of the hand, let all the Whey be taken from it; then let it stand
one quarter of an Hour for the Curd to settle, drain, and get solid,
before you break it into the Vat; if any bits of slip-Curd happen to
be swimming in the Whey, that does not sink with the rest, it had
better be put away with the Whey, than put to the Cheese, as it will
not cement or join with the solid Curd, and all slip-Curd, as before
observed, dissolves or melts, so that it is a detriment to Cheese when
ever put in; many People, as soon as the Whey is removed, immediately
break the Curd small as possible, and then put it into the Cheese Vat,
for finishing. I would always recommend that it rest one quarter of an
Hour, before ’tis broke, or vatted; the Cheese would be much better for
it, as the Air would more easily separate, and prevent its puffing up
under your hand, when squeezing in the Vat, and also prevent the Fat
squeezing out, as it often does through your Fingers; which being so
much broke, occasions, and certainly it must make your Cheese, both
leaner and lighter. I have consulted many good Dairy-women, on the
Article of breaking Cheese, and find, ’tis the most general method to
break the Curd as small as possible, when put into the Vat; but what
makes that more absolutely necessary, is, there being slip-Curd amongst
it, and that never appears to embody, or join with the rest, unless
broke and thoroughly mixed; and even then I am fully convinced is of no
use for the reason above given; although I have laid it down as a rule,
never to stir or gather the Cheese in less than an Hour and half, many
of the best Dairy-women I have ever consulted, generally let it stand
two Hours; by which time the Curd is got to be of so firm a nature, as
to render the breaking of it at all absolutely needless, it being got
so solid, they only cut it in slices, put it into the Vat and work it
well into it, by squeezing thoroughly to make it firm and close, then
put it into the Press, and no more is needful. The finest, fattest and
best Cheese I have seen, I have been informed was made this way; there
is sure to be no sweet Cheese, horny-coated, or jointed Cheese made
in this manner; sometimes I have observed Cheese that has been sunk,
tho’ very fat and well tasted, that would become very hard and cut
chiselly, which I take to be owing to the Curd getting very cold and
set hard before Vatted, to prevent its doing so, it may be necessary
to break the Curd and not give it quite so much time in earning; as
many People prefer Cheese that is not so very solid, or that has a
mellow softness, which breaking will give it; although it is reckon’d
the best quality to cut solid, and flakey; remembering that giving
it more time in earning makes it more solid, and shortening the time
makes it less so. Many Dairy-women are much puzzled concerning the
cause of sweet Cheese, forming different ideas about it; I am fully
convinced it is wholly caused by stirring or breaking it too soon in
the Tub, by which means the Runnet has never taken full effect, nor
is any slip-Curd ever fit to make Cheese with, in what ever state it
may appear, unless in soft Cheese, or slip-coat Cheese; for when Curd
is quite in a slippery state, especially if very warm, salt will have
very little effect on it, which is the cause it is so apt to putrify
and dissolve, and a very principal cause why Cheese becomes sweet, is,
its not having taken salt, as you may generally perceive Cheese that
is much jointed or blue-pared has scarce any relish or saltness in it.
When the Whey is of a white colour the Curd is not fully settled, and
if it is so to any great degree, the Cheese is sure to be sweet, and
in that case you always cast away great part of what should be Cheese,
for the Whey thus put away would neither turn to Butter nor Cheese,
though of a considerable substance, remaining of an undigested nature:
If you pursue the method I have laid down, you will always find the
Whey quite green, which is the colour it ought to be of; and let more
or less be the time you adopt to put your Cheese together, if the
Whey is not green, depend upon it your Cheese is not properly come,
or your Maw-skin is not good, or quantity of Runnet not sufficient.
