of wheat kernels or 

 smaller. 



After this stage is reached, heating is commenced. In Switzer- 

 land all of the heating until recently was done over an open fire, 

 the kettle being swung on a large crane, and most of the fac- 

 tories have the same method at the present time. In this 

 country the same method was followed in the early days of the 

 industry, but at the present time inclosed fireplaces into which 

 the kettle can be swung and doors closed to retain the heat are 

 largely employed. This takes away much of the discomfort 

 of the operation. In a few instances the kettles are set in 

 cement and an iron car containing the fire is run under it. The 

 more modern factories employ steam, and this appears to be the 

 most satisfactory way. When the heating is begun, the contents 

 of the kettle are brought rapidly to the desired temperature, 

 which may be from 126 to 140 degrees, the higher temperature 

 often being necessary to get the curd sufficiently firm. The 

 stirring in the meanwhile continues for about one hour, with 

 slight interruptions near the end of the process when the curd 

 has become so firm that it will not mat together. The end of the 

 cooking is determined by the firmness of the curd, which is 

 judged by matting a small cake with pressure by the hands and 

 noting the ease with which this cake breaks when held by the 

 edge. 



When the curd is sufficiently firm, the contents of the kettle 

 are rotated rapidly and allowed to come to a standstill as the 

 momentum is lost. This brings all the curd into a cone-shaped 

 2a 



