Sarah Carroll
From Ricki (aka The Cheese Queen) with Love
In May, my daughter Sarah and I took a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to a Mother Earth News Fair where we taught 2 workshops. This really dates me, because, we used to do some writing for Mother Earth News, which started in 1970, just a few years before we moved to Ashfield in 1975. We started our business in 1978, while reading about how to raise goats and tend a garden in Mother Earth News.
Now, Sarah is the second generation at New England Cheesemaking Supply, Co. and we sometimes work together making cheese in front of an audience, which carries the word heaven to a new height for me.
1. Cheesemaking for the Whole Family: Queso Blanco
On the first day in Ashville, we taught a group of 250 people. We made queso blanco, which is quite simple, and with only two ingredients found in most kitchens, it’s a great place to start. With just milk and vinegar, a mild fresh cheese, much like tofu, it picks up the flavor of anything it is cooked with. While I waited for the milk to heat, Sarah cooked up what I had made at home the day before and brought with us on the plane.
Using a little oil, herbs de provence and some tamari, it was sliced and pan fried and passed around for the entire audience to taste. While I was answering many questions about cheese making in general, everyone seemed to be having a great time. The heating of the milk with an induction burner took a long time, and people were great sports about it. They kept things rolling with loads of questions.
2. DIY Yogurt Parfaits
The second day, we helped kids of all ages make yogurt parfaits. This one was Sarah’s great idea and we took Uber rides all over the place, getting a mountain of fun ingredients to use.
The day started off cold and windy, and the demo was scheduled to be under a tent. Once we got started, the sun came out and I made a rather strong motherly suggestion that we stop for a minute, move the tables outside and live happily every after with yummy yogurt, chocolate chips, granola, blueberries, walnuts, graham crackers, strawberries, raspberries and honey. The kids loved making their own, and kept coming back for more. It was great to see them start off their day with such an (almost all) healthy treat.
Our New Book
I’ve been dreaming about this book for at least 25 years and now it’s here and I’m here to enjoy Say Cheese! A Kid’s Guide to Cheese Making. What more can I ask for? To start kids of all ages off this way, learning another great ancient art form is pure heaven to me.
Meet Us
Sarah and I will be teaching again at the fair in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania in September (click here). So, if you missed us at this one, come on over. This time it’s a 3 day fair and, if it gets approved, we may be doing a third demo at this one. Oh, by the way, a women came up to me from the audience and said she always wanted to meet me in person because, we have the same name, spelled the same way and it’s not our nickname. R-I-C-K-I, so hurray for all the good things happening in life!
Upcoming schedule for 2018:
Maryland – June 2-3
Oregon – August 4-5
Pennsylvania – September 14-16 (This is the only one at which Ricki and Sarah will be teaching.)
Kansas – October 13-14
