How are we to make as good cheese in October as we have been turning
out in September? This is the mental query that will sometimes arise
in the minds of makers whose experience is not measured by length of
years. A one-twelfth turn of the wheel of the yearly chronological
table ought not to produce such a vast change in lacteal affairs as
to exert a radical change in the manufacturing process. Of course,
the artificial subdivisions of the season would be of but small
moment in the case if they were not to a certain extent analogous
to natural atmospheric changes. As September wanes into October the
summer is insidiously but surely attaining its maturity. The grass
roots having in a prolific manner fulfilled their annual mission,
fail to send forth the tender blade of earlier months. Blighting
frosts sear the pastures and sap the succulence from the feed. It
is but natural that such an alteration in climatic influence should
leave its effect on the milk. It is a maxim of cheese making that
you must work milk according to its condition, not expecting one
invariable rule to cover the whole science, but keeping in mind
numberless distinct methods of treatment, for instant application as
exigencies arise.
As a general thing, less acid is deemed necessary for the October
make than was applied to the September product. I believe that in
making this important change the majority of manufacturers are too
abrupt in method and reduce the standard of ripeness prematurely in
point of time. A certain amount of acid is necessary to impart flavor
and insure good keeping qualities, hence more of it is required in
hot weather than in cold, as a defense against high temperature.
Many think that as soon as the hot days are passed the need of an
advanced curd maturity is passed also, and make almost sweet cheese.
If there is any thing that is fraught with dire consequences in
cheese making, it is extremes practiced in the _modus operandi_.
Avoid anything so derogatory and let conservatism characterize your
movements. Despite seasons and weather, and climate, we have got to
apply just so much acid to cheese to make it palatable and mellow,
and if the product is liable to encounter crucial weather enough more
sourness to retain the flavor established is imperative. But what
weakens fall goods is that in decreasing the acid scale in view of
cold weather ahead the retrograde is pushed beyond its own needs
and infringes on the quality of the cheese. In their zeal to have
the standard just right, I have known old makers to produce a lot
of weak October cheese before they realized where the trouble was.
Better have a little fullness of acid on fall stock than not enough.
“Doctor, why is it that you always buy a late fall cheese for winter
family use?” was asked one of the medical fraternity by a factory
employee as he delivered a forty pounder at his door. “We have in
my estimation far better goods on the shelves made in August and
September, and the price is the same.” “Well, you see, young man,”
said the Doctor, pouring some quinine into a vial, “I have a notion
that late fall cheese is healthier; the milk is no richer, perhaps,
than in September but the air is cool and pure, and, of course, you
know what a debilitating effect heat waves and miasmatic atmospheric
currents have on milk. Well, the less poison there is in the air,
the less there will be in the milk and subsequently in the cheese,
consequently my choice.” I believe the man of pills argued in the
right direction there, but then there is happily a way of expunging
from the curd infections absorbed by the milk from the atmosphere,
namely, airing.
The most diabolical enemy of October cheese is the skimmer. In
factories where that is unused there is a clear field for developing
fine stock, but there is no concealing the fact that all attempts to
smooth over the impoverishing effects of its use by the most skilled
treatment are futile and unavailing. If all of the good endeavor
to make mellow, rich cheese out of substance that is but dross was
expended in divorcing the illegitimate union of creamery and cheese
factory, incalculable benefit would accrue to dairy interests.
This month avoid cold draughts through the make-room during the
scalding process, as a vat presents a large surface for a current
of air to exert a chilling effect upon. Be sure and cook the curd
enough. There is a vast amount of fall made cheese that comes to
grief through insufficient scalding. If you do not bake a loaf of
bread thoroughly, you have a doughy and unpalatable article of food,
and if curd is not cooked until it has passed the raw state, it
will retain a certain quantity of whey and damage the product on
the shelves. This is the cause of strong-flavored, flabby-textured
cheese. A gentleman of long experience in the trade has said: “The
truth is, as it is difficult to cure cheese in cold weather, it ought
to be cooked more than will answer in hot weather, and sour less, as
the tendency is to acidulation in a cool atmosphere, in consequence
of the moisture not drying out soon enough.” To this we can append
the suggestion of never trying to cure a cheese in a cool atmosphere,
for the result will be a failure. A cheese cannot help but grow old
in a cold room but it will never cure.