** Mar 29-30, 2008 Soft and SemiSoft Cheese **

If you are just starting out in cheese making and have the desire to make some wonderful cheeses then this is the class for you.
It is the perfect opportunity to learn more about what the various changes in the process do to change the quality of the cheese. My intent will be to teach more about the concepts involved in cheese making rather than following a fixed recipe.
We will be making cheese that will not have you wondering what is going on 4 months from now. You will be able to see the results in a matter of weeks rather than months and this alone will accelerate your skills in cheese making
Essentially we will be taking three styles that appear to be quite similar, and through changes in the cultures and making process produce cheese of very different flavor/texture characteristics
The specific types will be:

• Havarti/Tilsit ... many people pass over this style at the cheese counter due to it's industrial source these days .. we will be looking back to it's beginnings and making a star come to life. We start this one off with a low temperature culture and proceed from there.
• Taleggio ... From the northern region of Italy not far from the famous lakes region comes one of my favorite Italian cheeses. Our process begins with a yogurt culture and a higher temperature.
• Bel Paese ... It means "Beautiful Land" and although it is primarily an industrial cheese we will reveal it's "Inner Beauty" as we explore this high temperature method of cheese making.
  

When we have finished you will have been introduced to a wide range of contrasting cheesemaking concepts which can be used as tools for making many other cheeses.

Included in this workshop will be : .. tasting and discussing various styles of cheese .. equipment and tools needed for cheese making .. space requirements for home and small dairies etc. .. types of milk and how they are different to work with .. types of cultures, their characteristics, and how to use them .. monitoring the process by pH and acid titration measurement .. control of final acidity and moisture content of cheese .. salt application and how it changes the cheese .. wax vs natural rinds .. aging conditions .. how to set up and maintain a simple cave

more photos and details of Jim's workshop