Category Archives: Learning

Cheese Culture Workshop

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Dave Potter Evaluates Cheeses for Workshop Participants

Dave Potter Evaluates Cheeses for Workshop Participants

The Maine Cheese Guild sponsored a one-day workshop on Cheese Cultures held at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine on Friday, January 22nd from 9am to 5pm.

David Potter, from Dairy Connection, Inc., lectured on the basics of picking the right cheese cultures (thermophilic, mesophilic, yeasts, and molds) for your cheeses, as well as delved into the exciting new realm of using adjunct cultures in traditional cheese recipes to broaden the flavor landscape.

In addition, Dave critiqued a number of cheeses, from experimental batches using different adjunct culture mixes, to commercial versions exhibiting specific culture techniques, as well as cheese brought by workshop attendees. The enthusiastic reception, high attendance rate, and the continued expression of interest in this subject means that the Guild will work to bring Dave (or another culture expert) back soon.

[Deb Hahn has received copies of specific slides that were too small to read on the hand-outs, such as the comparisons of different P. candidum, and Corynebacteria. If you would like to get copies of these, email here at debrahahn@yahoo.com]

Three Shepherds Advanced Cheesemaking Course at Longfellow’s Creamery Nov 6-8

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Three Shepherds Farm is proud to announce another advanced cheesemaking class will take place from November 6-8, 2009 at the beautiful Longfellow’s Creamery in Avon, Maine. Committed to organic, sustainable agriculture, Longfellow’s Creamery produces a variety of amazing products, including the highest quality raw milk and delicious cheeses.

At the Three Shepherds advanced cheesemaking class, the basic principals of cheesemaking will be elevated to the next level. This class is designed for anyone who has a serious interest in cheesemaking and has either taken the Three Shepherds Farmstead Artisanal Cheesemaking Course or those who have the equivalent amount of experience from other classes and/or their own cheesemaking.

Over the three-day class, Dr. Larry and Linda Faillace will incorporate a variety of complex cheese recipes, including those for mold ripened cheeses, blue cheeses, soft and semi-hard washed rind cheeses, Pyrenees Mountain style hard cheeses, and several pasta filata cheeses. The class will emphasize the amazing transformations that take place during aging, the mysterious part of the cheesemaking process which truly allows for milk’s “leap into immortality.”

In addition to experimenting with new styles of cheesemaking and discovering the art of aging, cheesemakers will to learn the key elements necessary make a truly great product, as well as problems that can be encountered during the cheesemaking process and how those common pitfalls can be avoided. We encourage students to bring samples of their own cheeses for evaluation by the instructors and other students. This is a very valuable opportunity to get positive feedback on your cheeses and learn how you can make them even better.

Throughout the weekend, there will be sampling of a wide variety of cheeses, including some of the world’s best examples of those that we make during the class. Also, we will incorporate some delicious culinary uses of a variety of cheeses that have great commercial value for your cheese operation (and are great crowd pleasers for your friends and family too!

We look forward to seeing you in Maine in November. The class is limited in size and is already filling quickly so please call Larry or Linda at Three Shepherds Farm at 802-496-3998 for registration or more details.

Linda Faillace, author of Mad Sheep from Chelsea Green Publishing
Dr. Larry and Linda Faillace
Three Shepherds of the Mad River Valley
108 Roxbury Mountain Road
Warren, VT 05674
Tel: 802-496-3998
www.threeshepherdscheese.com

Culture Questions

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Would you be interested in attending a workshop focusing on a review of the cultures and molds available to cheesemakers (what they are made of, and what specific characteristics they give in different cheese recipes), plus information about using them as ‘adjunct cultures’ to provide additional qualities and flavors through aging? This would mostly be lecture and reading, although there would probably be companion tastings of cheeses that best illustrate the effects of specific cultures and molds.

We have the opportunity to hire a culture expert to come to Maine for a one or two day workshop, but we want to know if there is enough interest to justify the cost. Please post a comment of whether this interests you or doesn’t interest you.