It is difficult to ascertain what quantity of Runnet is required to
bring a Cheese in the most proper manner, as the quality of the Skin
is so various, and strength of Runnet, as well as quality of Milk so
different; People are much divided in opinion, whether ’tis the best
way to make your Runnet fresh every Day, or to prepare a quantity
together, according to the quantity you want and bottle it up for use;
in large Dairy’s it must be best to make a quantity together, as you
certainly must be a better judge of the quality, or what quantity is
necessary, than when the making is left to chance, as by that means you
may regulate the quality and taste of your Cheese better, and have more
dependance on the time of its coming.
The best Dairy-women I have known, in general, recommend the latter
method.
The cause of jointing or wind-shook Cheese, is from a small quantity
of slip-Curd being much broke, so as not sufficient, to form Eyes in
the Cheese; but which is sufficient when dissolved through the whole
mass, to leave a vacancy, which generally unites in a perpendicular
direction, and forming cracks or joints within the Cheese, and sinking
joints nearly like to cracks on the outside. If it happens to any
considerable degree, it causes the Cheese to have very little taste,
generally turns blue-pared whilst under a year old, and often rotten
Cheese when older; most dry rotten Cheese is produced from this effect,
unless when bruises, or cracks are the cause. Wet, or moist rotten is
generally produced by a larger quantity of slip-Curd; having never
united in a solid state, nor taken any salt, becomes very putrid and
rots, and as the Cheese dissolves, is often very wet or moist. I have
several times seen Cheese that has appeared sound till cut, that
afterwards had not a pound of sound Cheese in a whole one. Spungy
Cheese is such as partakes of the elastic or springing quality of a
Spunge, I take it to be produced from Curd, which has nearly undergone
every proper fermentation to make the Curd unite, but leaves it in
a very tough state, caused by the over heat of the Milk when put
together. Rank, or strong Cheese is generally caused by too great a
quantity of Runnet, and that Runnet made too strong to operate in the
time given, or from Runnet being made with foul materials; hove, or
heaved Cheese is caused by different means; when the quantity of Air in
Cheese increases after the Cheese has been some time made, I suppose
such Air to be rarified by a greater heat than the Cheese has before
been in, the coat being got hard and the pores much closed, the Air
expands within, and causes the Cheese to rise or swell, in a round
form; this is very visible when you put a taster into the Cheese or a
pin to let out the Air, it rusheth forth with a strong wind, of a rank
disagreeable smell, caused by the Air being discharged from putrid or
undigested Curd. Sometimes, if Cheese is laid cool when first made,
or coming from the Press, is dried outwardly by means of a harsh cool
Air, when at the same time the inside of the Cheese remains in a moist
state, though the coat is hard and dry; when that Cheese is exposed to
heat, either by lying near a hot Wall, or near Tiles in hot Weather,
or by the immediate heat of the Sun, it will be drawn up, round, in
the same manner, and by the same cause that a board is made round or
coffer’d up, by the heat of the Sun; rank Cheese very often heaves,
from the cause before given that makes it rank: ’Tis very common for
Dairy-women, to ask, what will cure hove, or heav’d Cheese? I am fully
of opinion there is no cure for it after it is affected with heaving,
but to let the Air out of it, that it may close and settle again.
There has for many Years, been an ingredient sold in Shops, called
Cheese-powder, being made of nitre or salt petre, and bole armoniac
proportion’d thus, to one pound of salt petre, put half an ounce of
bole armoniac, both powder’d very fine, and well mixt together, rub
about one quarter of an ounce upon a Cheese, when put a second and
third time into the Press, about half on each side the Cheese at two
different meals, on the upper side, before you rub the salt on, that it
may penetrate the Cheese with it; these are very binding ingredients
and are sometimes found to be very serviceable, but nitre is apt to
give the Cheese an acetous or sourish taste, and if too much is put in,
and the Cheese is expos’d to great heat, will cause a fermentation,
that will encrease the quantity of Air in the Cheese & cause it to
swell more than it would if none had been put in. I have known many
things recommended as a cure, but could never find that any thing was
serviceable except the above, and piercing, or discharging the Air,
with a needle, wire, or skewer. The most powerful preventative to the
heaving of Cheese, is, to avoid making the Runnet too strong, or, not
to put too much into the Milk, to take care that your Runnet is not
foul, nor made either with Whey or Brine drippings, or tainted Skins,
to be certain that your Curd is fully come, not stirring it till it has
had time for the fermentation fully to take effect, to let it drain a
little before it is broke or vatted, and to keep the Cheese warm, till
it is got stiff, or had a sweat, and you will, by a careful attention
to these particulars, very seldom have any hove Cheese.
