Cheese Making Workshop

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These workshops teach home cheesemaking. You will learn to make (award winning-that's our grand champion ribbon in the photograph!) cheese at home in your kitchen with easily accesible and inexpensive tools. You do not need an elaborate "grade A" facility and expensive equipment to make great tasting cheese at home.

Of course, you can learn to make cheese without taking my class, but there are so many little things, and subtle nuances that you just don't pick up from a book. It is sort of like making bread, part technique, and part art. When I was learning to make cheese I searched for a class that was close by and affordable. I never found that class and ended up learning through trial and error from books. My hope is that I can save other people some of the grief that I went through, and perhaps even help them to have a fun, positive experience while learning to make cheese.

  • The workshops for 2008 were a great success. Thank you to everyone that attended!
  • The 2009 workshops will be offered every other week running from May through August. Dates to be announced in Spring.
  • Workshops are one day classes and are held on Saturdays.
  • If you are interested in the 2009 workshops, please contact us. Send me an email to register for a class.
  • Cost is $150.00. A non-refundable deposit of $25.00 is required to register for a workshop and must be received 10 days prior to the workshop to hold your spot.
  • Start time is 11:00 am.
  • Lunch will be served. (See below for menu.)
  • Minimum of three participants required to hold workshop.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
IS COVERED IN THE WORKSHOP:

  • The importance of the milk's origin
  • Handling of milk
  • Pro's and Con's of pasteurized/raw milk.
  • Cultures - purchased vs. homemade
  • Adjusting "recipes" to meet the unique needs of the milk you use.
  • Hands on: Step By Step cheese making
    • Cheddar
    • Chevre
    • Feta

  • Workshop Schedule-all times are estimates
    • 11:00 Introduction/Discussion
    • 11:30 Cultures
    • 12:00 Culturing the milk
    • 12:30 Making Chevre
    • 1:00 Renneting
    • 1:30 Lunch Break
    • 2:00 Cutting Curds
    • 2:30 Hang Feta
    • 3:30 Pressing Cheddar
    • 3:30 Q&A Discussion
    • 4:00 Tour of Farm
    • 5:00 Salting Feta
    • 5:30 Adjourn
    • 6:00 Optional-Stay to observe milking

THE LUNCH MENU

The menue is subject to change, and may fluctulate with the season or the temperament of my gardens.

APPETIZERS
  • Cheese Tray
    • chevre
    • crackers
    • feta
    • sliced cheddar cheese
  • Hummus Tray
MAIN COURSE BEVERAGES
  • Ginger Brew
  • Herbal teas straight from the herb garden-hot or cold
  • Pure water from our well (no chemicals from the water treatment plant!)
DESSERT

PARTICIPANTS WILL TAKE HOME THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

  • a copy of the book "Goats Produce Too! The Udder Real Thing"
  • one cheese cloth
  • recipes for the cheeses we make in the class
  • 2 oz of liquid vegetable rennet
  • a buttermilk culture
  • samples of the cheeses they learn to make in the workshop

The following books are suggested for anyone interested in cheese making (these are for beginners, but good for experienced cheesemakers too):

GOATS PRODUCE TOO! The Udder Real Thing --Mary Jane Toth

HOME CHEESE MAKING --Ricki Carroll

Making Great CHEESE At Home --Barbara Ciletti

ITEMS TO PURCHASE FOR CHEESE MAKING

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