Archive for the ‘Learning’ Category
Sanitation Training & Introduction to HACCP for Cheese Makers
***POSTPONED***
Unfortunately this had to be postponed. Beth and Gary will try to reschedule for November. We will post an updated announcement on the Guild web site when we get more information.
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McIntire Room, Buchanan Alumni House; UMaine, Orono campus
Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm (Registration starts at 9:00am)
Lunch is provided.
$10.00 for Guild members
$20.00 for Non-Guild Members
Please register with Melissa Potts via email: mpotts@umext.maine.edu or by calling toll free: 1-800-287-7170, as we have a registration limit of 30 people.
A minimum of 15 participants are needed, registration is due by May 7th. We reserve the right to cancel the workshop by this date if the minimum participant numbers are not met.
Directions can be downloaded from this website, including a campus map: http://www.umaine.edu/locator/BuildingDisplay.asp?id=360.
If you do not have internet access, please call Melissa for a campus map.
Speakers include: Barbara Brooks, Seal Cove Farm
Beth Calder and Gary Anderson, UMaine Cooperative Extension
Dr. Al Bushway, Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition
This training is a basic sanitation workshop that covers milk and cheese room sanitation, cleaning equipment, milk quality testing, appropriate cleaning/sanitizing products, bacteria and techniques to control growth, HACCP and how to apply this information in a farm setting.
Rennet Workshop Planned
| April 19, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
The Maine Cheese Guild will be sponsoring a one-day workshop on cheese Rennet to be held at Little Falls Farm in Harrison, Maine on Monday, April 19th from 9am to 5pm.
At the beginning there will be a short lecture on the nature of rennet — how it works, why it is used in cheesemaking, and the different ways it can affect finished cheeses. This will include a report written by Oregon cheesemaker David Peterson on his experiences using plant derived renneting materials to make traditional cheeses.
After lunch John and Mary Belding of Little Falls Farm will demonstrate step-by-step the methods for harvesting a goat-kid vel, preserving it, and then using it in cheese production.
Fees will be $125 for the general public, $100 for Maine Cheese Guild members (lunch included). For more information email info@mainecheeseguild.org. To reserve a spot (there will be a limited class size) send a check to
The Maine Cheese Guild
c/o Mark Whitney, Treasurer
Pineland Farms
32 Farm View Drive
New Gloucester, Maine 04260
Cheese Culture Workshop
| January 22, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
Dave Potter Evaluates Cheeses for Workshop Participants
The Maine Cheese Guild sponsored a one-day workshop on Cheese Cultures held at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine on Friday, January 22nd from 9am to 5pm.
David Potter, from Dairy Connection, Inc., lectured on the basics of picking the right cheese cultures (thermophilic, mesophilic, yeasts, and molds) for your cheeses, as well as delved into the exciting new realm of using adjunct cultures in traditional cheese recipes to broaden the flavor landscape.
In addition, Dave critiqued a number of cheeses, from experimental batches using different adjunct culture mixes, to commercial versions exhibiting specific culture techniques, as well as cheese brought by workshop attendees. The enthusiastic reception, high attendance rate, and the continued expression of interest in this subject means that the Guild will work to bring Dave (or another culture expert) back soon.
[Deb Hahn has received copies of specific slides that were too small to read on the hand-outs, such as the comparisons of different P. candidum, and Corynebacteria. If you would like to get copies of these, email here at debrahahn@yahoo.com]
Three Shepherds Advanced Cheesemaking Course at Longfellow’s Creamery Nov 6-8
Posted by Longfellows Creamery in Events, Learning on July 21st, 2009
| November 6, 2009 | to | November 8, 2009 |
Three Shepherds Farm is proud to announce another advanced cheesemaking class will take place from November 6-8, 2009 at the beautiful Longfellow’s Creamery in Avon, Maine. Committed to organic, sustainable agriculture, Longfellow’s Creamery produces a variety of amazing products, including the highest quality raw milk and delicious cheeses.
At the Three Shepherds advanced cheesemaking class, the basic principals of cheesemaking will be elevated to the next level. This class is designed for anyone who has a serious interest in cheesemaking and has either taken the Three Shepherds Farmstead Artisanal Cheesemaking Course or those who have the equivalent amount of experience from other classes and/or their own cheesemaking.
