COTTAGE CHEESE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 11

COTTAGE CHEESE.

SIMPLE DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING. Cottage cheese furnishes a convenient and economical means of using skim-milk as human food. It can bo easily made on a small scale, and requires no special equipment. The cheese is nutritious, and can be used in a number of ways as a substitute for meat. Each pound of cottage cheese furnishes as much protein or bodybuilding material as the same weight of beef. It is, however, not quite so rich in it 3 energy supply as meat. Because of its easo in making it is desirable to make- the cheese often so that is may be eatea fresh, although if it is kept cool it will keep well for several days. _ f Select as much good skim-milk as will be needed for a two or three days' supply. Each .gallon of skim-milk will make about l.ilb of cheese. The skim-milk should first be placed in a pail or a " shotgun" can, warmed to 75deg ,F., and allowed to stand at that temperature until curdled. A thermon.eter should always be used; never guess at the . temperature. The temperature can be controlled by keeping the pail or> can of milk in a tub, sink, or other vessel filled with water of the same temperature. _ ' The time required for curdling will depend upon the freshness of the milk. When a starter or good sour milk is available, a better and more uniform cheese can be made and the time for curdling lessened. About a cupful of starter or good sour milk to the gallon of skim-milk is sufficient, although more may be vised. With that quantity of starter the skim-milk will curdle in from 10 to 15 hours, while without starter fresh milk may not curdle for 24 hours or even longer. The greater the quantity of starter the sooner curdling will take place. During the setting no special attention is necessary. As soon as a firm, smooth curd has been formed it is ready for cutting. The curd is cut into lin or 2in squares with a long-bladed knife. The temperature of the curdled milk (or coagulum) is then raised to lOOdeg F., and the mass stirred gently from time to time. When the temEeraturo has been maintained for about alf an hour the curd is re.idy to be drained. The degree of heating largely determines tho dryness of the cheese; the higher the 'temperature the drier the cheese will bo. After heating, tho curd is _ poured into rp, cheesecloth sack or a piece of draining cloth thrown over a pail. If a pail is used it will bo necessary to pour out the whey occasionally so that draining will continue. In 15 or 20 minutes the curd will become mushy and will drain more slowly. The sides of the cloth may then be raised and lowered every few minutes to hasten draining. When the curd is rather firm and the whey has nearly ceased to flow it 13 ready for salting, although tastes differ somewhat, some preferring a dry while others a soft,, moist cheese. The cheese should be salted to suit the taste. Usually, however, from one to two teasp'oonfuls to the gallon of milk is about the quantity desired. The salt may bo snrinkled over'the curd and worked in with" a spoon or a paddle. The cheese is then ready to cat. Cottage cheese made with rennet, a jun ket tablet, or pepsin has a finer and more uniform texture and requires less time and attention in making. Any one of these will ,causo the milk to curdle sooner. The process. of making is the same as already described, except that tho milk is warmed to 80deg F. and allowed to_ remain at that temnerature ..for five or six hours, at which time two or three drops of li.quid rennet per gallon of milk are diluted in a tablespoonful of cold water and stirred into the milk. When rennet is not available, one-ein-hth of a junket tablet to a gallon of mine-may be dissolved m a tablesyjoonful of cold water and stirred into the milk. Powdered pepsin may be used'for the same purpose a quantitv that will remain upon the point of a nenknifei being dissolved in a tablespoonful of cold water and then mixed with the milk.

When rennet, a junket tablet, or pepsin is used the coaguUim is placed in a drain cloth without cutting or heating. A finer and heavier draining cloth is necessary because of the fineness of the curd. The cheese is salted, as already described. While for small-scale operation the pasteurisation of skim-milk may not always be practicable, it permits a better control of the fermentation, increases the yield of cheese, and renders the product safe from disease'-producing organisms. With pasteurised milk it is absolutely necessary to use a starter. . . , , , .-. -£" Cottage cheese is judged by its flavour and texture. A high-quality cheese should have a clean mild, acid flavour and a texture smooth, free from lumps, and uniform of homogeneous throughout. Flavour can be controlled by the use of clean, sweet skim-milk and a good starter, but texture largely depends upon careful manipulation during the' making process. Sweet or sour cream added to cottage cheese makes a richer and more palatable product. If the cheese is to be kept for several days :t should be stored in an earthenware-

or glass vessel rather than in one of tin or wood. It should bo stored in a cold place; thereby it will keep longer without becoming sour or mouldy.—U.S. Department of Agriculture.