372 Camembert and Other Soft Cheeses, [august, 



first stages of ripening; and (3) a ripening room (or cellar), 

 kept at a low temperature, in which the cheeses undergo the 

 final process of ripening and refinement. The temperature, 

 moistness of the atmosphere, and ventilation differ in each 

 of these rooms, and unless the maker is fully acquainted with 

 the conditions which should prevail in each, his attempts at 

 manufacture will almost certainly end in failure. 



Fortunately, however, it is not difficult to adapt to the 

 purpose of soft cheese making the buildings usually found 

 in small homesteads. The making room need not be large, 

 but should be provided with means for artificial heating so 

 that the apartment can be kept at a constant temperature. 

 The drying room should be in such a position and so con- 

 structed that the temperature and ventilation can be regulated 

 at will. Thorough ventilation with means of controlling it 

 is absolutely necessary in the drying room. The final 

 ripening room should be moist, and not subject to any great 

 variations in temperature. 



The refined soft cheeses most popular are the Camembert 

 and Brie.* The Pont l'Eveque cheese is also well known, 

 and though it is usually considered a soft cheese, 

 the mode of manufacture and ripening differs some- 

 what from that of the true type of soft cheese, the ripening 

 not being due to mould growth, but depending largely upon 

 the enzymes of rennet, a comparatively large quantity of 

 which is used in the coagulation of the milk. 



It will be wise on the part of the maker to specialise in 

 one variety of cheese only, as each variety described below 

 requires a different degree of temperature, moisture, &c, in 

 the different stages of manufacture. 



As generally understood, soft cheeses are small, non- 

 pressed, and quickly ripened, and are frequently so soft as 

 to be spread upon bread like butter." Usually they are made 

 from perfectly sweet milk, and development of acidity takes 

 place in the milk after the rennet has been added, or in the 

 curd whilst draining and before the application of salt. On 

 the other hand, with the hard or pressed type of cheese the 

 milk is partially soured or ripened before the addition of 



* A description of Brie, Pont l'Eveque and other soft cheeses will appear in next 

 month's issue. 