Cheese is very apt to split, or divide in the middle, by being salted
within, especially, when people spread salt across the middle of the
Cheese when the vat is about half filled, which Curd tho’ in a small
degree separated by salt, never closes, or joins, and is much easier
coffer’d up or drawn round than other Cheese; especially, thin Cheese
made in what we call _Glocester_ vats being round or rising in the
bottom, and the slider or Cheese-board that is laid over it, made
convex also, in order to make the Cheese thinned in the middle, that
it may dry quick, for early sale. Then, if salted within and being
laid soft on the shelf to dry, as it bears only on the edge all round,
it is almost sure to split; and it is often seen, scarce a Cheese in
some Dairys of this form but what do split; salting a little in the
Milk is greatly preferable, for these Dairys in particular; for as
salt dissolves, it keeps the inside of the Cheese moist or soft for
sometime, if salted in the Curd, which is what I would never recommend
to be done in any Dairy, especially across the middle as is often
done. I have sometimes known Cheese thus salted when there has been
much slip-Curd in it, and that, and the salt both dissolving together,
and the Cheese split, the vacancy shall contain a quantity of Water,
which if ironed when Young, gushes out, or else cracks the Cheese
when moved, and the Water runs out to a considerable degree, the same
thing must have been observed by other Factors, in some Dairys where
salting in the middle is used. Cheese is apt to bulge, fly-out, or
get round edged, when it is either kept soft, by being moist within,
or having too much slip-Curd or unsettled Curd, or elastic Air within
it. Dry cracks, or wind cracks are generally produced, by keeping Curd
from one meal to another which gets quite cold and fixed, and being
put together with Curd that is made of too hot Milk, these two, never
properly adhere, or join, and cause the coat to be harsh, and often
fly, or crack. Curdly or wrinkle-coated Cheese is caused by sour Milk,
chiefly when Cheese is made from two meals, as ’tis very common in hot
Weather for Milk to turn, or get sour in one night’s time, especially
if Milk is hot when set up, having been much heated in the Cow’s Udder,
and very probably much agitated and disturbed by Cows running about,
or being heated to a violent degree, or the Milk having been carried
in Churns or Barrels on Horse-back any distance; Cheese made of cold
Milk, especially if inclined to be sour, is apt to cut chiselly, or
that breaks or flies before the knife. Sunk coated Cheese is caused
by being made too cold, as you will often find Cheese that is made in
Winter or late in Autumn, will be, unless laid in a warm Room after it
is made. Two-meal Cheese is made with two meals, or night and mornings
Milk, which if put together pure, not having the Cream taken off, will
make nearly as good Cheese as new Milk, and much better if it must be
finished in one Hour, or less, or when new Milk Cheese is made with
Milk that is too hot.
What is generally known by the name of two-meal Cheese, is in
_Gloucestershire_ called second Cheese, being made from one meal new
Milk and one of old, or skimmed Milk, having the Cream taken away.
Skimmed Cheese, or Flet-Milk Cheese, is made from all skimmed Milk,
the Cream having been taken off the whole to make Butter, or for other
purposes: This sort of Cheese is much made in the County of _Suffolk_,
or at least goes by the name of _Suffolk_ Cheese, when at market, or
in _London_, where the principal part of it is disposed of; it being
much used on ship-board, not being so much affected by the heat of the
ship as richer Cheese, or so subject to decay in long Voyages, and
being bought at a low price, makes it much called for in that way.
