Rebecca with Vickie.
Rebecca is blind and she makes cheese. It seems impossible, doesn’t it? We asked her about this and she was kind enough to explain how she does it further on in this interview.
She and her husband, Emmanuel (who is sighted) have a farm and they run their business (Tactile Vision Graphics) from there. Their business is to create braille publications – coloring books, greeting cards, maps, etc. (in all languages).
Rebecca and Emmanuel at work.
Last year, they were awarded a contract by Disney to create activity books for the blind and it was the first time Disney has done this kind of project. Thanks to these activity books, blind children will be able to “see” Mickey Mouse for the first time.
There was an article about Rebecca a few months ago in Modern Farmer.
Rebecca’s Story
A year ago we moved from Windsor, Ontario, right across from Detroit, to Windsor, New Brunswick, which is sort of across from Presque Isle or Houlton, Maine.
The object was to have more land. We run a business and really wanted to have our home and business on the same property to avoid having to commute and to help do our part for the environment.
A mama Navajo-Churro sheep with her two babies.
We have seven acres, with one barn housing the chickens, ducks and pheasants and another for the larger animals. We have all sorts of animals, for milk, wool, eggs and meat: a milk cow, a pig, goats, sheep, alpacas, ducks, chickens, quails, pheasants, and rabbits.
Our cow, Lady, who’s carrying the entire farm on her faithful shoulders.
I think it was Amish friends in the Bruce Peninsula of Ontario who first gave me the idea that making cheese was possible. They had extra milk from their cow and some liquid rennet. The cheese turned out pretty well, very much like a farmhouse Mozzarella and I started thinking – wouldn’t it be amazing to learn how to make other kinds of cheese?
So, I went online and found New England Cheesemaking Supplies. I bought three kits, one of which included Ricki’s book (Home Cheese Making). I was still buying store-bought milk and realized that was a poor substitute for the real thing, but it was good practice.
My first or second Emmental, a little Farmhouse Cheddar, as well as some milk and butter – all from when we first brought our cow home.
What kinds of cheese have you made so far?
When we were buying milk from the store, I made yogurt, tried sour cream, cottage cheese, 30-minute Mozzarella, Brie and Farmhouse Cheddar.
Since our cow arrived last September, I’ve made 30-minute Mozzarella, Parmesan, Farmhouse and regular Cheddar, Emmental, Brie, Gouda, with fairly good success; and of course yogurt, sour cream, butter and cottage cheese.
I tried Wensleydale but found the curd-cutting process so tedious, and for mediocre results, that it will be some time before I try it again. Oh, yes, and Vacherin d’Abondance for Christmas of course, a must-have.
I’ve tried Robiola, but am looking forward to being able to use the milk from our goats and sheep, when they finish weaning their present babies. Feta and Keshkabel will definitely be on the list, then; and I think I’d like to try some blue cheeses.
Making butter
How can you make cheese without seeing it?
Everyone who has an iPhone can enable what’s called “VoiceOver.” If you go in settings | General | Accessibility, anyone can make an iPhone speak what’s on the screen. We all know about “smart homes,” smart fridges, doorbells, speakers; I’m not a fan of these by and large. However, there is at least one thermometer/hygrometer called Inkbird which comes with a little circular box that sits in the fridge and takes humidity and temperature readings and sends them via bluetooth to your phone, where you can read them through the app.
I also use a cooking thermometer called EasyBBQ which comes with a box and thermometers. You submerge the tip into your pot of milk as you would with the Tel-Tru thermometer, but unlike the Tel-Tru, mine sends temperature readings to my phone, which I have either in my apron or on the stove. I use my hands a lot while cooking so I can now estimate within a degree or two what the temperature is, but I verify with my phone.
As of the time we posted this, the EasyBBQ is currently unavailable on Amazon. We have seen it at auction sites like eBay.
We have an induction stove. If I set the digital heat adjustment to 2, and use a particular pot with 2 gallons of milk, it takes exactly 3 minutes to raise the temperature by 1 degree Celsius. Anyone can make notes on heat levels and milk volumes, but I see it as a time-saving technique.
Brie drying on a cheese mat.
I really have to go by touch, sound, sometimes taste in making cheese. Where that becomes quite difficult is in gauging mould development as cheese ages. I just try to wipe the surface with salt brine daily and hope for the best. The exceptions are of course with soft or fresh cheese and mould-ripened cheese.
The affinage phase is definitely where I struggle most and I would love to take courses on finishing and aging cheese. Maybe when this strangeness is over (the pandemic) I’ll actually reserve a place, rather than just talking about it.
I measure the pressure of my press with braille calipers. When I first got the press, I asked my husband to read the pressure scale as I pressed some curds. I noted that when I measured 5.5 inches with the calipers, the scale showed approximately 20 pounds of pressure, 5.7″ is approx 15 pounds, and 5.1,” is 40 pounds.
I’m so new to cheese making, I’m sure I’ll develop other techniques over time.
What are your goals?
Well, to eat really good cheese without breaking the bank; to be able to give it as gifts; possibly to sell it if I get good enough; and now, the crafting of cheese has drawn me in, so it’s somehow about the science, art and alchemy, as well.
(506) 703-8503
info@tactilevisiongraphics.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/vww.tvg/about/
Twitter – @AmrywoDdyddiauH