Over the three-day class, Dr. Larry and Linda Faillace will incorporate a variety of complex cheese recipes, including those for mold ripened cheeses, blue cheeses, soft and semi-hard washed rind cheeses, Pyrenees Mountain style hard cheeses, and several pasta filata cheeses. The class will emphasize the amazing transformations that take place during aging, the mysterious part of the cheesemaking process which truly allows for milk’s “leap into immortality.”
In addition to experimenting with new styles of cheesemaking and discovering the art of aging, cheesemakers will to learn the key elements necessary make a truly great product, as well as problems that can be encountered during the cheesemaking process and how those common pitfalls can be avoided. We encourage students to bring samples of their own cheeses for evaluation by the instructors and other students. This is a very valuable opportunity to get positive feedback on your cheeses and learn how you can make them even better.
Throughout the weekend, there will be sampling of a wide variety of cheeses, including some of the world’s best examples of those that we make during the class. Also, we will incorporate some delicious culinary uses of a variety of cheeses that have great commercial value for your cheese operation (and are great crowd pleasers for your friends and family too!
We look forward to seeing you in Maine in November. The class is limited in size and is already filling quickly so please call Larry or Linda at Three Shepherds Farm at 802-496-3998 for registration or more details.
Linda Faillace, author of Mad Sheep from Chelsea Green Publishing
Dr. Larry and Linda Faillace
Three Shepherds of the Mad River Valley
108 Roxbury Mountain Road
Warren, VT 05674
Tel: 802-496-3998
www.threeshepherdscheese.com
Culture Questions
Would you be interested in attending a workshop focusing on a review of the cultures and molds available to cheesemakers (what they are made of, and what specific characteristics they give in different cheese recipes), plus information about using them as ‘adjunct cultures’ to provide additional qualities and flavors through aging? This would mostly be lecture and reading, although there would probably be companion tastings of cheeses that best illustrate the effects of specific cultures and molds.
We have the opportunity to hire a culture expert to come to Maine for a one or two day workshop, but we want to know if there is enough interest to justify the cost. Please post a comment of whether this interests you or doesn’t interest you.
May 5 Joint Wine Guild / Cheese Guild Tasting
*POSTPONED*
–check here for updates on when and where it can be rescheduled–
Maine Cheese Guild and Maine Wine Guild Pairings Meeting
to be held on Tuesday, May 5th at 3pm in Rockport.
The meeting is open to cheese makers and wine makers in both guilds who are interested in learning more about what pairs best with their products. This is a private event, not open to the public, and there is limited space available. Those participating will receive the compiled tasting notes of those who participated, which will include several wine and cheese professionals to help guide the groups through the pairings.
There is a limited amount of space available at the event, so Cheese Guild members who are interested should send an email to erector@tilth.com asap and indicate what cheeses they would like to contribute to the Pairing, and whether they would like to attend. Once the list has been compiled, I will send confirmations with more information.
Both Guilds intend to hold several of these tastings through the year so that seasonal cheeses will be able to be included in this educational exercise for both wine and cheese makers.
Ricotta As Local As Your Kitchen
Portland Press Herald columnist Anne Mahle writes about how to make ricotta in your own kitchen:
Thanks to the surge in interest in “keeping it local,” good things are happening — to our economies and to the quality of our food.
What’s true for that carrot also is true for fresh cheeses and dairy products. And it’s easy to make your own ricotta, yogurt, buttermilk and even cheeses such as mozarella, fromagina and ricotta salata.
Cheese Aging Booklet Available for Download
Our booklet exploring and evaluating current options in cheese aging is now available for download at our website:
http://www.silverymooncheese.com/
The results from the survey are in the appendix.
We are grateful to all of those who provided input and insight, particularly to Hahn’s End, Northland Sheep Dairy and Little Falls Farm for providing narration of what they have done.
I am always so impressed with the willingness of cheese folk to share information. Hat’s off to you all and happy cheesemaking.
Jennifer Betancourt
Head Cheesemaker and Co-founder
Silvery Moon Creamery
Crafting award winning cheese in a big red barn at Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, Maine.
Guild Meeting and Sanitation Workshop
| May 11, 2009 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
May 11 – U of Maine Cooperative Extension, Orono (Sanitation Workshop)
*Now Full; No Longer Accepting New Registrations*
Agenda:
Sanitation Training & Introduction to HACCP for Cheese-makers
May 11, 2009
McIntire Room, Buchanan Alumni House; UMaine, Orono campus
Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Lunch is provided. Free for Maine Cheese Guild Members
$10.00 for non-Guild members
Please register with Melissa Potts via email: mpotts@umext.maine.edu or by calling toll free: 1-800-287-7170, as we have a registration limit of 30 people.
