CHEDDAR CHEESE.

Patea Mail, 2 April 1881, Page 4

CHEDDAR CHEESE.

In view of the probability of cheesemaking for export becoming a colonial industry, the Canterbury Times gives full particulars for the manufacture of the Cheddar, at present the favorite and most saleable cheese in Great Britain. The morning’s and evening’s milk are together brought to a temperature of about 80 deg. Fahr, but if the night has been warm a somewhat lesser temperature may bo allowed. The evening milk is skimmed in the morning, and the cream, with a portion of the milk, is heated up to a lOOdeg by floating it in tin vessels on hot ivater. It is then mixed with the morning’s milk, which is strained into a tub as it arrives, so as to raise the temperature of the whole quantity to about 80deg. The tub may be a large tin vessel, with false bottom and sides, thus enabling hot or cold water to be passed around its contents. Rennets made from the veils of very young calves are preferred, and they should be eighteen months old before used. The curd is broken up into pieces not much larger than peas. The operation is performed slowly with a single long blade, and the whole mass is turned over from the bottom with a skimming dish in the hand. After the curd has been cut by the knife in lines forming a four inch mesh upon the surface, the whole mass is again worked with a four-fingered paddle, with wires across the fingers, care being taken to do it gently, so that the whey shall not become too white. Hot water is then let gradually into the space around the cheese tub, the contents being thus raised to a uniform temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot water is then drawn off, and the curd is stirred for half an hour with the hand and skimming dish. After settling for half an hour, the whey is removed, and the curd is allowed to stand for another half-hour. Then it is cut in four or five pieces, turned over, and left for another half-hour, after which it is again cut, and left for a quarter of an hour. At this stage of the process it should be very slightly acid to the taste, but if too acid it will not press into a solid, well-shaped cheese. The next operation is to tear the curd in pieces by hand ; after having been allowed to cool, it is packed in successive thin layers in the vat. After being pressed for half an hour it is taken out, broken up by hand and allowed again to cool. When it has arrived at a proper degree of coolness, dryness, sourness and toughness which, of course, can only be judged by experience, it is ground up in the curd mill, and salt is added in the proportion of 21b to lewt of curd. When the whole mass has become cold it is put in the vat and taken to the press. About 18cwt is the proper degree of pressure. The cloth is changed the next morning, a calico coating sewn on the second day, and on the third day it may be taken from the press, placed in the cheese room, which should be kept at about 65 deg. Fahrenheit, bandaged and frequently turned. The cheese will not be ready for sale for three months. The importance of a good cheese room —one which can be kept at a uniformly warm temperature, is acknowledged by all good cheese-makers. A great deal depends on this for the ripening and maturing of the cheese.

The process of manufacturing Cheddar cheese has been gone into thus minutely because it is the sort which the produce of our own dairies is likely to come into competition with, and judging from the material used, and the great care exercised in carrying out the different processes, perhaps our Colonial cheese makers will be able to form an opinion as to the chances their own products will have of finding favour with the palates of English consumers. The Honorary Secretary of the British Dairy Farmers’ Association, after spending a day among the London cheese warehouses, says that the only kinds then in stock were the Cheddar, Cheshire, and American, the Cheddar predominating, and that the preference was given to cheese with a clean skin of white colour, solid, and firm in texture, mellow to the palate, and with a slightly nutty flavour.