Then draw up the corners, twist them, and set a stone on, to press out the whey for ten minutes. Then again cut up the curd, and press it again as before. Continue thus till it is thoroughly drained. Then press it all into some regular form, and in cool weather it may stand till next morning for more cheese to be added. But if the weather is hot, it must be scalded the first day.
To Scald the Curd.
Cut, or chop the curd into cakes the fourth of an inch in size, put it in the strainer, and immerse it in the brass kettle of warm water, enough to cover it. Then raise the temperature to 105°. Stir it well till warmed through, say half an hour. Then gradually add cold water, till reduced to 88° or 90°. Then drain the curd thoroughly as before, and salt it, allowing four ounces of salt to every ten pounds of curd, and mixing very thoroughly. Then put it into the small strainers, and then into the cheese hoops, laying the strainer over smoothly, and placing the follower on it. Put it to press, and let it remain two days. When taken from the press, grease it with common butter or butter made of whey cream, and set it on a shelf in a dark, cool room. Grease and turn it every day till firm, and for six months grease and turn it often.
If the cheese is to be colored, boil anatto with ley, and put to the milk with the rennet. To make sage cheese, put in sage juice (some add to the sage spinach juice) when you put in the rennet. Sew strips of strong cotton around large cheeses, when taken from the press, to preserve their form. In fly time, put cayenne pepper in the butter you rub on.
Stilton cheese is made of milk enriched by cream, and of a small size.
Cottage cheese is made by pressing the curds of milk, and when free from whey, adding cream or butter and salt.
Welsh rabbit is made by melting cheese and adding wine and other seasoning.
Old and dry cheese is very good grated and mixed with a little brandy, just enough to wet it up.
Directions for making Butter.
Two particulars are indispensable to success in making good butter; the first is, that the churning be frequent, so that the cream will not grow bitter, or sour; and the second is cleanliness in all the implements and processes connected with it.