Frontier Friday: Making Cheese

How to Make Cheese

Strain the night's milk into the tub, in the morning stir in the cream (if you want rich cheese do not let any of it be taken off), and put part of the milk over a clear fire, in the brass kettle. Heat it enough to make the milk which is still in the tub quite warm, but not hot; pour it back into the tub, and strain in the morning's milk. Put in 1 to 2 teaspoons of rennet (stomach of calf), stir it well, and let it stand 1/2 hour undisturbed. If the curd does not form well by that time, put in more rennet.

To prepare rennet: See if there is anything inside the calf's stomach as sometimes there is a piece of curd left which is the best part. Soak the rennet in 1 quart of water, then salt it and hang it to dry where the flies will not find it, keep the water in a jar or bottle. There is a great difference in the strengths of rennets, some will make 1000 weight of cheese, while others will scarcely make 50. Experience will teach you exactly how much to use.

Next time...MIA Walker?