creamery
(ˈkriːmərɪ)
[f. cream + -ery: in sense 2 certainly, and in sense 1 possibly immediately ad. F. crèmerie.]
1. a. An establishment (often worked on the co-operative or joint-stock principle) in which butter (and cheese) is manufactured on a large scale from milk supplied by a number of producers; a butter-factory. Also the work of such an establishment, the making of butter, etc. (First used in U.S.)
| 1872 Rep. Vermont Board Agric. I. 164 Mr. Bliss spoke of the creameries in New York. 1879 (title) Associated Dairying: Creameries and Creamery, Butter, Cheese and Cheese-making..12mo. pp. 74. Lancaster (Pa.). 1881 Chicago Times 16 Apr., The creamery is fast superseding the dairy in all thickly settled portions of the northwest. 1886 Pall Mall. G. 10 Sept. 4/3 The introduction of creameries, or establishments for churning the cream of the small farmers..in Ireland. 1971 Deerfield (Wis.) Independent 28 Jan. 1 Farmers in those days brought their milk to the creamery by horse and wagon. |
b. The produce of this industry,
esp. butter.
U.S.| a 1877 N.Y. Bulletin (Bartlett), In the general features of the butter market there is no change. The fine creameries are considered well sold at 23 cts.;..Western creamery, 22 cts. 1881 Chicago Times 14 May, The current makes of creamery [butter] are already beginning to show a good deal of grass flavor and color. 1909 Public Ledger (Philad.) 24 June 12/4 Butter..desirable grades of both solid-packed creamery and prints. |
c. attrib. creamery butter, butter made at a creamery, as distinguished from that made at a private dairy; so
creamery print (
print n. 5).
| 1882 Chicago Advance 6 Apr. 213 A deal of knowledge about this creamery business. |
| 1881 Bradstreet's 26 Nov. 349/2 Creamery butter sold at 30 {at} 32c. 1894 Field 9 June 846/2 The average price realised for Irish creamery butter was 88s. f.o.r. at this creamery. 1935 Economist 7 Sept. 458/1 The Imperial Economic Committee estimates that British production of creamery butter amounted to about 63,300 cwts. in the calendar year 1930. |
| 1886 Standard 24 May 2/1 The efforts of Canon Bagot to extend the creamery system in Ireland..have resulted in the formation of the Creameries Association of Ireland. Eight Creamery Companies have been affiliated. |
| 1909 Public Ledger (Philad.) 24 June 12/4 Pennsylvania and other nearby creamery prints. |
2. A name for a shop where milk, cream, butter, etc. are sold, and light refreshments supplied.
(Simmonds
Dict. Trade 1858 has
Crèmerie, a breakfast or refreshment house in French towns.)