CAERPHILLY CHEESE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VII, Issue 1, 15 July 1913, Page 40

CAERPHILLY CHEESE.

Miss G. N. Davies,

N.D.D.

Caerphilly cheese is a rather small, flat, round cheese, ranging from 7 lb. to lb. in weight. It has a large sale throughout, the mining districts of South Wales, and takes its name from Caerphilly, which is a village about six miles from Cardiff. It is usually sold and eaten when fairly new, or from four to five weeks after , being made. . During recent years quantities have been made in Ireland and have found a ready market in South Wales. Its sale, however, is not confined to this part of the • country, as it is made and sold in. various parts of England and Wales. " -y ■ In making Caerphilly, as in all cheeses, especially those which are eaten new and in which little acidity is developed, particular attention should be paid to the milk used, and strict cleanliness observed in all operations. The general custom is to . make this cheese from sweet, new whole milk, but it is sometimes made from two-thirds whole and one-third skim-milk. • Method of Manufacture. Morning’s milk is used, the acidity being 0-18 to. o-iq per cent. Renneting. The milk is regulated to a temperature of 84° to 86° F. according to the time of the year, and rennet added at the rate of 1 dram to every 3 gallons of milk, or 4.0 Z. per 100 gallons. The rennet should be diluted with at least three times its volume of water, and usually takes about twelve to fifteen minutes to show effect. , . . , - The time taken for coagulation is about forty to forty-five minutes, but the curd should be tested in the usual way with the finger or thermometer, and cut as soon as firm enough. Cutting. — In cutting, both the perpendicular and horizontal knives are used, and the curd reduced to | in. cubes. The acidity should now be 0-12 per cent. The reasons given by Professor F. J. Lloyd for the acidity being less in the whey when the curd is first cut than in the milk at. renneting are : The casein in milk is combined with lime, which to a certain extent is set free in the act of coagulation, and combines with the acid salts in the milk and . partly

neutralizes them; but all the lime is not liberated, for a large quantity subsequently separates from the curd; also some of the acidity of milk is due to the acid nature of the casein itself. This is called casein acidity. A little curd is taken out of the tap at this stage and put back in the vat. Allow the curd to stand for five minutes and then clean the sides and bottom of the vat, and afterwards stir carefully with the hands for ten minutes.

Scalding.— Scalding is now commenced and the temperature of the bulk raised to 88° F. to 92 0 F., stirring the while. The time taken to raise the temperature is forty to forty-five minutes. When the scalding temperature is reached, if the curd be not quite firm enough, it may be stirred a little longer.

Pitching. — Allow the curd to stand in the whey or “ pitch” fbr ten minutes, after which the whey may be run off. The curd should be kept to the sides' of the vat .in order to drain well. Acidity at running off the whey should be 0-14 to 0-15 per cent.

Removal of Curd to Cooler. — The curd should now be shovelled on to the cooler or drainer, which has previously been lined with a curd-cloth, and left to drain for twenty to thirty minutes ; then cut and turn every ten to fifteen minutes until the curd is sufficiently firm and dry enough to break up and vat, the acidity being 0-18 to o - 2 per cent. '

Facing.—The curd is, now broken into pieces the size of walnuts with the hands, but where large quantities are made a mill may be used, and salt added at 'he rate of 2 Ib. to every 100 lb. of curd. This should be well mixed with the curd, which is afterwards filled into the moulds, which have been previously lined with coarse cloths. When ready for vatting there should be about 10 lb. of curd from every 5 gallons of milk.

i Salting. — Some makers prefer to sprinkle the salt between layers of curd, whilst others salt from the outside. This, is done by rubbing the salt on the outside of the cheese, the quantity being | .oz. of salt to the pound of curd. The weight is taken the first morning.

Pressing. -After the curd has been filled into the moulds the followers are placed on top and the cheese left to drain for three or four hours. The cheese is then turned into a clean dry cloth and placed back in the mould, put in press, . and 3 cwt. to 4 cwt. pressure applied. The next' morning it is again turned and placed under 5 cwt. pressure, and the third morning, after again turning into a dry smooth cloth, 10 cwt. pressure is applied. The same afternoon or the following morning the cheese, may be taken out of

the press and placed on shelves, where they are turned and wiped daily.

Curing— the end of a week the cheese are washed outside with brine, consisting of i lb. of salt to a gallon of water, temperature Bo° F. They are then removed to the curing-room and turned

daily. The temperature of the curing-room should be 6o° F. to 65° F. Brining on the outside is supposed to improve the. coat and to help to dry . the cheese.

These cheese are sometimes sold in three weeks, but five weeks is preferred.