This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
The month of January has arrived, and with it the time for reckoning and good intentions… some of which are easier to follow than others. So, why not make your 2024 resolutions rhyme with pleasure, learning and indulgence, rather than constraints? Several epicureans have understood this well and have started making their own breads, pastas, pizzas, pastries, sushi or kombuchas. This is why we challenge you to become ace in the art of cheesemaking!
Sylvain Puccini loves cheese. He grew up in Marseille, in the south of France, where every family meal was accompanied by Emmenthal, Camembert, Parmesan or provolone. With his Italian grandparents, he even pushed his gluttony to the point of getting up in the middle of the night to go grab some buffala mozzarella.
But Sylvain Puccini did not become a cheesemaker. He opted for computer science, before arriving in Quebec to realize his entrepreneurial dream. He was also preparing to go into business when he met another Marseillais and real cheese maker, this time, in the person of Philippe Kotula. Complementary, the two men set up the unique concept of Ateliers Fromagers in 2016.
“Our first event, dedicated to the making of homemade fresh cheeses, filled up at lightning speed, so much so that we organized them every month,” says Sylvain Puccini. Then after a year, we started presenting workshops on aged cheeses. This is where I really fell in love with the art of cheesemaking. »
Not even afraid !
Until today, the Ateliers Fromagers have developed a ton of fresh cheeses and around twenty matured cheeses, including Tomme à la Beer, Bleu, Triple Cream Brie, Parmesan and Reblochon. A little intimidating at first glance, isn’t it? Well, make no mistake: it is not Philippe, the professional cheesemaker, but Sylvain, the amateur cheesemaker, who conducts the tests to develop the recipes taught later!
“I am the most crazy of our duo, and I always want to go further in my experiments,” he confirms. But it also proves that it is entirely possible to make good cheese even if you haven’t been trained for years. »
This is the message that Sylvain Puccini brilliantly delivers in the guide Making your own cheese, published last fall. “I wanted to synthesize everything I had read, learned or done since 2016,” he explains. Democratize the art of making your own cheese, provide all the tools to achieve it, and make people understand the value of the cheesemaking profession. It’s a real passion! »
Where to start ?
In Sylvain Puccini’s guide, you can, step by step (in addition to information and practical videos on an associated website), embark on the creation of 30 fresh or matured cheeses. There are recipes as salivating as burrata, cancoillotte, camembert, gouda and goat cheese.
Be careful, however. You don’t master all the techniques by snapping your fingers. “So I recommend starting with the basics, which is curdling milk with two pantry ingredients: milk and an acidifier (white vinegar, lemon juice, etc.). It’s simple and we can already make certain fresh cheeses like ricotta and queso blanco,” says the amateur cheesemaker.
By adding rennet (a dairy coagulant) to these first ingredients, as well as a digital scale and thermometer, it is then possible to produce mozzarella or burrata. You can then drain it in a clean cloth if you don’t have cheesecloth.
“We only really start to equip ourselves at the third stage of learning, when we want to make all kinds of unripened cheeses,” continues Sylvain Puccini. At this stage, depending on what we want to do, we equip ourselves with lactic cultures, essential for the fermentation of milk. In other words, they give the taste and texture to the cheeses. We also equip ourselves with molds, presses and mini measuring spoons. Nothing extravagant, all in all. “And you already have a beautiful playing field,” adds Mr. Puccini. In particular, you can produce cheddar curds or blocks, yogurts, feta, cream cheese, goat cheese logs, as well as super good cultured butter. There’s plenty to be creative about!
The great cheese adventure
Refining cheeses is without a doubt the most exciting and laborious part of the art of cheesemaking. “The profession of refiner does not exist for nothing,” recalls Sylvain Puccini, who nevertheless managed to create aged cheese recipes that can be made at home.
“In general, the process is not much more difficult, but it requires more steps, handling and patience. Impossible, for example, to go on vacation and leave your cheeses unattended! » says the amateur cheesemaker, laughing. He knows something about it, since he has followed his cheeses through the maturing phase even when he moves.
At this stage of know-how, you need to have additional equipment, starting with a wine cellar to control temperature and humidity. The purchase of molds, yeasts, maturing boxes and a thermocirculator, among others, is also recommended, as is keeping a manufacturing log to keep track of your dosages and maturing.
On the other hand, from then on, delicacies that usually cost quite a bit on the market are within your reach. “Again, it all depends on what you want to achieve,” says Puccini. For quick results, opt for a cheese with a bloomy rind such as Camembert. In less than a week, you will see it transform, and in less than three, you will taste it. It’s a very rewarding experience. »
Obviously, enthusiasts will take on bigger challenges. They will wash, brush, parsley or cover their creations with wax. But they will do it themselves, from their home, without any other pressure than that which they have given themselves. Quite an incredible adventure to try!
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.