Meet a Cheese Making Guru
Tell us a little bit about your background
It has been a long road traveling in many directions, sometimes simultaneous, sound familiar. I began in pre-med but wound up teaching environmental biology which led to 25+ years of photographing and selling fine print photographs from wild places. During this time I became fascinated by the traditional aspect of beer and brewing the old ways and began visiting brewers in the UK and Belgium, and we all know what they eat with their beer.
What got you interested in making cheese
On one particular visit with Jean Louis Dits at his brewery Vapour in the south of Belgium, he and his wife set a table of the most incredible local cheeses and that was the beginning of this incredible adventure.
How did you go about learning how to do it
I then began visiting traditional cheese makers throughout Europe and in the US, set up my Cheese Lab here in western Massachusetts, and began experimenting with what I had learned.
This coincided with a new kitchen construction project in my 150+ year old house, giving me the opportunity to dig down another 10 feet for a natural cave underneath, adding a new dimension to the cheese project.
How did you get started teaching
One of the great coincidences is that I live about 10 miles from Ricki Carroll and her New England Cheesemaking Supply. Shortly after I began this project she visited, and we quickly became friends. She later convinced me to become the Tech Guy for cheesemaking.com.
Within a year I started the Cheese Making 201 series of workshops. The focus is concept and process technology rather than simply following a recipe.
Have you ever commercially sold any of the cheese you have made
I do not sell my cheese commercially. This has given me the freedom to experiment and explore many variations on traditional recipes.
For example, Reblochon. I have about six different profiles with major variations for making this cheese.
I have also explored cheeses with an industrial reputation, such as St Paulin and Havarti, reworking them in ways that raise eyebrows at cheese tastings as new cheeses.
What kinds of things do you teach in your advanced cheese making workshops
Basic books treat cheese making as static recipes focused on time and temperature. But milk and seasons change. Problems arise. My workshops focus on understanding and solving those issues.
The goal is to take the mystery out of cheese making by demystifying the science and focusing on process rather than rigid recipes.
My workshops cover many topics including
- Understanding different styles of cheese
- Milk selection and analysis
- Startup equipment
- Culture selection
- Developing a proper curd
- Acid development and its importance
- Moisture control and ripening
- Moulding, pressing, and surface preparation
- Salting and rind development
- Cave preparation
- Conditions and process in cave aging
Are the workshop attendees mostly hobbyists or professionals
The range of attendees is as varied as the cheeses we make.
- Novice home cheese makers
- Farmsteads producing cheese from their milk
- Chefs making cheese for restaurants
- Cheese retailers
- Small artisan dairies refining their processes
The primary requirement is a strong interest in making better cheese. Some hands-on experience is helpful.
What are your favorite cheeses to make
Tomme au Marc or Ubriaco is a favorite due to its unique aging and flavor profile. I also enjoy Mountain-style Gorgonzola due to its heritage and two-curd process.
How about your favorite ones to eat
Indecision. I am always looking for both new discoveries and excellent examples of classics such as Stilton.
Recent favorites include Robiola, Taleggio, Stilton with caramelized walnuts and pear, and goats milk Tomme. Others include Epoisses, true Brie, Reblochon, and Munster.
What are the trickiest things about making cheese
The trickiest part is defining a clear goal and game plan. Once that is done, the rest is process and control.
What are the most common problems
Not understanding or following the correct acid profile, combined with incorrect moisture content, is the most common cause of failure in aging.
Given that all cheese is made from milk, what accounts for the great variety we see throughout the cheese world
Small changes at any point in the process create different cheeses. Even cheeses made from the same vat on the same day can differ depending on aging conditions.
Same same, but different.
Why is Epoisses so different than Parmigiano-Reggiano
They are about as different as cheeses get.
Parmigiano-Reggiano is skimmed, cooked dry, and aged for years with a clean rind.
Epoisses uses long lactic coagulation, high moisture, no pressing, microbial rind development, and is bathed in alcohol for its signature aroma.
Two completely different cheeses, and no need to choose between them.
