Jonathan Butlin
We have actually found a cheese maker who used to play in a heavy metal band. We think that is very cool. (If you don’t know exactly what heavy metal is, you are not alone. Many of us took up cheese making in retirement, so we think it’s lead or mercury.)
Playing while on tour in the Czech Republic
Jonathan’s Story
I live in Northampton with my wife and daughter. Northampton is traditionally and historically known for making boots and shoes, and it’s also the hometown of Alan Moore, writer of well-known graphic novels such as V for Vendetta!
I work in IT support for a leading cereal brand which keeps me pretty busy during the day (and sometimes weekends, too).
The first lockdown seemed like a very good time to learn some new hobbies – cheese making was one of things I developed an interest in, and I’ve been doing it for about 2 years now. I do love cheese, it’s one thing I cannot resist.
The very latest ones I’ve been working on – the last little bit of a double Gloucester I made on the left, the very first waxed Gouda (I got some cheese wax for Christmas!) in the middle and on the right, a havarti with dill.
I’d been given a home cheese making kit as a present, and I’m ashamed to say it had sat in the cupboard for a while. Finally, I thought “I do love cheese, why not actually give it a go?”
I started out making feta with the kit and to my amazement, not only was it edible, but the family actually liked it!
How I learned:
Once I’d made a successful feta and a semi-successful mozzarella (they were a bit more like rubber balls than soft cheese), I decided to get an actual book on the subject. I bought Mastering Basic Cheesemaking by Gianaclis Caldwell and tried a few recipes from there, with … mixed results.
My first ever hard cheese attempt, a sort of cheddar-ish affair with turmeric in it. It tasted a little better than it looked. (Even my daughter’s dollies liked it.)
I’ve since become fairly addicted to Gavin Webber’s Youtube channel, and have made some progress with some of his recipes – the Caerphilly and queso fresco in particular. I also enjoy how he mangles the names of English counties!
Some bright yellow curds – cheese infused with turmeric
A cheddar with black pepper – an early attempt
Cheddar with black pepper – a second attempt
I’m still learning – affinage being a challenge in particular. We live in a tiny bungalow (one story house) but it has a large cellar underneath, which always seemed like a great space to do something creative with. It is a little damp, yet also dusty and musty.
I’ve tried aging cheeses in a small plastic tub but it’s way too damp and the cheeses develop some really aggressive mould. I’ve half expected them to grow legs and go on a rampage.
Now I’m trying waxing for the first time, and also wrapping the cheese up in a cheesecloth and just letting them age on an old wooden bench I’ve slung down there. So far so good!
I always use full cream milk, or whole milk as we call it – I don’t live near a farm, or know any farmers so the milk I buy is always from the supermarket.
A recent make: Queso fresco with garlic and black pepper
I like to grind a clove of garlic in with a teaspoon of cheese salt and mix that into the curds.
Advice for beginners:
Start with the fresh cheeses to get some instant wins! It feels great to make your first feta, or queso fresco, etc. Don’t be afraid to try different techniques – including different ways to try to age the cheese, and finally don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t work out. There will always be more cheese to make, and more things to try!
Other hobbies:
During lockdown, along with learning to make cheese, I also taught myself how to make bread, which had mixed results at first. You probably could have built houses out of my first few efforts, but I got there in the end.
Apparently an “Old English Farl” style loaf, baked in the bottom of the oven
Marmite (salty) bread
A crumpet (griddle bread). Crumpets are traditionally round. I didn’t have anything round to make it in and that was the only thing we had on hand that would work.
I also like to play guitar (hence the heavy metal band) and I’m currently writing a book for children about a goat that goes on an epic adventure after escaping from a farm. As a family we’re trying to learn Spanish and Japanese. It’s a shame there aren’t enough hours in the day for all these hobbies!
My guitars and my daughter’s
The only last thing I want to say is – keep up the great work at cheesemaking.com ! It really is a fantastic and invaluable resource.
