- Butter churn
A butter churn is a mechanical device used to agitate
milk cream until it becomesbutter . Churning the cream brings its fat globules together and causes them to clump into lumps of butter, leaving a liquid calledbutter milk .The physical phenomenon which occurs is called "phase inversion" - the inner phase and outer phase of an
emulsion exchange places: oil in water emulsion (cream) becomes water in oil emulsion (butter).Many configurations of churns were used throughout history. The end-over-end churn stands about convert|4|ft|m high and swings on a central axle. The "barrel churn" was similar but rolled on its long axis. The plunger-type is harder work than the end-over-end or barrel churn. A plunger or "dasher" has to be moved vigorously up and down by hand.
The upright plunge or dash churn is the earliest kind of churn. There is evidence that this type was in use by C. 600 AD [ [http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-100-103-159-C Churn lid record, The Scran Trust] ] . The barrel churn was one of the agricultural innovations of 18th century Europe [ [http://www.soilandhealth.org/03sov/0302hsted/030205ellis/030205butter.cheese.html Ellis: Butter and Cheese, Soil And Health Library] ] .
References
External links
* [http://webexhibits.org/butter/kitchen.html Several types of butter churn illustrated and described]
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