The Rural cook book

Use skim-milk rather than whole milk, to avoid loss of fat. To secure proper flavor and speedy souring add a small amount of a good starter. This starter should be prepared from clean, fresh milk separated from the cream and placed in a carefully cleaned receptacle, well covered and brought to a temperature of 90 degrees, and then allowed to stand from 20 to 24 hours at a temperature of 65 to 78 degrees. The upper portion of this should be discarded and the amount needed strained through a fine strainer Or hair sieve and thoroughly mixed with the milk from which cheese is to be made the next day. A portion may also be used in preparing a Starter for the next day, but as soon as any unfavorable effect is noticed a new starter should be prepared. Several good and convenient commercial starters are on the market, for use of which directions accompany each package. The milk is now kept at a temperature of 70 to 79 degrees until well curdled, often in 24 hours, sometimes not until 48 hours. The curdled mass is broken up by hand or by a curd knife, raised gradually to 110 degrees, taking 30 to 40 minutes in the process. The whey should then separate clear in IS to 20 minutes, after which it is run from the curd, and the latter placed in muslin bags or on racks to drain. When whey ceases to come from the curd, salt is added to taste or at the rate of about a pound for 100 pounds of cheese, the curd formed into balls and wrapped in oiled paper that may be obtained from any dairy supply house. For the finest quality of cheese, thick cream, preferably ripened cream, should be added at the rate of about an ounce for one pound of cheese, before the cheese is made into balls. If it is thought best to hasten the curdling rennet extract may be added about eight hours after the starter has been introduced, using one ounce of rennet extract for 1,000 pounds of milk. Escalloped Cheese.— Into a buttered baking dish sprinkle a layer of coarse bread crumbs, with butter, pepper and salt on top. Next add a layer of cheese, alternating with bread and cheese until the dish is full. Have bread crumbs on top, pour on sweet milk until you can see it by tilting the dish a little, and bake until done. * Cheese Fondu. — Put one tablespoonful of butter in pan, then one cup milk; let it boil, then add one cup bread crumbs and two cups grated cheese, little pepper and dry mustard. When the cheese melts add two well-beaten eggs. Macaroni with Cheese. — Throw one-half box of macaroni into boiling water and cook 20 minutes. Never let the water stop'boiling, or the macaroni will be soft. Drain and pour into a buttered baking dish. Have ready one cup of cheese cut into small pieces and stir this through the hot macaroni together with salt and pepper to taste and a lump of butter the size of a small egg. Add enough sweet milk almost to cover and sprinkle the top with more grated cheese Bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. A good suppci' dish on a cold night. Cheese Fatties.— When making pies line a number of patty pans with thin paste and bake. These will keep several days, but are better fresh. Grate one-fourth pound cheese and add one pint milk, one tablespoon flour, one-half teaspoon mustard or one dessertspoon prepared mustard, one tablespoon butter and salt and pepper to taste. Carefully heat together, stirring to make a smooth mass. Serve hot in the patty shells. Cheese Puffs. — Make some puff paste; roll it out and cut it into squares of about three inches. Beat the yolks of two eggs and a little made mustard, a da.sh of cayenne pepper and two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, to form a thick paste. Place a spoonful of the mixture in each square of pastry, pull the four points to the center, pinching them together to make them stand up. Bake 10 minutes and serve very hot.