Directions can be downloaded from the University website, including a campus map.
If you do not have internet access, please call Melissa for a campus map.
Tentative Schedule:
10:00am – Registration
10:30am – Beth Calder (Extension Food Science Specialist) will discuss bacteria, bacterial growth and food safety.
11:15am- Gary Anderson (Extension Animal and Bio-Sciences Specialist) will discuss farm and milk room sanitation, cleaning equipment, recommended water temperatures, appropriate cleaning/sanitizing products and how to use them, quality testing and thoughts from a dairy inspector’s perspective.
Break at 12:30pm – Lunch will be provided.
Resume with Gary’s talk at 1:15pm.
1:45pm – Barbara Brooks (Seal Cove Farm; Lamoine, ME) will discuss sanitation from the farm/cheese processing perspective; what has worked for her and problems she has encountered and what she has done to correct the situation.
2:30pm – Beth will discuss recommended cleaners/sanitizers for the cheese-room and FDA recommendations at what level to use.
3:00pm – Beth will briefly describe HACCP principles and how to incorporate HACCP into your cheese-making process along with worksheets to take home.
4:00pm – End of training/Questions & answers.
Trip To France Planned
Janet’s Agriculture Tour to France was planned for early spring 2009, but has been re-scheduled for 2010; check in with at the Guild web site for more information about dates and updated itineraries.
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Maine Cheese Guild France Trip Proposal:
February 22 – March 3, 2009
Day 1 – Sunday 22nd Feb – Depart from Logan Airport to catch our overnight flight to Paris. Relax with
In flight meal service and entertainment.
Day 2 – Monday 23rd Feb Arrive Paris, and transfer to hotel in Paris city center “the City of Lights” is truly one of the world’s great cities. Although it has a population of over 10 million, the historic core of the city is largely untouched by modern development. Its broad boulevards and wide open spaces create stunning vistas punctuated by world famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.
This afternoon there will be a guided panoramic sightseeing tour of the city including the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, Place de la Concorde and Notre Dame Cathedral. Welcome dinner tonight. O/N PARIS (D)
Day 3 – Tuesday 24th Feb Early departure from hotel this morning to visit Rungis Market in the south of Paris, the largest wholesale market in France. It has a surface area of 320 hectares and employs 15,000 to facilitate the flow of millions of tons of produce, meat, cheese, poultry and even flowers. Rungis is a distribution point of food not only for France but for many European countries. France produces more than 250 different cheeses – the selection is endless. There will be a guided tour of the market followed by breakfast with a chance to sample some the local produce being sold.
Afterwards continue heading south passing through the rural regions of Isle de France and Champagne en route to Burgundy with a visit featuring a number of well known cheese makes including Brie and Coloumiers. Lunch included at a Ferme Auberge.
This afternoon continue south visiting en route a dairy farm producing a number of specialty cheeses of this region – St Florentin and Soumaintrain
Arrive later to this afternoon in Dijon. Famed for its spicy mustard produced here, Dijon is the ancient capital of Burgundy. The region, of course, is renowned for its fabulous wine and cheese. Dijon is the perfect place to enjoy these delicacies along with its many fine buildings and old world charm.
O/N DIJON (BLD)
Day 4 – Wednesday 25th Feb Depart Dijon this morning and continue south traveling through the famous Cote D’Or (Gold Coast) wine producing region on Burgundy. En route make a stop at a vineyard for a tour of the winery and wine-tasting. A lunch stop will be made in the town of Beaune, an important wine producing centre. The town still retains its defensive city walls as well as many other attractive medieval features. This afternoon continue south through Charolles region of Burgundy where there will be a visit to a goat farm which produces goat cheeses such as Le Charolais and L’Alexou. O/N Clermont Ferrand (BD)
Day 5 – Thursday 26th Feb Today there will be a full day program visiting a number of cheese producers in the Auvergne region. Lunch included today.
