The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight OpenedDigby, Kenelm
History
The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened
Digby, Kenelm
Cooking -- Early works to 1800; Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665; Liquors; Wine and wine making -- Early works to 1800
Master Phillips his Method and proportions in making slippe-coat Cheese,
are these. Take six wine quarts of stroakings, and two quarts of Cream;
mingle these well together, and let them stand in a bowl, till they are
cold. Then power upon them three pints of boiling fair water, and mingle
them well together; then let them stand, till they are almost cold, colder
then milk-warm. Then put to it a moderate quantity of Runnet, made with
fair water (not whey, or any other thing then water; this is an important
point), and let it stand till it come. Have a care not to break the Curds,
nor ever to touch them with your hands, but only with your skimming dish.
In due time lade the Curds with the dish, into a thin fine Napkin, held up
by two persons, that the whey may run from them through the bunt of the
Napkin, which you rowl gently about, that the Curds may dry without
breaking. When the whey is well drained out, put the Curds as whole as you
can into the Cheese-fat, upon a napkin, in the fat. Change the Napkin, and
turn the Cheese every quarter of an hour, and less, for ten, twelve or
fourteen times; that is, still as soon as you perceive the Napkin wet with
the whay running from the Curds. Then press it with a half pound weight for
two or three hours. Then add half a pound more for as long time, then
another half pound for as long, and lastly another half pound, which is two
pounds in all; which weight must never be exceeded. The next day, (when
about twenty four hours are past in all) salt your Cheese moderately with
white Salt, and then turn it but three or four times a day, and keep it in
a cotton cloth, which will make it mellow and sweet, not rank, and will
preserve the coat smooth. It may be ready to eat in about twelve days. Some
lay it to ripen in dock-leaves, and it is not amiss; but that in rain they
will be wet, which moulds the Cheese. Others in flat fit boxes of wood,
turning them, as is said, three or four times a day. But a cotton cloth is
best. This quantity is for a round large Cheese, of about the bigness of a
sale ten peny Cheese, a good fingers-breadth thick. Long broad grass
ripeneth them well, and sucketh out the moisture. Rushes are good also.
They are hot, but dry not the moisture so well.
My Lady of Middlesex makes excellent slipp-coat Cheese of good morning
milk, putting Cream to it. A quart of Cream is the proportion she useth to
as much milk, as both together make a large round Cheese of the bigness of
an ordinary Tart-plate, or Cheese-plate; as big as an ordinary soft cheese,
that the Market-women sell for ten pence. Thus for want of stroakings at
London, you may take one part of Cream to five or six of morning milk, and
for the rest proceed as with stroakings; and these will prove as good.
SLIPP-COAT CHEESE
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