Merryl Winstein-Cheesemaking Classes

St. Louis, MO & Springfield, Illinois

Cheeses I made this summer - YOU CAN TOO.

MERRYL WINSTEIN

CHEESE MAKING CLASSES

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

& SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

New article, Sauce Magazine, July 2010.

RIGHT HERE IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI or SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, or VERSAILLES, MO - fun, interesting Cheesemaking Classes, along with a visit to our dairy goat herd in our backyard!  And you can buy Cheesemaking Supplies such as Rennet, starter cultures, & citric acid, just by phoning.  Making cheese is  fascinating and surprisingly easy, once someone shows you how.

WHO ATTENDS:  You may be a curious hobbyist just starting off, or a dedicated food professional or chef aiming for consistently wonderful results using proven methods. Many aspiring artisan cheesemakers find the guidance they need here, especially when switching from dairying to cheesemaking. Finding out how cheese is made also provides an interesting & enjoyable adventure with your parent, sibling, spouse or friend  Some people come here simply because they want to know more about how real food is made, or to meet more like-minded people.

If you've made bread, beer, or wine, or other fermented foods, Cheesemaking is another step along the continuum - another home made "transformation" food shrouded in mystery yet created through very simple processes anyone can follow. 

It's amazing that just one simple ingredient, milk, can turn into so many other wonderful delicacies - especially in the space of an afternoon.

MY BACKGROUND:  I have been making cheese for 16 years from the milk from my goats.  I have also completed the Advanced Certificate at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese (3 weeks of all-day classes), and I have attended other advanced cheesemaking workshops with other instructors, including additional classes at the same Vermont Institute.

CLASS FORMAT:  My classes emphasize everyone learning every step for making each type of cheese.   We have one stove, one pot for each type of cheese, and everyone gets up out of their seat to participate in making the cheeses and comparing the methods which turn milk into each separate type of cheese.  By the end of the class you will have felt, tasted and smelled cheeses at all crucial steps of making, and you will know what to do when you get home.  A complete instruction packet goes home and you can phone me later with questions.

BASIC CHEESEMAKING CLASSES

usually from 1:00-4:30 pm

Scheduled throughout the season, sign up on line.  In the 3-1/2 hour BASIC class, you'll learn to make Feta, Blue, soft spreadable Chevre, quickie Ricotta, Stirred-Curd Cheddar, and Yogurt.  My goal is that you will actually know how to make these cheeses by the end of the class.  I give out a Direction Packet including mail-order sources.  I supply everything needed for the class, you don't need to buy anything extra.  I also sell Supplies for you to take home so you can start Cheesemaking right away, such as Rennet Enzyme, Cheesemaking Starter Cultures, thermometers, books (and more) available for sale at the class (or any time - phone ahead)..

Price for Basic Class, $45 per person.  Sign up two people together for total of $85 (save $5 total). 

Payment:  Register with Credit Card on line.  OR phone or email me (contact page).  Then I'll need your check within 3 business days to confirm and reserve your spot. 

Cancellation Policy:  Full refund if cancelled before 2 weeks ahead of class.  Otherwise, refund only if I can fill your place.

ALL-DAY

CHEESEMAKING CLASSES.

Each weekend day is a different class teaching 4 different cheeses.  8 cheeses taught for the weekend.  Choose One Day or Both Days.

St. Louis, MO:

SAT. JULY 17, 2010

     and/or

SUN. JULY 18, 2010 

9 am to 4 pm

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS:

SAT. SEPT. 11, 2010.  9:00am - 5:00pm.  Learn Feta, Traditional Cheddar, Swiss, Yogurt, Mozzarella/scamorza, & Chevre.

VERSAILLES, MO - write if interested, will be in Oct. 2010.

IN EACH ALL DAY CLASS:  My aim is for you to feel confident that you can create any sort of consistent and tasty cheeses you want..  You'll learn to how to use a pH meter, understand titratable acidity, and see why it's crucial to monitor and control pH levels so you can make great cheese.  But you'll also understnad how experience and observation have allowed traditional cheesemakers to perfect their methods  without modern instruments.  Techniques of controlling moisture, temperature and salt, are also easy to learn, when someone is showing you. Sometimes we will follow cheesemaking "make sheets" as well as recipes to keep all of this simplified and successful..

SATURDAY, 2010  we'll make Chevre, Camembert/Brie, Traditional Cheddar, and a Swiss-style hard cheese, from start to press.  These four cheeses require four completely different methods, which you will learn.  You will feel, see and smell the changes before your eyes, and you may be surprised just how much stirring is required!  BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH AND SNACKS, AND PEN AND NOTEBOOK FOR NOTES.

SUNDAY, 2010, is a separate class.  We will make four more cheeses involving four more completely different methods.  We will explore the mysteries of Blue, which can easily be made at home, as well as the Stretched Curd Cheeses (Scamorza/mozzarella, etc. using the all-day tasty method, NOT the quickie citric acid method).. Plus we will make a delicious hard cheese which combines some techniques of both swiss and cheddar, plus additional twists.  It's a Greek hard cheese called Kefalotyri (the "head" of cheeses).and is my favorite. Ricotta rounds out the day, made from the leftover whey liquid after other cheeses are made.  You'll see, feel and smell the changes and you will understand what is happening to transform the milk into cheese.  BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH AND SNACKS, AND PEN AND NOTEBOOK FOR NOTES.  You do NOT need to buy any supplies for the class itself - I have all that here.

BY COMPLETING BOTH DAYS of all-day classes you will grasp a broad range of techniques which will have you well on your way to making any sort of delicious cheese you want.  I do not know anywhere else you can thoroughly learn all this in two days, and for this price.

LUNCH:  You will definitely NOT have time to go out for lunch!!  Bring your lunch which will be eaten during a lull in the process of making the cheeses.

Price for ONE of the ALL- DAY Cheesemaking Classes, St. Louis:  $130 per person.  Two people sign up together for total of $250 (save $10 total.). Both people may attend on the same day.  Or, each person may attend on a separate day, let me know who is coming when.  SPRINGFIELD ILL, Sept. 11, 2010 class is longer, $135 one person, $260 for two people.

Price for BOTH DAYS of Cheesemaking Classes, $250 total for one person. ($10 discount over paying $130 each day)  

Payment:  Register with Credit Card on line.  OR phone or email me; then I need your check within 3 business days to confirm and reserve your spot. 

Cancellation Policy:  Full refund if cancelled before 2 weeks ahead of class.  Otherwise, refund only if your place can be filled.

CHEESEMAKING SUPPLIES

You do NOT need to buy supplies for the classes.  I sell supplies for you to use at home, best idea is to phone me and come pick them up, paying by cash.. Phone 314-968-2596 or email,  Supplies can be shipped by adding postage.  NO drop-in visitors, because this is a household, not a storefront.  (NOTE: If phone keeps ringing, we are talking - we don't have a busy signal.  Keep calling till you get a person or our answering machine.)

ARTICLES AND PHOTOS

(copy and paste, Google, or pull down the Articles - Reviews tab)

SAUCE MAGAZINE, July 2010

PHOTOS of MERRYL WINSTEIN in the ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH, APRIL 16, 2010:

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=28912372&event=980496&CategoryID=50974&picnum=12&move=F#Image

ARTICLE on CHEESEMAKING IN MISSOURI, ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH, APRIL 16, 2010:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/1F7DAC0BBCEAD97686257707000BED1A?OpenDocument