THE DANISH METHOD OF BUTTERMAKING.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2073, 15 October 1880, Page 4

THE DANISH METHOD OF BUTTERMAKING.

In Denmark a considerable quantity of sweet cream butter is made, but for general purposes most of tho butter is made from sour cream. Instead, however, of allowing the croam as we do, to become sour by ordinary means, they take very careful steps to produce the proper amount of souring, and no more. The cream, when skimmed, is all sweet, and is used at once for sweet cream butter; but for sour oream butter, it is put into a tub to stand, and being brought to a temperature of 62deg. Fahr., a small quantity of sour .buttermilk, say i or f per cent., is added, and stirred in, and is all covered up, and allowed to remain for twenty-four hours, by which time the proper amount of fermentation has set in, and the whole is soured just so much as was intended, and no more. It is found when moderately sour it imparts n rich nutty flavour to the butter; but when allowed to go too far, the flavour is much injured, and the rank taste so often found in our low quality butters is imparted. The practice in ail dairies in Denmark is to stop the churn* ing the moment the butter is formed and appears in small granules, and to take it out of tho churn in a drainer or hair sieve before it collects. As regards the washing of butter, there is great difference of practice. For sweet cream butter no washing is allowed ; but, for sour cream butter, some assert that washing in water injures the flavour, and others, who make good butter, wash very amply. After removal from the ohurn, which is done while in the granular state, by meanß of sieves or strainers, it is generally worked the first round by hand in small lumps against the side of the butter trough, to press the butter-milk out, and to consolidate the granules into a mass. In doing this, the workers are very particular to have their hands clean, and they have pans of ice water close by to dip in. Aftsr it has been so worked, it is allowed to stand in troughs set in ice or cold wator to harden, and after a time it is worked again on the butter worker; the salt is incorporated, and it is put into the tub.