FACTORY STILTON.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2638, 20 September 1882, Page 4

FACTORY STILTON.

la a recsnt number of the " Cultivator and Conr.try Gentleman " (Albany, NcwYork),Mr H. A. Willsrd has described such points in the Loicsst'jrstiire rj3t"ai of making Stilton oheeso, practised by Mr T. Nuttall, as appeared to be suitable to factory work in the United Spates. In 1879 Mr Nuttall was awarded first p-ersium for Stilton at the Intem&tional Daby Show in New York, and also tha first v.rA eeoand ohampion prizas at tha D?Jry Show h->ld in Birmingham in 1881. 'Tho proosss d'fcards the idea that_ Stilton oheese oan only bj made by the addition of extra cream, cr that cream must be taken from tho evening's milk and mixed with the new milk of tka' morning, thus necessitating tho lnakinjr of a Isrge quantity of skim ©heesa, unless tha Ekimracd milk can be otherwise disposed of. No extra cream is Bled in its manufacture. The cheese is made from new milk fraah from the cows twice a day, morning and evening, by the most ample and natural proosss possible. The cheese vat is similar to Amerioan factory vats—that is, an outer vat of wood lined with tin, and spocs between the two for water, and holding about 600 gallons. The milk is set (with rennet) at a temperature of 79'Fah., and a sufficient quantity of ronnet is added to perfect coagulation in from one and a half to oce and three quarter hours. The jrennet U thoroughly mixed through the milk, ffhe coagulation havingr been perfected, four aaraona take their plaoes—two on each side Of the vat —and, with shallow tin bowls, oommeaoe removing the mass of card into oloths, whioh are placed in tin vessels called slrainers. These drainers are 6ft long, 2ft vide, and.6ia deep. Iron rods are fastened aorcss the drainers at intervals of 18in, oa which the sides of the cloth are placed. The drainers are alao provided with faucets for drawing off the whey. Two of these drainers are fixed on a frame, 2ft ■part, tha one above the other, standing on wheels for easy removal. -As soon as these sure filled, they are placed on one-side of t&e dairy room, and others lake their place. Thus in the space of about 'twenty.five minutes, all tha curd ia taken from the vat which is at ono-3 o&ref ully cleaned. The oloths containing (be curd are loosely tied by the four corners thus allowing tha whey to partially separate from it. But it is considered essential that it does not drain off, tho old saying on this point of manufacture being " that it should wallow in its own whey." In about ah hour the faucets are turned and the whev is allowed to dr..in off, when file olpths, after being tightened, are plaoed sloaa together in a larger drainer, similar in dimensions to the cheese vat. Here they remain twelve hours, when the whey, whioh by this time has further separated, is allowed to atoaps; tha cloths are again tightened, and the ourd, having now obtained a considerable •mount of consistency, is placed in other •oolers. Tha curd is in a little time removed on the oloths, and out into pieces. After remaining in this state twelve to twenty-four honrs.it is ooarsely ground and the morning's and evening's ourds are well mixed, with 6Joz of finest chaese salt to every 241bs of ourd. It is then put in tin hoops, perforated at the ■ldes and 12!b deep by 8m in diameter. These when fillsd are placed in a room with a brick floor, fitted with shelving and heated to B temperature of 65* Fan. This oauses the whey to exude rapidly, gradually ceasing ■t tha expiration of five or six days. Xhe cheeses are then removed from the hoop and taken into the binding room, where they we smoothed with a knife and bandaged by strong cotton cloth being pinned around them. This smoothing is repeated dally, and dry bandages applied until the cheeses get firm and partially coated, whioh generally takss placa in about twelve days. They are then removed to the dryinj rooms, whioh are also kept at a temperature of 65' Fah. by means of steam pipes, or cooled by water triokling over the slates frsm a perforated pipe. The oheese is considered fit for sale at about six months old, when the S4lb. of curd plaoed in the hoop will have sreduced5 reduced a cheese of some 121 b weight. has it will be seen the oheese in this proaess may be said to almost make itself. There is no pressure applied, and it-is soareely touohod with the hands. A-fine, rich, creamy produot

is the result, Mr Barter describes the prooeoi of churning and-batter making as he saw it. The ohurn was turned by horse .power at the rate of sixty revolutions a. minnte. The churning took forty minutes, and was stopped the moment the butter appeared in small grains. JPwo thirds of the buttermilk was then rejioved, and spring water poured in by the pipa as before described. The churn was then turned slowly for thirty revolutions, and two-thirds of the milk and water being taken oat, more fresh water was poured in. The same operation was now repeated, until the water came running out of the ohurn quite tAexr. There were in all eight washings, the revolutions of the ohurn being reduced each time. By not removing all the buttermilk or water at the conclusion of the washings, the partiolea of butter are kept separate, and being kept separate, they can be more completely washed, while at the same time the grains can be preserved. After the last washing the churn. was half filled with water, and rooked gently backwards and forwards to collect the butter, which bsing done, it was removed in lamps of about 41b eaoh. The butter was not worked, bat eaoh lump was slightly pressed with the hands in a basin of water, then taken out and gently patted with a wooden spoon to remove the water. Four or five lumps were now plaeed one over the other, having been previously flattened and shaped with the wooden spoon (the only instrument used throughout), and the butter having been neatly pinned up in a clean new cloth, on which was printed the maker'* name smd the medals he had won, the packages, weighing eaoh about 251 b, were plaoed in a small basket lined with reed ; eaoh basket

costs the farmer about fonrpence. A carrier from the railway company calls round to the farmer and carries off thoie packages to the station, and the entire cost to the farmer for bis butter is, in this way to Paris (carriage, tolls, factor, tea), about twopence for every pound of butter. Butter sent in this way direct to P&ris is consigned to factors, and ■old by public auction. Mr Barter visited the weekly butter market at Isigny. It began at 10 a.m., and was held in the open air under a row of old trees. The women stood in lines, each with a basket containing lumps of butter, wrapped up in clean elothi, the weight of the lumps varying from 101 bto 701 b. The bujera go round with a ■mall wooden knife, examine the butter very carefully, taste and smell it, and often break off large lumps to see tbe grain. They write on the lump of butter the price they offer. If not accepted it is blotted out by pressing the knife over the marks ; but if agreed to the quality and private mark of the bujer are §ot on it. The woman then takes it to the epot, where it is weighed, paid for, and the quality again checked. Eaoh description is placed separately ir, very large baskets lined with linen. The butter for Paris was dispatched in a special waggon, arranged on the ■helves, and it is all sold perfeotly fresh, the average supply per week being about 35,0001 b. Mr Barter says that tbe art of dairying in its jjraolical bearings, and tho manufacture of butter of highest quality are not, after all, such very difficult matters, scrupulous cleanliness and close attention to details being the gnat and only sroret of Bcooese.