Creamery Makeover

Yes. Our primary cheesemonger, Katherine, looks a little different (always beautiful but especially so on September 14th!). And we love our new son-in-law, Solomon. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Huss! Last summer, when we initially opened our creamery, we felt that our little space for cheese making would take care of our cheese making needs for years to come. We were wrong! So this summer we essentially started over, removing and building walls, cutting and pouring new cement, putting entry doors where barn doors were initially, etc. Glad to say we are only a few weeks out to completion. Our project has been a lot of fun thanks to a really great group of people (see our list below). These gentlemen have been creative, reliable, and do great work. An extra thank you to Step Above Contracting, LLC for helping us on the day before our daughter’s wedding. The reception wasContinue Reading

Geotrichum ambush!

Cheese caves are fascinating AND scary places. First of all, they are cold and damp. Often they are isolated and there is an over-riding hum of air-conditioning and humidifying machines which create constant white noise … “if I get locked in here will anyone hear me?” But even after you overcome the physical aspects of the cheese cave, there is the psychological component. Cheese caves are all about damage control. Staying on high alert, catching anything early that could get out of control is key to affinage. Oh, and forget about leaving for any extended time! Making the cheese is the easy part … aging the cheese requires commitment, a dose of insanity and a great spouse willing to jump in to correct any adverse change in temperature or humidity … at any hour! Some cheeses like to be high on the shelf where there is less moisture, a littleContinue Reading

Caution: Cheese Making Can Make One Crazy!

While cheese making may seem like a fun and creative endeavor, secretly, it is also one that can be full of angst. It may even cause one to question their own sanity! I have learned that cheese makers tend to be of a determined spirit. I appreciate their beautifully completed works but now understand a little about what it takes to get there. Here’s just one example: Triple Creme: I have attempted a triple creme 6 times at this point. And although my cheese-loving family clapped and cheered at the last batch (not quite, but still an enthusiastic crowd), it was somewhat of a disappointment. The curds were drained too long and the texture was not the heavenly richness that I was hoping for. Next week I will give it yet another try! (never let the cheese win. See! That’s the sanity thing I was mentioning). I have become fairlyContinue Reading