There is but little art required in making this Cheese, if care is
taken of it, but yet there is great difference in the quality of it,
which I am fully convinced is principally caused by want of care; it is
not exposed to so many difficulties as richer Cheese, but Dairy-women
must remember, slip-curd has the same effect, in a lesser degree in
Skim Cheese as in new Milk; though the Milk being much weaker is not
in so much danger. An Hour, or an Hour and a Quarter is time enough to
give it in rendling; keep the Cheese warm when young, and cool after.
I know some Dairy-women do not give it three quarters of an Hour in
coming, and thereby find more difficulty than need be; paying little
regard to it, as they do not use it themselves, nor will it fetch much
money, yet I know some careful Dairy-women who make Skim cheese that
would deceive a common observer, in appearance, being made in the same
form as new Milk Cheese, well coloured, made clean, and better coated,
than many ordinary Dairys of new Milk Cheese.
I have paid in a Dairy of thirty Cows upwards of sixty Pounds in a Year
for skim Cheese, an object not unworthy a Dairy-man’s notice, some
people are of Opinion, the most Money to be made of the skim Milk of a
Dairy, is to feed Sows and Pigs with it, but this I must leave to those
concerned in the business. Some Dairy-women in order to enrich their
new Milk Cheeses will put the Whey Cream, into their Milk, which if
quite fresh, not older than one or two Meals, will improve it. To make
fine Cream Cheese, one meal of Cream extraordinary should be added to
the new Milk; this will make exceeding rich Cheese, but requires great
care, and should not be gathered or sunk in less than two Hours. I
apprehend two Hours and a half or three Hours will be found much better
in general.
The way recommended to make soft Cheese, or slip-coat Cheese, is,
take six quarts of new Milk hot from the Cow; the stroakings or
last Milkings are the best, being the richest Milk; put into it two
spoonfuls of Runnet, let it stand three quarters of an hour, or
till it is hard coming, or become full Curd; lay it into the Vat
with a spoon, not breaking it at all, laying upon it a trencher, or
flat-board; press it with a four pound weight, or if you find it gets
too hard, then press it with a lighter weight, turning it with a
dry cloth once an hour, and when got stiff, shift it every day upon
fresh grass or rushes; it will be fit to cut in ten or fourteen days,
or sooner, if the Weather be warm; many people use Baskets, made on
purpose, instead of Vats to make it in, this is esteemed in private
Families; where it is carried to market, Vats must be best, unless
carried in the Baskets.
To make brick-bat Cheese; in _September_, take two gallons of new
Milk, and a quart of good Cream; warm the Cream, put in two or three
spoonfuls of Runnet, when it is well come, break it a little, then put
it into a wooden mould in the shape of a brick, press it a little, then
dry it; it is best to be half a Year old before it is used, or more,
if you like it older; two hours is as little as it ought to be in
earning, or to stand before it is broke after the Runnet is put in, or
longer if the Whey is not inclined to be green. I am informed _Stilton_
Cheese is made in this way.
Cream Cheese is generally made in _Autumn_, the Milk being richer and
fatter in _August_ and _September_; by which means it has not the
warm Season to ripen it, and it is generally made thick, in order to
preserve it’s mellowness. Rich Cheese will not dry so fast as lean, nor
thick Cheese so soon as thin; in course it must get less hard in the
Season than common thin Cheese, by which means it is more exposed to
frost and chilling cold. I have often found that people who make Cream
Cheeses, find more casualty attend them, than in leaner, hard Cheeses,
owing to chillness, or being froze before they get hard; for when frost
gets much into Cheese, it destroys every good quality, and makes it
putrify, and become either insipid or ill tasted; Cream Cheese should
always be kept in a warm situation, and be particularly guarded from
frost, and till it has sweat well, or you will lose the advantage of
its richness. The contrary method is to be used with skim Cheese, as in
that, there is very little fat to sweat out, and chill Cheese is better
than harsh-meated, horney-coated Cheese; let it have what warmth you
can for about a fortnight after making, and then keep it cool.
