Workshops 2014: Fundamental Affinage, March 28-29

In this two-day work shop, Michael Kalish of Third Wheel Cheese Consulting, will guide you through European styles of affinage. Michael’s workshop finds its balance of theory and practice in a colorful blend of film, photography, interactive lecture, anecdotal experience, and hands-on demonstrations.

Michael Kalish co-founded Third Wheel Cheese Consulting in 2012. From 2008 to 2011, Michael worked on artisan cheese farms across France and Northern Italy and in the alps of Gruyère and Valle d’Aosta. Formally trained at the istituto lattiero caseario e delle tecnologie agro-alimentari in Italy’s famed Piedmont Region, Michael apprenticed for Luigi Guffanti, managed Hervé Mons’ Tunnel de la Collonge in the Rhône Alps, and ran operations for Artisanal Premium Cheese in NYC. Michael is on the Education Committee for the American Cheese Society Conference this year and will be leading panels on affinage and food safety in Sacramento. Michael has led workshops for the California, Oregon, and Wisconsin Artisan Cheese Guilds and has taught Affinage portions of Master Classes in NYC.

DATES: This is a two-day workshop, March 28 and 29th (Friday and Saturday)

SITE: Silvery Moon Creamery, Westbrook

FEE: $175 for Guild Members, $200 for non-members (includes a Guild membership). Registration will be set when deposits are received. Deposits will be refunded for cancellations up to a week before the class begins, after which they are not refundable. If there are more registrations than space available, later registrations will be notified and a waiting list will be started — deposits will be returned for those on the waiting list who cannot be accommodated.

To reserve a space, send a $50 deposit (with a note indicate the class you wish to attend) to:

Maine Cheese Guild
c/o Mark Whitney, Treasurer
Pineland Farms Creamery
92 Creamery Lane
New Gloucester, ME 04260

Meeting TUESDAY, January 7th at the Ag Trade Show

Our next meeting will be held on the first day of the Maine Agricultural Trade Show at the Augusta Civic Center on TUESDAY, January 7th between 10am and noon.

We have invited representatives from the Department of Agriculture Quality Assurance division to attend and explain what is involved in becoming a licensed dairy processor in the state of Maine — the cost, the requirements, and the benefits of licensing. Many licensed cheese makers will also be on hand to answer questions about Maine cheese, the Guild, and the best way to learn about cheese making.

There will be a brief business meeting at the beginning, followed by opening the floor up to any interested participants who have questions for the Department of Agriculture or Guild members attending.

I look forward to seeing you there.

–Eric Rector
President, Maine Cheese Guild

Titles in the Maine Cheese Guild Lending Library

Housed at the State of Maine Cheese Company, Rockport, Maine

Book Title Author year
American Cheese Varieties Harry Eilson and Dr George W Reinbold 1965*
American Cheeses Clark Wolf 2008
Blue Veined Cheeses Dr. Howard Morris 1981* 2 copies
Cheese Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology, Vol 1 General Aspects P F Fox, Ed. 1987
Cheese Making Made Easy, 1st ed. Ricki & Robert Carroll 1982
Cottage Cheese and other Cultured Milk Products Drs. Douglas B Emmons, Stewart L. Tucher 1967*
Goat Husbandry, 4th ed. David MacKenzie 1980
Home Cheesemaking, 3rd ed. Ricki Carroll 2002
Italian Cheese Varieties Dr. George W Reinbolo 1963* 2 copies
Lactic Starter Culture Technology Dr. William E Sandine 1979 *
More Please, Macaroni & Cheese (recipe book) Deanna Keahey, Steve Kilner 2004
Ripened Semi-soft Cheeses Dr Morman F Olson 1969* 2 copies
The Atlas of Amerian Artisan Cheese (store copy) Jeffrey Roberts 2007
The Cheese Book Vivienne Marqus and Patricia Haskel 1984
The Cheese Primer Steven Jenkins 1996
The Dairy Book of Family Cookery (recipe book) Hoard’s Dairyman 1983
The International Wine and Food Society Guide to Cheese and Cheese Cookery (identification and photos) TA Layton 1967
The World Encyclopedia of Cheese Juliet Harbutt
The Yogurt Book Connie Berman & Susan Katz 1977
* 9 book set