Category Archives: Learning

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.

May 5 Joint Wine Guild / Cheese Guild Tasting

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*POSTPONED*

–check here for updates on when and where it can be rescheduled–

Maine Cheese Guild and Maine Wine Guild Pairings Meeting

to be held on Tuesday, May 5th at 3pm in Rockport.

The meeting is open to cheese makers and wine makers in both guilds who are interested in learning more about what pairs best with their products. This is a private event, not open to the public, and there is limited space available. Those participating will receive the compiled tasting notes of those who participated, which will include several wine and cheese professionals to help guide the groups through the pairings.

There is a limited amount of space available at the event, so Cheese Guild members who are interested should send an email to [email protected] asap and indicate what cheeses they would like to contribute to the Pairing, and whether they would like to attend. Once the list has been compiled, I will send confirmations with more information.

Both Guilds intend to hold several of these tastings through the year so that seasonal cheeses will be able to be included in this educational exercise for both wine and cheese makers.