have properties which differ somewhat from those of the
curds and cheese produced from sweet milk by rennet.
When milk is effervescent as well as acidulous, the yeast
plant is present, besides the lactic acid plant, and produces
some alcohol and carbonic acid, also from sugar of milk.
This double fermentation is produced regularly in mare’s
milk, in the Kirghese steppes, and results in the production
of koumiss.
Sour milk is an agreeable, easily digestible, nutritious
preparation ; it should be well stirred before use, and if not
very rich receive an addition of cream ; its taste is heightened
by some sugar and cinnamon 2>ou'der ; grated breadcrumb,
or dice of bread, may be added to give it body. In countries
where the people during summer eat much sour milk for
supper with hot potatoes or bread, variation is produced by
SOrR MILK KUMYS
6oi
the addition to the milk of heer or elder [apple wine), or some
ivhisky or rum. These additions are essentially wholesome.
The art of taldug milk from mares, of the steppe, and
transforming it into an intoxicating and at the same time
nutritious beverage is very old, as we see from the second
chapter of the fourth book of Herodotus, where it is fully
described. (On this subject the reader should compare the
tenth paragraph of the first chapter, supra, Illustration
derived from the Case of Kumys.) It is practised as largely
as ever, and in our days has been applied to the treatment
of the sick, particularly of consumptive x^ersons, with the
result of giving them much comfort and prolonging their
lives. This is in part due to the fact that mare’s milk
greatly resembles human milk in this, that it contains
much less albuminous matter and fat, and more sugar of
milk, than cow’s milk. The following comparison of the
milk of the she-ass with that of the mare, cow, and lastly
with human milk, is instructive in all respects :
P.\nT.s IN 1,000 OF Milk.
The /1«5.
nr„..„ Human
Female.
Cow.
Xitrogenized matter, caseine ami
salt.s - - - - 19
•21 22
43
Fat - - . - 1-1 -5
H 29
38
8ugar of milk - - - 61
57 6-1
45
Mare’s milk is very suitable for
the application
here
described, because it contains little fat, little caseine, and
much lactose or sugar of milk. All these xii’oportions are
reversed in cow s milk, which is therefore very unsuitable
for the production of such a beverage.
Mare s milk is transformed into kumys by two ]p''Occ’sses
which run by the side of each other, one being the vinous,
the other the laetie aeid fermentation. A part of the caseine
is precipitated, another remains in solution. The whole of
the milk-sugar is not always decomposed, and it is not
always decomposed in equal proportions by both ferments ;
6o2
THE SPIRIT OF COOKE Rl
here the art and practice of preparation deteimines the
result, the theoretical demand being for a maximum of
alcohol and a minimum of acid. This is satisfied by beating
or stirring the milk strongly at a temperature of 30° to
35° C. while exposed to the air ; the agitation does not
prevent the lactic acid fermentation, advances the alcoholic
fermentation, and prevents the butyfic acid fermentation.
The latter, when it occurs, makes kumys undrinkable for
persons of refined taste. ✪ Sour Milk Kumys
Page 379 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
have properties which differ somewhat from those of the
curds and cheese produced from sweet milk by rennet.
When milk is effervescent as well as acidulous, the yeast
plant is present, besides the lactic acid plant, and produces
some alcohol and carbonic acid, also from sugar of milk.
This double fermentation is produced regularly in mare’s
milk, in the Kirghese steppes, and results in the production
of koumiss.
Sour milk is an agreeable, easily digestible, nutritious
preparation ; it should be well stirred before use, and if not
very rich receive an addition of cream ; its taste is heightened
by some sugar and cinnamon 2>ou'der ; grated breadcrumb,
or dice of bread, may be added to give it body. In countries
where the people during summer eat much sour milk for
supper with hot potatoes or bread, variation is produced by
SOrR MILK KUMYS
6oi
the addition to the milk of heer or elder [apple wine), or some
ivhisky or rum. These additions are essentially wholesome.
The art of taldug milk from mares, of the steppe, and
transforming it into an intoxicating and at the same time
nutritious beverage is very old, as we see from the second
chapter of the fourth book of Herodotus, where it is fully
described. (On this subject the reader should compare the
tenth paragraph of the first chapter, supra, Illustration
derived from the Case of Kumys.) It is practised as largely
as ever, and in our days has been applied to the treatment
of the sick, particularly of consumptive x^ersons, with the
result of giving them much comfort and prolonging their
lives. This is in part due to the fact that mare’s milk
greatly resembles human milk in this, that it contains
much less albuminous matter and fat, and more sugar of
milk, than cow’s milk. The following comparison of the
milk of the she-ass with that of the mare, cow, and lastly
with human milk, is instructive in all respects :
P.\nT.s IN 1,000 OF Milk.
The /1«5.
nr„..„ Human
Female.
Cow.
Xitrogenized matter, caseine ami
salt.s - - - - 19
•21 22
43
Fat - - . - 1-1 -5
H 29
38
8ugar of milk - - - 61
57 6-1
45
Mare’s milk is very suitable for
the application
here
described, because it contains little fat, little caseine, and
much lactose or sugar of milk. All these xii’oportions are
reversed in cow s milk, which is therefore very unsuitable
for the production of such a beverage.
Mare s milk is transformed into kumys by two ]p''Occ’sses
which run by the side of each other, one being the vinous,
the other the laetie aeid fermentation. A part of the caseine
is precipitated, another remains in solution. The whole of
the milk-sugar is not always decomposed, and it is not
always decomposed in equal proportions by both ferments ;
6o2
THE SPIRIT OF COOKE Rl
here the art and practice of preparation deteimines the
result, the theoretical demand being for a maximum of
alcohol and a minimum of acid. This is satisfied by beating
or stirring the milk strongly at a temperature of 30° to
35° C. while exposed to the air ; the agitation does not
prevent the lactic acid fermentation, advances the alcoholic
fermentation, and prevents the butyfic acid fermentation.
The latter, when it occurs, makes kumys undrinkable for
persons of refined taste.