Here is what a few of our workshop attendees have to say about their experience.
Cheesy Gifts Workshop “Learn by doing — Caitlin’s classes are so informative and creative and fun! I was gifted a cheese-making class last year and I loved it! Professional and friendly, generous and ultra-experienced, Caitlin taught us a LOT about chevres, feta, and quite a bit more. The class was interesting and tremendously satisfying — we all went home with delicious chevre and feta for ourselves, and beautiful cheese gifts for friends. The commercial kitchen in Belfast was the perfect learning space and environment.”
~Melissa
“Thanks to Caitlin Hunter of Capercaillie Consulting for an awesome workshop series on theBasics ofHome Cheese making. Milk is truly magical! Over the course of two days, Caitlin guided us in transforming seven gallons of milk worth $28 into a bounty of value-added products worth $175-$200, including yogurt, ricotta, mozzarella, feta, chevre, and jack cheese. I would highly recommend this class to foodies interested in homesteading or considering commercial production.”
~Caroline
“I have always loved Caitlin’s cheese, having worked at Appleton creamery years ago I have eaten much of it and I miss it often. Taking one of her cheese making classes was a no-brainer for me! The class was extremely laid back, we were able to ask any questions we had throughout the whole process, and taste testing the cheese along the way was my favorite part! I walked out of her class knowing how to make a few new types of cheeses as well as a bag full of the different cheeses we had made so I could share them with friends and families. A wonderful class for a beginner or someone who is already making cheese but wants to pick up some new skills from a cheese making master!”
~Julia, Full Moon Farm
“I am modestly experienced at making cheese, and I have some knowledge earned through reading and experimenting on my own. The course that I took with Caitlyn was really useful to help me consolidate and contextualize what I worked out before, and to add to my base of knowledge. I think the reason the course worked so well is because Caitlyn has a tremendous base of knowledge about the art and science of cheesemaking, and she shared it freely to a set of students of varying experience levels, tending heavily toward the inexperienced side. As a person who is used to learning by reading, Caitlyn was able to greatly bolster and supplement my learning with highly practical tips about how to handle, warm, cut, and press the milk for different recipes. Importantly, though, she helped me to see some of the ‘why’ behind different procedural choices, and how those choices can take the cheesemaker along very different paths to a final result. My suggestion to people who will take a course with Caitlyn— do a little reading or thinking about the subject and come with questions and an open, curious mind. As I said, Caitlyn is very generous with her experience and knowledge, but she cannot know what is topmost in your mind about what you want to know. She interacts well with a group, and has the ability to answer your questions in a way that gives you the straightforward sense of the answer, but also leads you to more (sometimes better) questions that you could ask.”
~William
“Appleton Creamery’s Intro to Hard cheese Wokshop. I went in with some basic knowledge and experience of home cheese making but Caitlin’s expertise was able to fill in the gaps as well as provide insights into concepts I had not thought of. She answered my many questions, related to the process of cheese making as well as questions about the business end of selling her handmade products and raising livestock for milk/cheese production. I felt inspired and filled with ideas after leaving her course. I enjoyed our small class and had fun chatting with other people about our shared love of cheese. Overall, this was a great learning experience and I am so happy I took this course!
I am waiting for the 6-month mark to crack open my Gouda, I will let you know how it turns out. Also, we are picking up 4 pregnant East Friesian ewes tomorrow. Can’t wait to experiment with sheep’s milk.”
~Andrea
“I took Caitlin’Is Basics of home Cheesemaking ourse. Caitlin was such an incredible teacher. She is a wealth of cheese knowledge and makes the cheese making experience feel more tangible and not intimidating at all. We used local Maine milk, which made the cheeses taste delicious. Also you get to take home SO MUCH cheese from the bounty that you make in her classes. I would highly recommend her classes to anyone looking to learn more knowledge about cheese.“
~Liv
“Caitlin packed a lot into a mere two-day class, starting with gallons and gallons of raw milk! I have new respect for cheese makers after learning the ins and outs of making a simple cheeses suitable for my domestic kitchen. Caitlin makes everything look easy — be it handling hot mozzarella or adding the magic ingredients that turn milk from liquid to quivering curds. Attending one of Caitlin’s classes is a great introduction to the alchemy of cheese making.”
~Nan
I attended a two day class and found the instructions easy to understand and steps easy to follow. It was also an added benefit that you supplied printed instructions for us to take home. The user involvement also reinforced the learning. I found it easy to ask questions and found you willing to share any knowledge you had concerning cheese making. Loved that we were able to bring home the cheese we made over the two days. Who knew you could make so much cheese so quickly. My one take away that will forever change the way I make cheese was that you could do a lot of it in the sink with hot water to heat the pot. No more on the stove with a thermometer!
~Coral