What you feed your animals contributes to the flavor of the food they produce. The ability to roam in green pastures and having minimal antibiotic treatments help provide sheep with a quality life.
Sheep’s milk is sweeter than cow’s milk. Different milks create unique flavors.
The five basic steps to cheese making are:
- Heat or cool milk to the temperature the cheese requires. A hard cheese requires hotter temperatures.
- Add cultures and molds. Different cheeses have different molds. Cultures give different flavors.
- Add the coagulants to help the milk turn to curd.
- Cut the curds. Larger curds yield a softer cheese, while smaller curds create a harder cheese.
- Mold the cheese so it can be aged.
Artisan cheeses contain high levels of anti-inflammatories and beneficial fats.
Listen in as Allison Dembek joins Dr. Mike to share how artisan cheeses are made.
Allison Dembek's career beginnings were in finance and international shipping, but after driving through Montana on a road trip, the different lifestyle inspired her to spend some more time in the Bitterroot Valley. She joined Tucker Family Farm as an intern. Her morning conference calls were replaced by hungry pigs and thirsty sheep. Allison became intrigued by the farm, the animals, and the dynamic process of crafting farmstead cheese. Allison began her education in cheesemaking and trained with cheesemaker Stig Hansen before he moved back to his native Denmark. They are honored to have Allison on board at Tucker Family Farm.