[M] If you are making cheese on a small scale, and have not a regular
press, put the curd (after you have wrapped it in a cloth) into a small
circular wooden box or tub with numerous hole's bored in the bottom;
and with a lid that fits the inside exactly. Lay heavy weights on the
lid in such a manner as to press evenly all over.
SAGE CHEESE.--Take some of the young top leaves of the sage plant, and
pound them in a mortar till you have extracted the juice. Put the juice
into a bowl, wipe out the mortar, put in some spinach leaves, and pound
them till you have an equal quantity of spinach juice. Mix the two
juices together, and stir them into the warm milk immediately after you
have put in the rennet. You may use sage juice alone; but the spinach
will greatly improve the colour; besides correcting the bitterness of
the sage.
STILTON CHEESE.--Having strained the morning's milk, and skimmed the
cream from the milk of the preceding evening, mix the cream and the
new milk together while the latter is quite warm, and stir in the
rennet-water. When the curd has formed, you must not break it up, (as
is done with other cheese,) but take it out all at once with a wooden
skimming dish, and place it on a sieve to drain gradually. While it is
draining, keep pressing it gently till it becomes firm and dry. Then
lay a clean cloth at the bottom of a wooden cheese-hoop or mould, which
should have a few small holes bored in the bottom. The cloth must be
large enough for the end to turn over the top again, after the curd is
put in. Place it in the press for two hours; turn it, (putting a clean
cloth under it,) and press it again for six or eight hours. Then turn
it again, rub the cheese all over with salt, and return it to the press
for fourteen hours. Should the edges of the cheese project, they must
be pared off.
When you take it finally out of the press, bind it round tightly with a
cloth, (which must be changed every day when you turn the cheese,) and
set it on a shelf or board. Continue the cloths till the cheese is firm
enough to support itself: rubbing or brushing the outside every day
when you turn it. After the cloths are left off, continue to brush the
cheese every day for two or three months; during which time it may be
improved by keeping it covered all round, under and over, with grass,
which must be renewed every day, and gathered when quite dry after the
dew is off. Keep the cheese and the grass between two large plates.
A Stilton cheese is generally made of a small size, seldom larger in
circumference than a dinner plate, and about four or five inches thick.
They are usually put up for keeping, in cases of sheet lead, fitting
them exactly. There is no cheese superior to them in richness and
mildness.
Cream cheeses (as they are generally called) may be made in this
manner. They are always eaten quite fresh, while the inside is still
somewhat soft. They are made small, and are sent to table whole, cut
across into triangular slices like a pie or cake. After they become fit
to eat, they will keep good but a day or two, but they are considered
while fresh very delicious.
COTTAGE CHEESE.--This is that preparation of milk vulgarly called Smear
Case. Take a pan of milk that has just began to turn sour; cover it,
and set it by the fire till it becomes a curd. Pour off the whey from
the top, and tie up the curd in a pointed linen bag, and hang it up
to drain; setting something under it to catch the droppings. Do not
squeeze it. Let it drain all night, and in the morning put the curd
into a pan, (adding some rich cream,) and work it very fine with a
spoon, chopping and pressing it till about the consistence of a soft
bread pudding. To a soup plate of the fine curd put a tea-spoonful of
salt, and a piece of butter about the size of a walnut; mixing all
thoroughly together. Having prepared the whole in this manner, put it
into a stone or china vessel; cover it closely, and set it in a cold
place till tea time.
You may make it of milk that is entirely sweet by forming the curd with
rennet.
A WELSH RABBIT.--Toast some slices of bread, (having cut off the
crust,) butter them, and keep them hot. Grate or shave down with a
knife some fine mellow cheese: and, if it is not very rich, mix with
it a few small bits of butter. Put it into a cheese-toaster, or into a
skillet, and add to it a tea-spoonful of made mustard; a little cayenne
pepper; and if you choose, a wine glass of fresh porter or of red wine.
Stir the mixture over hot coals, till it is completely dissolved; and
then brown it by holding over it a salamander, or a red-hot shovel. Lay
the toast in the bottom and round the sides of a deep dish; put the
melted cheese upon it, and serve it up as hot as possible, with dry
toast in a separate plate; and accompanied by porter or ale.
This preparation of cheese is for a plain supper.
Dry cheese is frequently grated on little plates for the tea-table.