Mozzarella - in the cheese course

Wow! What an exhausting, exhilaratingly, weekend. I am so exhausted, I have taken extra pain killers just so I can prepare dinner. I'll tell you about that later though. After coming home and unpacking the car and my esky of lovely freshly made cheeses....I quickly took medication for my pain and tried to settle into my lounge-chair.

My feet were hurting, although my hip and ankle were far worse. But that's normal after a big day for me.  I don't know if anyone else's feet were aching, but if they were, they weren't showing it. I understand that, because the atmosphere of the people, and the course...well, we were running on pure adrenalin by mid afternoon, learning all that we could, taking everything in....absorbing every word by the teacher;Graham Redhead.

Graham is an excellent teacher, a gentleman with a huge amount of knowledge in the field of cheese.
Quoting from the Cheesemaking Course Website.....

"Graham Redhead

Graham provides a passion for cheese that is truly contagious, as participants who have attended his cheesemaking classes will testify

With nearly 30 years experience in the dairy industry, working on both farms and factories, working for both Government and private industry and with formal qualifications in Dairy Technology, Food Technology and Business Management.  Graham has a vast knowledge of the cheese and the dairy industry.  Graham has provided technical advice to commercial manufacturers for over 20 years in his former role as a technical advisor with the Queensland Government.  In this role he developed Australia’s first Farmhouse Cheesemaking course for commercial manufacturers in 1997, which is the predecessor of the current Cheesemaking courses.

Graham combines his technical expertise with his passion for cheese to provide all participants with an immense knowledge and the confidence to be able to create literally hundreds of cheeses in their own homes.

Graham continues to provide training and consultancy services to cheese and dairy manufacturers.

Graham has judged at dairy competitions run by agriculture bodies, dairy associations and is currently the chief judge at the Brisbane Cheese Awards.

Memberships:

• Australian Specialist Cheesemakers Association,
• Dairy Industry Association of Australia,
• Professional member of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology,
• Slow Food Australia."

Today Graham tasted my Gouda, Edam and Feta. He said that I had done an exceptional job making cheese, and all self-taught from a book. I couldn't have asked for better praise, but got even more from the other class mates. I think every person thought my cheese was lovely. Wow!! What a huge compliment for me.

I can continue making cheese, but only having family to taste my efforts, the comments are very limiting, until the cheese can be shared among others.  Sure, I can be told by family that "Your cheese is nice", but being a beginner....on days when I can barely lift one foot in front of another, it is understandable to briefly wonder, "Should I keep making cheese, is all that work worth it?"  I just want to say, that after today, sharing my cheeses, and hearing the compliments, has made me realise that I am meant to keep making cheese. So I will continue to make cheese. I enjoy the process, especially knowing that cheese-making is not a common skill to most. 

I cannot recommend this cheese-making course any higher. Although the course is costly, I feel the wealth of information and the amount of cheeses covered, balances out any costs involved. Many thanks also must go to the Illawarra Senior College for providing the location of the course. The college has recently refurbished their kitchen facilities, providing an excellent and professional environment for you to participate in the cheese making course.

Overall a great weekend was had by all who attended the course. 

It's late now, everyone else has gone to bed...I catch myself nodding off while typing....so I shall leave you with the photos taken over the weekend.

I'll tell you about the Mozzarella tomorrow and the lovely tea we had tonight.

Colin, Andrew & Graham the teacher.