- Joined
- Nov 26, 2016
- Location
- central NC
What is pineapple cheese? Well according to Victorian Passage Into Time:
“In 1808 a man named Lewis M Norton, from Goshen, Connecticut, was given a Pineapple cheese which had been brought from Holland. Apparently, being a cheesemaker he decided he wanted to make his own “Pine-Apple Cheese” so he began to find a way. By 1810 he patented the process which creates these fancy cheeses which became a very sought after luxury. Later his son Robert learned the business well and continued to make this cheese through most of the 19th century.
These pineapple cheeses were basically a form of cheddar, but much richer. In making them, they would add extra cream to the whole milk. The milk and cream would be heated and the rennet was added. The curd was then put in small hoops and these were put into a 30 x 40 ft. frame, which was then lightly pressed for pressure. When pressed and still soft they were put in a small net and hung up which lent to the shape and the pineapple like markings.
This cheese ran about 12 to 14 cents per pound, or at least double that of ordinary cheese. However, during the Civil War the pineapple cheese rose to around forty cents a pound! A luxury indeed! In 1873, one pineapple cheese went for $2.50. Later in the early 20th century these cheeses were often used for decorative purposes in markets and stores.
The pineapple cheese season began on April 1st and continued until December 1st. It was continued to be manufactured in Connecticut until sometime in the 1850s.”
@donna, @Albert Sailhorst, or @Anna Elizabeth Henry, have you ever heard of this before? More info and some recipes to follow.
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