Process for manufacturing cheese

In the process of manufacturing cheese having eyes formed therein including the steps of clarifying milk to remove sediment, standardizing the clarified milk to a uniform fat content in the range of about 2.5 to about 3.5 percent, setting the milk with a suitable composition of innoculants and coagulants to form a curd, cutting the curd, cooking the cut curd at a temperature of about 100.degree. to about 135.degree. F., until it has acquired the desired characteristics, separating the curd from the whey, hooping the curd to shape it into the desired form, alternatively pressing and turning the curd to remove holes or cavities formed therein, salting the curd in a salt brine solution for about 2 to about 4 days at a temperature of about 50.degree. to about 60.degree. F., and curing the curd for about 60 days to about 6 months to produce cheese having eyes formed therein, wherein the improvement comprises carrying out said pressing of the curd for about 2 to about 4 hours at a temperature of about 90.degree. to about 130.degree. F., said salting of the curd being carried out in a super saturated salt brine solution in excess of about 85% salinity reading for about 30 minutes to about 4 hours at a temperature of about 80.degree. to about 130.degree. F., said curing of the curd being effected by placing the cheese in an unsealed bag, aging the cheese for about 6 to about 24 hours, draining the excess whey from the curd, and thereafter force drying the cheese in a drying tunnel using high velocity air at a temperature of about 90.degree. to about 300.degree. F. for about 1 to about 60 minutes.