Presents: 'The Cheesemakers'
three generations of Widmers have made cheese
and lived on this site |
Joe Widmer
Widmer's Cheese Cellars
Theresa, WI
Joe is the third generation cheesemaker making Brick Cheese in the traditional way just as his grandfather did
www.widmerscheese.com
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
working in a fairly tight space
|
that is both cheese plant and sales room
|
The fresh milk is ripened
|
rennet is added
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and when the proper set is determined...
|
... the cutting of the curd ...
|
... begins with great care
|
a short wait for the whey to rise
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and the curd is carefullly stirred
|
following the proper curd development
|
whey is drained and warmer water is added to scald the curd
|
when whey is expelled the whey is drained again
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the whey goes through a separater to remove the cream
|
meanwhile the curd is kept well stirrred
|
while the forms are made ready
|
here we see the bricks to be used for weight
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
many are the same bricks that Joe's grandfather started with
|
the curd is now transferred to
|
the waiting forms
|
and carefully evened off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the forms are then turned
|
preparing a proper surface
|
before the brick weights are added
|
after a proper pressing the salting begins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
continuing through day 2
|
the next day the cheese is taken to the aging shelves
|
where it receives it's brine wash which will in time
|
develop the characteristic mold surface for ripening
|
|
|
|
|
|
