Facts About Cheese Makers

_Elsa_

On the way out of the pasta room they walk by the storage area and a wedge of cheese is moving the wrapped cheese to some shelves.

The cheese store is just up ahead. When they walk inside a wonderful aroma of cheese makes both of them hungry. Barney makes a mad dash to check out the cheese.

Elsa is approached by a sales person who asks if she’d like to learn a bit about cheese makers. Why not?

‘Parmesan, Gouda, Swiss, Havarti, these are just a few types of cheese in the long list of those available. Some cheeses are made in industrial settings, mixed in large vats with thousands of liters of creams. Others are made in small shops, purely by hand using only the best ingredients.

Every cheese has a story behind it. Some stories are written by many while others by only a few. The individuals who write these stories are cheese makers by creating endless varieties of cheeses

Cheese makers are: professionals who work to develop and create cheese and related cheese products. Typical tasks that cheese makers carry out in their daily jobs include ordering and purchasing milk, supervising the cheese making process by watching large vats of milk, performing quality tests like pH, wrapping/packaging cheeses and inspecting the aging process of cheese.

Cheese makers can be employed in large manufacturing factories where tons of cheese is produced. A lot of the cheese made at this large scale is for sale at other large companies such a pizzerias. Other cheese makers might work in smaller family run stores and plants. It is more common for smaller shops to produce artistically cheeses in small batches because the processing is longer and more intense.

There is no standardized path for cheese makers - According to a survey by the American Cheese Society the majority of cheese professionals are self-taught or gained technical knowledge from on-the-job training. That means that if you are able to get your foot through the door as apprentice you are well on your way to becoming a full-fledged cheese maker. Some professionals are born into families which have been making cheese for numerous number of years.

Having a food science degree or a diploma relating to cheese making will help you obtain a job in larger industrial scale companies. However, many workers enter the industry with a basic high school degree. Having experience in food production will be helpful but is not a necessity. If you are interested in becoming a cheese maker it is suggested you contact your local county farm or cheese counter. Understanding the differences between cheeses is a great start for your cheese making journey.

Cheese makers practically live in rubber boots and overalls - Places which produce cheese are often humid and wet. Cheese makers practically live in white coats, rubber boots and a hair nets because it helps to ensure food safety and quality. The nature of the job is wet and messy as cheese makers transfer milk to different vats and work with their hands to move curds to cheese molds. Furthermore, the job is highly repetitive as many of the same cheese are produced every day so make sure your comfortable getting wet!

A cheese maker can become certified - In the United States the American Cheese Association welcomes anyone who has an occupation relating to cheese. However, if you are a well-experience cheese maker who wants to become certified than you can. The ACS provides cheese professionals with the chance to become fully certified based on an individuals of comprehensive cheese knowledge and service. The exam is a maximum of 3 hours and participants are required to answer 150 multiple choice questions from cheese knowledge and best practices, and evaluates candidates’ understanding of core competencies. A Canadian certification equivalent does not appear to be present in Canada.’ (Source)

Let’s continue - It’s getting late

Start at the beginning – Elsa and Jelly Queen take a factory tour