In making slip-coat or soft Cheese, remember it is of quite a contrary
nature to hard Cheese; and instead of getting stiff, its best quality
is to have it run, or dissolve into a creamy substance; for which
reason it must be made with Slip-Curd, which alone will cause it so to
do; good Curd will always get harder by drying, but Slip-Curd will not
even become solid, or continue a Substance; this clearly demonstrates
my Sentiments on Slip-Curd as before related. It has generally been
reckoned that the Milk required to make one Pound of Butter will make
two Pounds of Cheese, and a larger quantity where Land is poor, the
Milk being weak will not afford so much Cream.
As colouring of Cheese is now become almost an universal practice, it
is highly necessary to pay a due regard thereto; Cheese, in its native
state, that is well Manufactured, being put together in proper time,
the Milk of proper warmth, well cleaned when young, and kept warm,
till being regularly Dry, will naturally be of a yellow cast, and when
a Year old will coat of a reddish or brown-red colour; the richer the
Cheese, the more ’tis inclined to appear in this manner, and you seldom
meet with Cheese of this native cast but what is exceeding good, being
fat, well-tasted, cuts flaky, is stout, or full-tasted, high-flavour’d
Cheese; and it is found that every country will produce some such
Cheese, when in the hands of skilful Dairy-folks, though it has yet
appeared in a small degree; you will find such Cheese among the fine
Dairys in _Cheshire_, _Double-Gloucester_, or _Thick-Gloucester_, being
made double the Thickness of common Cheese, _North-Wilts_, in some
few Dairys, in _Derby_, _Stafford_, _Leicester_, and _Warwickshires_,
but there being so small a proportion of this best Cheese, and the
demand for it being larger than the supply, a substitute is thought
necessary, to make good Cheese look as much like fine Cheese as
possible, from which cause the art of colouring originates, and much
increases.
It is remarked by dealers in Cheese as well as others, that a much
greater part of the People that eat Cheese, have little Idea how it
is produced; they, finding the best Cheese of the fullest, or yellow
colour, naturally conclude, or are led to think, that Cheese of a pale
colour, must be made with inferior (or skimmed) Milk. So much this Idea
prevails, that it is well known, in _London_, a Cheese-monger will more
readily sell good Cheese of a full colour than fine Cheese of a pale or
inferior colour; _London_ being the principal Market, or place where
the greatest quantity of the best Cheese is sold. Colouring formerly
used to be performed by various Drugs, as _Turmerick_, _Sanders_,
_&c._ by _Marigolds_, _Hawthorn-buds_, and the like. The principal
ingredients now used is _Annatto_, and in its best kind, is much the
best colouring that ever was found out. _Annatto_ is of two sorts,
known by the name of _Spanish-Annatto_ and _Flag-Annatto_, the former
is much the best for Cheese-colouring; being of a hard substance,
and proper in kind, or texture, dispensing its colour in a regular
and free manner, without being subject to much waste or decay. The
_Flag-Annatto_ is brought over in a moist state, and wrapped in large
broad _Flags_, which keeps it in some degree from waste; it is brought
in that state chiefly for the Dyers use, and is a principal Article in
Dying Orange-colour; if this sort is used in colouring Cheese before
it gets hard, it is apt to appear in the Milk of an oily nature which
prevents the colour taking effect in a regular manner, and is some
detriment to the coming of Cheese; if it is kept till quite dry and
hard, which in course of time it will be, perhaps in six, nine, or
twelve Months, it is then very little inferior to _Spanish_. Of this
last ingredient, mixt with others, the Druggists and Blue makers in
_London_, make large quantities of what they call Cheese-colouring,
often giving it the name of _Spanish-Annatto_, and there is some of
it made, to very much resemble it, both in nature, and colour. But
true _Spanish-Annatto_ is much preferable; I have known an ounce of
it colour ten hundred weight of Cheese, of a much better colour than
any other ingredient would that I ever knew; I have known it formerly
sold in shops at three shillings, and four shillings _per_ ounce; the
