should see to this, although such details belong properly
to those having care of the cows. When cows have been
fed upon cabbage or turnips, or have eaten onions in the
fields, in such a way that the taste is perceptible in the milk,
add to it, as soon as it is "drawn from the cows and strained,
one quart of boiling water to each two gallons of milk, or
have a piece of saltpetre the size of a pea powdered and put
into each pail ■ before milking the cows. Either of these
methods will generally destroy the foreign flavor, without in-
juring the milk ; but if the cows are shut up so that they
have no access to such food for six or eight hours, the milk
will be sweet. The cows should be milked kindly and gen-
tly, and not immediately after any violent exercise ; and,
when possible, always by one person who understands their
idiosyncrasies, and can get all the milk : if a cow is not
milked thoroughly, the quantity will gradually decrease and
become poor until the supply ceases altogether. When a
cow is unquiet during milking, a piece of rock-salt put into
a trough for her to lick will generally keep her quiet ; but if
she is vicious, her legs must be strapped.
Tin pails, scrupulously clean, are best for milking : if
wooden ones are used, they must be of hard, smooth wood,
scalded and then rinsed with cold water before being used.
The milk should be strained directly it is drawn, and set in
a temperature of about 60° Fah. to become cool : milk
should always be cooled before it is covered in any way.
Deep tin pails, with a handle for lifting, are better for setting
milk for cream than the old-fashioned shallow pans : they
should always be kept scrupulously clean, being scalded,
aired, and sunned after each time of use. Cream should be
skimmed according to the season, in twelve, twenty-four, or
thirty-six hours. If the milk sours under the cream, no harm
is done ; but it should not be allowed to stand before skim-
ming, until the curd and whey separate.
. THE KITCHEN, PANTRY, AND CELLAR. 1 3
When enough cream is ready from one skimming to make
butter, it need only be set away without disturbance until
it becomes slightly sour, — from twenty-four to forty-eight
hours : but when it has to be accumulated, an ounce of pul-
verized salt may be put into the bottom of a two- or three-
gallon jar; and, every time cream is put in, it should be
thoroughly stirred with that already in the jar. Any drops
upon the inside of the jar should be wiped off, and it should
be kept covered with a piece of gauze. A shallow ladle is
best for skimming, and it need not be perforated. No wind
should be permitted to blow over the surface of cream while
it is rising, and it should be protected from dust. The most
cream seems to rise upon milk cooled by ice. Although
cream needs to be a little sour before churning, it must not
be allowed to become at all bitter : the churning may be
done two or three times a week. ✪ Butter Making
Page 17 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1885. 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
should see to this, although such details belong properly to those having care of the cows. When cows have been fed upon cabbage or turnips, or have eaten onions in the fields, in such a way that the taste is perceptible in the milk, add to it, as soon as it is "drawn from the cows and strained, one quart of boiling water to each two gallons of milk, or have a piece of saltpetre the size of a pea powdered and put into each pail ■ before milking the cows. Either of these methods will generally destroy the foreign flavor, without injuring the milk ; but if the cows are shut up so that they have no access to such food for six or eight hours, the milk will be sweet. The cows should be milked kindly and gently, and not immediately after any violent exercise ; and, when possible, always by one person who understands their idiosyncrasies, and can get all the milk : if a cow is not milked thoroughly, the quantity will gradually decrease and become poor until the supply ceases altogether. When a cow is unquiet during milking, a piece of rock-salt put into a trough for her to lick will generally keep her quiet ; but if she is vicious, her legs must be strapped.
Tin pails, scrupulously clean, are best for milking : if wooden ones are used, they must be of hard, smooth wood, scalded and then rinsed with cold water before being used. The milk should be strained directly it is drawn, and set in a temperature of about 60° Fah. to become cool : milk should always be cooled before it is covered in any way. Deep tin pails, with a handle for lifting, are better for setting milk for cream than the old-fashioned shallow pans : they should always be kept scrupulously clean, being scalded, aired, and sunned after each time of use. Cream should be skimmed according to the season, in twelve, twenty-four, or thirty-six hours. If the milk sours under the cream, no harm is done ; but it should not be allowed to stand before skimming, until the curd and whey separate.
When enough cream is ready from one skimming to make butter, it need only be set away without disturbance until it becomes slightly sour, — from twenty-four to forty-eight hours : but when it has to be accumulated, an ounce of pulverized salt may be put into the bottom of a two- or threegallon jar; and, every time cream is put in, it should be thoroughly stirred with that already in the jar. Any drops upon the inside of the jar should be wiped off, and it should be kept covered with a piece of gauze. A shallow ladle is best for skimming, and it need not be perforated. No wind should be permitted to blow over the surface of cream while it is rising, and it should be protected from dust. The most cream seems to rise upon milk cooled by ice. Although cream needs to be a little sour before churning, it must not be allowed to become at all bitter : the churning may be done two or three times a week.
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Butter Making