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

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

College Of The Atlantic Reception Aug 18

College of the AtlanticCasey Mallinckrodt writes us:

“College of the Atlantic/Beech Hill Farm would like to include a tasting of Maine Cheese at a lunch event on Saturday August 18th. This is a private event for approximately 50 people and the cheese will be a compliment to the meal- not a main component.

We would like to have as many types of cheese as possible, and need only a pound or less from each cheese maker. The cheese will be paid for but we welcome any contributions.”

Please contact Casey Mallinckrodt [email protected] 917 796 2857

Maine State Reception in August

state_seal_smIn 2010 Maine will host the 50th Annual Meeting of the Council of State Governments’ Eastern Regional Conference (CSG/ERC). In preparation of this big event, the State of Maine is planning a “teaser” reception at this year’s meeting in Burlington, VT and would very much like to feature Maine cheese (along with other Maine foods) at that reception.

They are expecting around 300 people to attend this reception, which will be held August 4th. Given that number I “guess-timated” that 10 pounds of cheese (among all the other food) would suffice. The Maine State Legislature (who is coordinating the events) is looking for donations, but is willing to pay for cheese if that would ensure a good turnout. The cheese will need to be shipped to the Burlington Hilton, and they are definitely willing to reimburse for the shipping costs. Given that the reception is on a Tuesday, and the caterers have asked that all food arrive at least the day before the event, the cheese would realistically need to be shipped to arrive on Friday, July 31st.

Please post a comment if you can contribute to this event, or email me directly.

Of course they are also interested in having the Maine Cheese Guild participate in the 2010 event (to take place in Portland) as well; I’ll have more info on that event as it approaches.

–Eric Rector