Here is a YouTube video that my friend, Lava sent me on cheesemaking in the Alps. Another friend of hers made a video of her daughter making cheese on a bigger scale then I have ever done. The video is really interesting because you see her process (in fast forward) and also see the cows and the surrounding Alps. Really great video. Also lets you know what’s involved in the cheesemaking process.

Every winter I make cheese. I do it in the winter because I’m always too busy with the garden the rest of the seasons. Last year I made a Butterkäse cheese on Dec 28th. It seems every winter I get a hankering to make some cheeses. This December I’m making a cheese called Raffine which I started Dec 21 and is similar to a Camembert but different–not quite as soft and no bloomy rind. It only takes 28 days till it is ready to eat, which is really quick and good for my short attention span! I hope to make several cheeses in 2021.

My friend Bob asked me If I ever tried making a Parmesan cheese. The answer is NO, because it takes 18-24 months to age before it is ripe enough to eat. That is why it is so expensive because the aging process takes so long. What if I waited all that time and it didn’t turn out? EEEk! What a waste of time.

So I make cheeses that are aged and ripe anywhere from 1 month—6 months. I once made a Gouda. The Dutch in the Netherlands pronounce it Houda (Howda) and it was really good but takes 4-6 months till ready. That’s about as long as I have the patience to wait for a a cheese to be ready. But it’s well worth it when done.