Visit Laiterie de la Montagne in St Nectaire which produces a number of cheeses typical to this area including St Nectaire, Cantal and Fourme d’Ambert. Visit Gaec de Joli Bois, a farm with Montbeliarde Cattle (known as the cheese maker breed in France) also producing St Nectaire Cheese. O/N Clermont Ferrand (BL)
Day 6 – Friday 27th Feb Depart the Auvergne today and head north towards the Loire Valley. The Loire is France’s longest river stretching east to west for over 600 miles. The mild climate and fertile alluvial soil make this a region well suited for growing fruit, vines and vegetables. In addition the region is home to a unique concentration of chateaux, some of the most extravagant and stunning examples of Renaissance and Baroque architecture to be found in all of Europe. Today we visit La Fromagerie Jacquin, which makes a large range of cheese from both cow and goat’s milk.
This afternoon there will be a visit to the Chateau of Chenonceaux. With its elegant arches spanning the river Cher, Chenonceaux is for many the most visually appealing of all chateaux along the Loire valley.
O/N AMBOISE = (BD)
Day 7 – Saturday 28th Feb Depart the Loire Valley this morning and continue journey north to Normandy, a region of patchwork fields, lush rolling pastures, dairy cattle and apple orchards. Visit Graindorge cheese factory in Livarot maker of some of the best known cheese brands of this region including Camembert, Livarot and Pont L’Eveque. Lunch included today. Arrive in Caen mid-afternoon with the rest of the day free for independent sightseeing and shopping. O/N CAEN (BLD)
Day 8 – Sunday 1st March This morning there will be an opportunity to visit St Pierre Farmer’s Market in Caen with over 400 stalls to browse. Afterwards depart for an excursion to Mont Saint Michel, the great monastery island-fortress that seems to rise out of the sea from the vast Bay of Mont St Michel. This is one of the most famous sights of all France. We tour the little town and visit the medieval Abbey, built atop the rocky hillside.
O/N CAEN (BD)
Day 9 – Monday 2nd March Depart Caen for a visit to a farm growing apples for the production of cider and calvados including an opportunity for tasting.
Continue to Rouen, the city infamous for being where Joan of Arc was burnt on the cross in 1431. Although badly bombed during the war, the city has been carefully restored and is one of the most attractive cities of northern France, featuring a magnificent medieval cathedral.
On arrival there will be free time for lunch and an opportunity for some independent sightseeing and shopping. Depart this afternoon for Paris.
There will be a farewell dinner cruise tonight on the Bateaux Mouches. With most of the major monuments illuminated at night, cruising along the Seine in a glass topped boat is a great way to enjoy Paris in its most romantic setting. FYI – This will be a highlight of the trip, creating memories you will never forget. O/N PARIS (BD)
Day 10 – Tuesday 3rd March Depart for airport to return to Boston
Tour Includes:
Round trip air from Boston to Paris
8 hotel nights based on sharing twin room (3/4*)
8 breakfasts 7 dinners and 3 lunches (As indicated by BLD on the itinerary)
Coach services for duration of tour as specified on itinerary
Guided sightseeing of: Paris, Mont Saint Michel
Entrances to: Chenonceau, Mont Saint Michel
All farm and technical visits
Guided tour of Rungis market (including breakfast)
Wine tasting (Cote d’Or) & Calvados tasting (Normandy)
Services of Stita tour manager
Tips and gratuities for included services
Baggage handling in hotels, 1 piece per person
Not Included:
Transportation to Logan Airport – Suggest Concord Trailways from Portland
Gratuities for driver, escort and local guides
Any other meals not listed in itinerary and any personal expenses.
Prices Per Person:
Double Occupancy $3215.00 = $550.00 Single Supplement
CONDITIONS & RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAKE RESERVATIONS: A deposit of $500.00 per person is due with Reservation Form by July 15. The balance will be due no later than November 17, 2008. We will contact you prior to that date to reconfirm the final payment in the event there is an increase due to a fuel surcharge by the airline.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
We reserve the right to cancel if minimum passengers (25) are not booked, or to assess a surcharge with the group’s approval. If our agency cancels the trip, your deposit is fully refundable. If you cancel after deposit and prior to final payment, $100.00 pp is non refundable. No refund after final payment. Therefore, we strongly urge you to purchase cancellation insurance for your protection. Please check if you want insurance on the reservation form and a form will be forwarded to you.
RESPONSIBILITY:
Dube Carlson Wagonlit Travel is acting only as an agent for the passenger and therefore accepts no responsibility for any delayed departures or arrivals, missed connections, loss or damage, or injury to person or property. Dube Travel and STITA Tours reserve the right to change the itinerary and substitute arrangements of any equal value, if in their opinion circumstances warrant change.
SPACE IS LIMITED – Send your Reservation and Deposit Soon!
