Village Squire, 1975-04, Page 18to meet his own standards at the proper
temperatures. He also has a special blending
operation where some of the cheese is
blended in machines with whey powder to put
back all the food value of the milk that is lost
in the cheese making process. Most of the
cheese, however, is not blended.
The bulk of the business, of course, is in
the old reliable cheddar. Huge blocks of
cheese, made especially for him at Millbank,
are brought down shortly after they are made
and are stored in the aging rooms of the
Cheese House. When they are aged the
proper amount of time as to whether they are
to be mild, medium or old, they are removed
from the wooden boxes and put on a hoist that
lifts them from the basement level to the
upper floor through a special shaft to the
cutting room. The hoist also serves as part of
the cutting operation because as it pushes the
cheese up it slices it on fine wires running
across the shaft into blocks• of the desired
size. Another wire cuts the blocks horizontally
after the cheese cutter has measured to see
how big the blocks should be. There are two
such operations, one cutting large blocks for
wholesaling to merchants and the other
cutting blocks of the approximately one
pound size you're most likely to pick up at
your local store.
The small blocks are put through a machine
that shrink wraps each block in plastic,
weighs each package, stamps the weight on
the package and delivers them to packers who
pack them in boxes. The larger blocks are
shrink-wrapped in another machine.
The cheese is then ready for distribution to
the many retail outlets supplied by the
company.
But for many people, it's more fun to go to
the Cheese House itself to buy the cheese.
There from cheddar to rather peculiarly
,00king marble cheese (a light and dark
Where to get
local cheese
Once upon a time not so long ago there
were 86 local cheese factories in Western
Ontario. Today, only a handful remains.
The coming of milk quotas, the decline
in milk production, the high cost of labour,
and the need for expensive new
equipment has helped drop the number of
producing cheese factories dramatically.
The people of this area, however, are
still fortunate in having several good
cheese factories ,close at hand. Most of
these factories have a retail outlet on the
premises where you can. buy the cheese
right on the spot. Besides the Millbank
and the Milverton plant mentioned there
are also:
ATWOOD CHEESE FACTORY, On
Highway 23 .just north of Atwood with
cheese available from a retail outlet.
MOLESWORTH CHEESE FACTORY, on
Highway 86 just west of Molesworth.
PINE RIVER CHEESE FACTORY, off
Highway 21 about a quarter mile on the
second concession of Huron township, a
mile and a quarter north of Amberley
16, VILLAGE SQUIRE/APRIL 1975
cheese mixed) to gouda to brick to
Camembert to onion cheese to ... well you
name it, you've got your choice. Indeed for
someone who likes cheese it can be almost
dangerous to go in ... you may break your
back trying to carry out all the cheese you buy
because you just can't resist the temptation of
a little of this or a little of that.
The Cheese House has become a welcome
spot for Festival Visitors where they can not
only get good locally -produced cheeses of
many varieties, but they could also get picnic
lunches for picnics in the park. This summer
the Cheese House will be once again offering
specialty sandwiches of its own cheeses and
meats. Before summer comes, a renovation is
planned which will give the shop a more
pleasant appearance and will streamline the
Frank Leslie himself is a fascinating man.
Though he's dedicated to his cheese, he also
has wide-ranging interests. He has an
enthusiastic interest in horticulture. He's
vitally concerned with the progress of his city
and worried that developments such as the
planned redevelopement of downtown
Stratford will harmonize with the surrounding
architecture. He goes to the drama
presentations at the Festival and enjoys them
but his real love is the music presentations at
the Festival.
All in all you might say that he is as sharp
as the taste of his well -aged, old cheddar
cheese.
operation, preventing long lineups which
have often resulted in past summers and
during the hectic Christmas period.
HOLEY DOUGHNUTS
"1 smell doughnuts in the kitchen!"
Three small noses started twitchin',-
As they snuffed the fragrance sweet
All the way along the street.
Eager feet knew where to go,
p Carrying Andy, Nan and Joe, -
Mouths were watering at the thought
Of plump doughnuts, crisp and hot.
There was Mom, in finest fettle,
Dropping dough -rings in the kettle, -
Deep in sizzling fat they'd sink....
Came up crispy, quick as wink!
"Wow, we're just in time," cried Andy -
"Nice fat doughnuts come in handy. "
"Out of Luck," laughed Mom, -"when made,
"These are for the Ladies' Aid."
What a let -down for the three
Bent upon a doughnut spree!
"Come on, Mom,- the church don't need'em-
You've got kids,- why don't you feed'em?"
Smiling Mom said, "Poor starved souls, -
Guess you'll have to eat the holes."
"Don't be stingy Mom," quipped Joe, -
"Holes won't fill me up, you know."
"Keep your cool," said Mom,- "Don't sputter,'
See these dough -balls from the cutter?
Watch what happens when they go
Down into the fat, just so."
Six bright eyes were opened wide
When those balls, popped up, all fried!
"Now," said Mom,- "poor hungry souls,
Would you like to try these holes?"
Three loud voices called out, "YUMMY!"
As each "hole" reached owner's rummy.
"Mom", they squealed, -"You made no blooper --
Doughnut holes are really super!"
Dora May