great price it then brought at market, and getting very much into use,
induced the _American_ planters, at one time, to send a large quantity,
which so much over-stocked the market, and lowered the price, that it
was not worth their while to make it; and for that reason, very little
of the genuine sort has come to _England_ since; but the same materials
have come in flags, which come at a much lower price, though nearly as
dear in the end, being so much heavier, and the colour not going so far
as the _Spanish_, nor is the colour so exquisite or blooming as the
_Spanish_; that, giving the Cheese the bloom of native yellow Butter,
when made in the prime season of Spring. An ill opinion having been
formed of coloured Cheese, and by many said, that it is unwholesome;
in order to remove that prejudice, I will endeavour to describe its
nature. It is made from the seed of a plant, of the flowering kind,
much like to a balsam, the seed is so much like it, as scarce to be
distinguished from it; I have sowed it, but without effect, our climate
being too cold. I was sometime since enquiring of a _Jamaica_ Planter,
how the _Annatto_ was prepared for use; who said when the Seed was ripe
it was covered with a slimy or unctuous skin like as Linseed is, which
being steeped a little while in water, became loose from the Seed and
was rubbed off with a cloth or flannel, which being afterwards washed
with water, was sunk to the bottom; on pouring the water off, the
_Annatto_ was produced in a wet pulp, or paste, which being wrapped in
flags, was ready for Dyers use.
In the _Spanish Islands_, they dry it and make it up in balls for use,
and ’tis a principal ingredient in lacquering brass, _&c._ as well
as colouring Cheese. I am well convinced that in its pure state, it
is of a very rich fattening nature, and improves Cheese to a great
degree, in quality, as well as colour; as I never met with any Cheese
so exquisite, that had not been coloured with it, as I have of that
which hath. The way it is used in colouring Cheese, is, take a piece
of _Spanish-Annatto_, which appears in form of a stone, then take a
bowl of Milk, dip the _Annatto_ a little into it, then take a pebble,
or hard Rag-stone, on which rub the _Wet-Annatto_, washing off the
_Annatto_ into the bowl, till it becomes of a deep colour, then put
that into the tub, or pan of Milk you make Cheese of, (before you put
in the Runnet or Salt) in such quantity as will render the whole of a
pale Orange-colour, which will get deeper, or increase in colour after
the Cheese is made; one good property _Annatto_ partakes of, it neither
affects the Cheese in taste or smell. Cheese is often impregnated with
Sage, by bruising the leaves and mixing the juice with Milk, which
gives it a green colour, and an agreeable taste. Some use Parsley in
the same manner, but that is not so much esteemed for flavour as Sage,
Marigold-flowers are bruised and used the same way; these flowers
are reckoned of a very fattening nature, and good flavour, and
esteemed the most of any, and give the Cheese a colour nearly equal to
_Annatto_. Cochineal is also used by the curious, being of a fine pink
hue, and has a pretty effect, in the hand of an ingenious Dairy-woman,
in making figures of Flowers, Trees, _&c._ in Cheese.
Dairy-women who are fully of opinion, that no better method can be
used, than that which they apply, are not often very readily convinced,
that there are better methods of making Cheese than theirs. A Factor
who is a good judge of Cheese, sees a great variety in the quality of
Cheese, and altho’ most People like good Cheese, yet so easily is the
difference discerned by nice judges, who have frequent opportunities
of remarking it, that they can perceive a real and distinguishing
property, that causes a very different Idea in them, from what they
hear advanced by the makers. Such a dealer is very certain, that in a
large connexion of trade, he will find some very good judges, who know
how to prefer excellence in quality, and are well acquainted with the
perfections required in the article, and perhaps from their situation
in life, are enabled to get a much higher, than a common Market-price,
for a superior Article: Such a Person will have such goods, in what
place soever they can be met with, and knows also that in order to
procure them he must give a superior Price.