THE CHEESE-MAKING CHORE 1860s STYLE
2002-10-14

by Pam North

There's no question that a chunk of cheese quickly and conveniently
purchased from the local grocery store becomes far more appreciated
after reading an account of cheese-making, circa the 1860s.  The
process, delineated in an account from that era, reads something like
this:

"The articles used in making cheese should be kept sweet and clean as in
making butter, scalded daily, and never set away until perfectly dry.
The conveniences wanted are a large pine tub, painted white inside, and
any preferred color outside; a cheese basket, and a small ladder on
which to set the basket over the tub; two cheese-hoops, large or small
according to the size of the dairy; two large square strainers of thin
coarse linen; two circular boards called followers; and a brass kettle
large enough to hold several pails of milk.  Presses used are of various
constructions, the most convenient of which has a lever and weight; for
making very large cheeses a windlass should be attached to the end of
the lever.

Strain the night's milk into the tub; in the morning stir in the cream
(if rich cheese is wanted, do not let even a teaspoonful of the cream be
taken off), and put a part of the milk over a clear fire, in the brass
kettle.   Heat it enough to make the milk still in the tub quite warm,
but not hot; pour it back into the tub, and strain in the morning's
milk.  Stir in a spoonful or two of rennet, and let mixture stand half
an hour undisturbed.  If the curd does not form well by then, put in
more rennet.

Rennet is the stomach of a calf, and it often happens that a piece of
curd (the last milk eaten by the calf) is found in it.  See if anything
else is inside which should be removed, then return the curd (the best
part of the rennet) to its place.  Soak the rennet in a quart of water,
and then hang it up to dry in a place inaccessible to flies; keep the
water in a jar or bottle.  There is a great difference in the strength
of rennets; some will make a thousand weight of cheese, while others
will scarcely make fifty.  Experience alone will teach exactly how much
to use.

When the curd alone is well-formed, cut it into squares, making the
knife go to the bottom of the tub at every stroke; let it stand fifteen
minutes for the whey to separate.  Then break it up very gently, putting
the hand down through all parts.  It must be done gently, or some milk
will be lost in the whey.  This causes white whey; the greener the whey,
the richer the cheese.  Lay the strainer on top of the curd, and dip off
the whey pressing up through, until about a third of it has been dipped;
put this immediately over the fire to heat.  When hot, but not boiling,
pour it back upon the curd, then break up the curd as small and quickly
as possible with the hand; then lay the strainer into the cheese basket,
and pour the curd into it to drain.  When this is done, return it to the
tub, salt it, put it again into the strainer, and then into the
cheese-hoop.  Do not twist up the strainer, but lay it over smooth; lay
a follower upon it, put it into the press, and press it tight.  Let it
remain two days, and increase the pressure four or five times, meanwhile
turning the cheese over each time.  If cheese is made every day, two
presses will be needed.

After this, turn the cheese out upon a shelf in a dark closet or room
secure from flies.  Rub every day the side that has lain upon the shelf,
and turn it over.  Rub it all over with butter often.  These things must
be done for six months.  Butter made of whey-cream is generally used for
this purpose.  If cheese is rich, a strip of new American cotton, as
wide as the thickness of the cheese, should be sewed tight around it
when first taken from the press. Without this, it would soon melt out of
shape."

These complicated instructions for just one chore performed routinely by
women of the 1860s provide an insight into the intensity of labor that
was necessary in an era without the modern technology and convenience
often taken for granted in the 20th and 21st centuries.  While women
today often bemoan their busy days, countless duties and lack of free
time, at least they don't have to make their own cheese.  And wait until
you hear (in a forthcoming issue) about what went into making milk and
butter - for that there are even instructions on caring for the cow.