Forget the science of cheese-making. It’s about art and passion. It’s about falling in love with creamy milk and its infinite possibilities. Treating milk with tenderness may not come naturally to some but this is the essence of cheese-making.

I attended a McIntosh & Bowman cheese-making class as part of the Sydney International Food Festival.

Claudia McIntosh, of McIntosh & Bowman, Sydney’s specialist in cheese education and appreciation, imparted her passion and fascination of molds.

McIntosh’s first words to the class were “This course may change your life”. Indeed, while I previously considered myself a lover of cheese, I never fully appreciated the process of cheese-making and the intense satisfaction of creating something so desirable with my own hands.

Traditional cheese-making is tactile. You need to feel the milk; touch the curds. For those of us who need structure, there are recipes. But Giorgio Linguanti, of That’s Amore Cheese, will only be happy when you “feel” your way through the process.

The class of 15 cheese enthusiasts rippled with excitement as the milk transformed before our very eyes. While we were told to forget about the science of cheese-making, it’s hard not to marvel at the chemistry that transforms milk into a luscious ball of mozzarella, a gooey wheel of Camembert or a hard Parmigiano Reggiano. The seemingly benign act of adding a few minuscule bacteria (known as "starter cultures") enables cheese to develop varying and completely unique characteristics.

Measurements are practiced -- Half a handful of salt; a cup or so of boiling water. However, there are important constants – for instance, the milk’s temperature is crucial as is the amount of rennet, a substance that coagulates the milk to form curds.

Traditional rennet is made of enzymes produced in the stomach of a calf. The calf uses the enzymes to digest its mother’s milk. Using rennet from different species – such as that of a lamb – will result in a distinctly flavored cheese. There are also vegetable-based rennets derived from plants such as nettles, thistles and artichokes. Microbial and genetically engineered rennets are also available.

McIntosh quipped “For those who don’t have children, this [cheese-making] is the closest thing to feeling like a proud parent”. Quite fitting as I dotingly hover around my homemade Camembert and washed rind cheese, carefully turning them over at 30-minute intervals. Only a month to go before my beloved wheels are ready for eating.

Cheese-making image gallery

McIntosh & Bowman Cheesemongers
Email: info@mcintoshandbowman.com
Phone: +61-422-728-505