Zorana Marquez in October, 2020. Photo by: Marco Chacon @mcfotologist
Zorana’s Story
I am in my early 40s. I was born in New Orleans, LA but I was raised in Valencia, Venezuela. I have been living in the US for the past 24 years.
I work as a Construction Project Manager. I am married and I have two daughters.
I have been making cheese since June of 2019.
Looking through a ring light on a stand. It also holds your phone to record videos.
Making cheese brings me a sense of accomplishment. Taking milk in liquid form and converting into an amazing cheese is just a magical process.
Cheese platter – a little bit of everything! Photo by: Marco Chacon @mcfotologist
As of today, I have made more than 35 different types of cheeses.
Butter made with Jersey cow milk
Raw milk cheddar, aged 3 months
Sao Jorge, aged 6 months. Photo by: Marco Chacon @mcfotologist
Oaxaca
Brie
Romano, aged 7 months
Wine infused
Jalapeno cheddar
Asiago
Mozzarella
Rustic Gorgonzola
Mustard & Ale, to be aged 8 weeks
Blue Stilton
Camembert
Hispanico, aged 5 months. Photo by: Marco Chacon @mcfotologist
Belper Knoll
Baby Swiss
How I got started:
It all started when I couldn’t find a cheese that tasted similar to a fresh cheese from Venezuela. Many Venezuelan dishes require some type of regional cheese.
When I would make these dishes here in the US, I always felt something was missing to make it perfect. And it was the cheese! So, I started my research on how to make my own Venezuelan cheeses at home.
Drained curds, ready to be cut and added to a whey brine to make Venezuelan cheese
A semi-hard Venezuelan cheese
Concha Negra, a Venezuelan style cheese covered with coffee grounds and aged for several months
Queso Llanero Venezolano- a typical Venezuelan fresh cheese from the central plains areas of Venezuela
Nobody in my family or friends knew or had any interest in making cheese. The way I see it is that you can learn anything you put your mind to. All the information is out there. You just need to put in the time and energy to get it. And you have to be a bit bold, too and not be afraid.
Like I always say, the worst that can happen is that you lose a gallon of milk, but look at how much knowledge you gain while you try.
Accidents happen sometimes. What I thought was going to be a Parmesan was actually a Swiss type cheese. I got my cheeses confused while making 3 of them in one day!
Making 3 different cheeses at one time.
I learned the most from watching videos on Youtube. After several hours of going through videos, I saw a few of them by Gavin Webber and I was hooked. His videos make you feel that you can make your own cheese at home.
I applied some of Gavin’s practices in making my Venezuelan cheese. Afterwards, I started wanting to make his cheddar and Bel Paese recipes.
While all of this was going on, I bought Ricki Carroll’s book (Home Cheese Making) and also used the cheesemaking.com recipes online. Plus, I joined a Facebook group called Learn to Make Cheese.
I also joined two cheese groups on Whatsapp – one for Venezuelan Cheeses and one for Latin American cheeses.
Last year, I bought more books, including The Art of Natural Cheese Making by David Asher, who I had the pleasure to interview with a friend and to serve as a translator over the whole interview. It was an amazing experience and I learned so much more from Mr. Asher.*
My interview with David Asher – click here
Today, I am still learning everyday about different processes, methods, cheeses, and everything cheese making.
So much information is out there and so many people want to share their knowledge and experiences. You just need to look for it and listen.
From left to right: a Dutch style press, a maple wood hand press and a homemade press
My cheese caves
My advice for beginners:
Go for it! You have nothing to lose! Start with the idea of making a simple fresh cheese – like a queso fresco. Then watch a couple of videos and decide on which recipe you want to create at home. Then get the basic ingredients: store bought milk (I make my fresh cheeses with store bought milk and I use raw milk for my aged cheeses), calcium chloride, rennet and salt.
Gather the following tools: a kitchen thermometer, some spoons, a strainer, cheesecloth and some plastic containers. And you are set to make your first cheese!
Preparation, sanitation and time management is very important in cheese making. Here is my set- up.
My other hobbies:
In my free time, I play racquetball and work on our small veggie garden.
First time canning cucumbers.
Raised bed gardening. This is our lettuce garden.
Heirloom tomatoes
Cucumber plant. Lots of cucumbers!
Also: charcuterie …
Processing meat for salami and charcuterie making
Lonzino, a cured pork loin. Simple delicious!
From left to right: lonzino, pepperoni, chorizo, coppa.
A batch of sausages and aged meats
The sausage chamber
… making mead …
Multiple batches: apple, peach, jalapeno, lemon grass and more.
Bottled blackberry, Tupalo and apple melomel
… and some baking.
Venezuelan Guava bread
Pan de Jamon.
I love to cook and spend time with my family. I am very organized and I am always on task.
Cachapa with Queso de Mano – a Venezuelan corn “pancake” with a Venezuelan style mozzarella
Arepa with pulled pork, Venezuelan cheese and avocado sauce. All homemade.
A stuffed homegrown eggplant with homemade mozzarella. The meat is leftover homemade sausage.
Fresh mozzarella with homegrown tomatoes and basil
Small charcuterie board with homemade Brie, chorizo and Genoa salami
Cachapa with homemade shredded Venezuelan cheese. A cachapa is a pancake made with sweet corn.
My goals:
My life goal is to be happy. I find happiness among my family, friends, traveling and food. Also, in being among the right people. I surround myself as best I can with positive and caring people.
Several years ago I went through some tough times. And I started to prioritize what truly matters and what is important. I know life will be tough, but as long as I am happy and I have my family and friends by my side, things will be okay.
More info:
I call my creations “Artizan Foodz.” I don’t sell anything but you are welcome to see more at:
https://www.facebook.com/artizanfoodz/
Instagram: @artizanfoodz
*I made friends with Elias Rodriguez through one of the Whatsapp groups. He is a master cheesemaker in Venezuela and he is very interested in making cheese with natural methods. He reached out to David Asher in the beginning of last year and they communicated via Google Translate as best as they could. He had multiple questions for him and needed some help.
Elias wanted to share all the knowledge that David Asher had to offer to all the Spanish speaking followers he has on Youtube and Instagram. After a while he asked David if he was willing to do an interview in English/Spanish. So, Elias asked if I could assist since I love cheesemaking and I am fully bilingual. It was an amazing experience and I learned so much.
