The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: MrsJ on March 30, 2011, 09:08:45 pm
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Anyone any recommendations for Cheese Making Courses? Would love to learn how to do this.
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no ... but why not get a book and just have a go??!!
messy but fun, and you can play around until you've got it just how you like it!
are you thinking fancy cheeses?
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I wonder if there are a few of us that would like to learn how to make cheese. is there a way we can all get together and have a joint learning session? central scotland/fife?
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I think West Highland Dairy at Kyle of lochalsh still do courses in Cheesemaking. Google them to check.
Having said that we bought Katie Thear's cheesemaking book and taught ourselves. We seem to be managing hard and soft cheese, stilton (type), Camembert (type),etc.
While you are practicing you'll find even the mistakes are usually edible! ;D
Dave
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Funnily enough I am currently on a years diploma studying cheesemaking!
The place I'm studying at is called The School of Artisan Food, I couldn't suggest a better place, there are a whole range of courses varying between one day through to a week, through to a year. They not only do Dairying but also Bakery, butchery, chocolate, brewing you name it. If it's artisan then they'll be doing it! It's in Nottingham though.
The West Highland Dairy is a lady called Cathy Biss and I have heard very good things about her (my head tutor has known her for many, many years). It is known to be very highly regarded in the Dairy industry. There is also another, Chris Ashby, AB Cheesemaking, well structured courses which are held at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, Cheshire.
However I have spent many years on my quest for fine cheese and depending on what your reason is for learning the craft most cheesemakers are happy to have you help them for a wee while or even pop in for a day and just observe. Of course if you are planning on opening a dairy next door to them then this might not be the case!
Here are the addresses that might be of help:
http://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/ (http://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/)
http://www.westhighlanddairy.co.uk/ (http://www.westhighlanddairy.co.uk/)
http://www.abcheesemaking.co.uk/index.asp (http://www.abcheesemaking.co.uk/index.asp)
McR
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I wonder if there are a few of us that would like to learn how to make cheese. is there a way we can all get together and have a joint learning session? central scotland/fife?
How about coming to the next meeting (13th April, Mayfield Centre, Stirling 7.30 pm)and putting it to the Committee - we have a meeting the following Wednesday so I'll ask Carol to put it on the agenda.
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I just bought a couple of books and got going.... so far only soft cheeses though from my own goats milk. Very nice, absolutley no goaty taste. Now that I have a (homemade) cheese press sitting on the kitchen counter, I am itching to go for hard cheese too.... (But until I know how many spare lambs there will be, all surplus goatsmilk is frozen....)
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Anke...
do you have a "plan" for the cheesepress?!
I've seen photos of homemade ones, but need full & simple instructions ;)
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I'd be interested if there is a local central Scotland one and it isn't too expensive - maybe a 1 day basic intro level if that was feasible in terms of what could be taught in a day that is useable.. I couldn't commit to a full year diploma course at this point :o
I was told there is a lady on the south coast of Fife who makes cheese but I don't have a name or know if she teaches.. she may even be on here ???
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http://www.cheesemaking.co.uk/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi (http://www.cheesemaking.co.uk/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi) starter kits and equipment available from these. Like so many things I haven't got around to yet ;D
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I'd be interested if there is a local central Scotland one and it isn't too expensive - maybe a 1 day basic intro level if that was feasible in terms of what could be taught in a day that is useable.. I couldn't commit to a full year diploma course at this point :o
I was told there is a lady on the south coast of Fife who makes cheese but I don't have a name or know if she teaches.. she may even be on here ???
Rosemary is our events co-ordinator. How about it Rosemary? Can you set this up - I'd come
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me too! and as goats are imminent (hopefully) I'd really like to get going with this sooner rather than later :yum:
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me 3, so long as i dont tell chris x
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looks like we have enough for a "class" then folks........
happy to provide venue
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I had a look at the kits on the link listed and the combined kit is about £110 but postage is free over £150 so perhaps if we did a course (egglady's would suit me as a venue!) and it went well we might also combine an order to save the postage and perhaps even negotiate a wee discount on multiple order? ;D
So how do you make butter then if it's so easy?
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Re plans for cheese press - sorry no plans as OH just went into the garage and got some of his "they will be useful one day" pieces, including an Ikea towel rail that never got fitted and two thick bits of wood... I have also got weights, that I just bought in a sports shop.
Its not in any way good enough for selling cheese, and no doubt will have some modifications at some point...
But really waht you need is a couple of pieces of wood (chopping boards would be ideal), have either two (in the middle) or four posts (on each corner), then the top board has larger holes to slot on top of your cheese form, then weights on top of top board. there are design on the web, we just "fiddled" about with what we had... I have to say it has not yet been tested, as to date all surplus milk is frozen in case I have got another year of three sets of (lamb) triplets..