The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House, and the Delights and Profits of a FarmBradley, Richard
Science
The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House, and the Delights and Profits of a Farm
Bradley, Richard
Cooking -- Early works to 1800; Cooking, English
Take six Quarts of new Milk, and a Pint of Cream, put it together with a
Spoonful of Rennet just warm, and let it stand till the Curd is come; then
lay a Cloath in your Cheese Vat, and with a Skimming-Dish cut out the Curd,
and lay it in the Vat till it is full, turning your Cheese-Cloath over it;
and as the Curd settles, lay more on, till you have laid on all. When the
Whey is drain'd out, turn the Cheese into a dry Cloath, and then lay a
weight of a Pound upon it; at Night turn it into another dry Cloath, and
the next Morning salt it a little, then make a Bed of Nettles or Ash-Leaves
to lay it on, and cover it with the same, shifting them twice a day, till
the Cheese is fit to eat, which will be in about ten days. This Cheese is
approved to be the best of the kind in the whole Country, and may be made
all the Summer.
It is to be observ'd, that if in any sort of Cheese, which is here
mentioned, there is not a strength or briskness of taste agreeable to every
Palate, it may be strengthned, by putting either Spice into the Rennet Bag,
as Pepper, or Mace, or Cloves, which will make the Rennet very strong, and
the Cheese of consequence more sharp to the Palate; or else add the Juices
of strong sweet Herbs to the Milk, when the Rennet is put in: the Juice of
Marygolds especially helps the richness of the Milk, or Cheese. The Mace in
good quantity put into the Rennet will give the Cheese a most agreeable
warmth.
As for the Antipathy which some People bear to Cheese, I judge that it must
proceed from the first impression made from the Nurse that suckles
Children, or from the first Cow's Milk that is given them: for as the
Stomach is the first part which the Nourishment is received into; so, as
that Nourishment is at first favourably receiv'd into the Stomach, so the
Tone of the Stomach will ever remain afterwards, unless it could be so
clear'd from the first impression by such a Tryal as Human Nature can
hardly bear. I guess too, that from this Prejudice in the Stomach proceeds
the Aversion which some People have to the Smell of Cheese; and if I may go
a little farther this way, I suppose that the Dislike to Cats, and the
Antipathy some People bear to them, is from Frights which the Mothers have
receiv'd from them during their Pregnancy: concerning which last
Particular, I have offer'd my Sentiments in the Article of the Longing of
Women, in my _Philosophical Account of the Works of Nature_. But as for the
other things, which some People bear an Aversion to, as the Mutton of black
Sheep, or a Breast of Mutton, _&c._ they depend upon the loathing of the
Stomach, from the first Impression. What I have remark'd here, concerning
the preparing and softning of the quality of the Rennet Bag, is in part a
reason for the first good or bad Impression that may be made upon Mankind
with regard to Cheese; and I think the following relation, which I had from
a noble Peer, from whom I have learnt many curious and useful things,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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