Hole Cheeses!

I have finally reclaimed my all girl cheese room and have two shiny new cheese apprentices that I am thoroughly enjoying!
Who would have thought! There is so much to do-even in January- we are still running circles around one another.
It was truly a gift to be able to have one of them stir the vat while I sat down with the Nelson Jameson catalog for a shopping spree. Most 20 somethings peruse the Nordstrom catalog with as much enthusiasm, but having already obtained the DG bag and the ubber cool shades I have given myself completely over to NJ and recently ordered (shock) color coded (yellow of course) cleaning utensils and hooks and scrubbies galore. Yes I pride myself in my nicely organized small but tidy production facility and what better way to complement my new colorful polka dotted boots! Its the small things that matter.

Since my cheese class was so popular and sold out! the clever folks at Sweetwares created what was un-affectionately labeled as the wait list. Thankfully they didn't have to wait too long because we have scheduled another class for February 20th! to sign up please call 503.546.3737 to reserve your seat currently we have three seats left (but soon it will be two and then one and then none)
Don't despair however if you find yourself without a seat, if its me your truly want you can rent me. I didn't know I was rent-able but it appears that I am! Go figure! You can rent me for private parties and I will happily show up with milk in tow and teach you and your reading or knitting group how to whip up some yummy fresh cheeses in your very own kitchen. Its quite fun to be rent-able so please take advantage. I have one private party under my belt and another reading group/future cheese-makers of America party planned in February so holler if you think it would be fun.

Just a mere hop skip and a jump! away is March 20th, the opening day of the PSU farmers market in downtown Portland. Thankfully you don't have to wait that long for a farmers market since Hillsdale goes twice a month all winter long. The Oregon Cheese Festival in Central Point is also March 20th, here you will find me and my friend Jen who will emerge from under the table (www.Underthetablewithjen.com) to be my very smooth talking sharp witted cheese tasting cheese snobbing and cheese robbing assistant. We will be road trippin it down to CP loaded with cheese to co-mingle with other cheese makers and of course Max McCalman for more info check out the site http://www.oregoncheeseguild.org/OregonCheeseFestival.html.

Hole cheeses! I find that quite funny! I called up my culture company to put in yet another order for cheese cultures and he was shocked to hear that I am now specializing in fresh cheeses and aged cheeses. The result I got was holy jeesus Lisa- which we then simultaneously converted into Holy Cheeses and had a good and mighty laugh (which gave me the hiccups).
Speaking of hole cheeses we will have some new ones at the next market so please come by next Sunday February 6th

Tata
Yours always
Cheese Czarina!!!!

And now for something a little different!

Thank you all for all your well wishes and helpful tips in my search for Moose milk!
It was quite the search. It saddens me more to say than it will be for you to hear, I came back with no Moose milk (for crying out loud it wasn't for our lack of effort). We searched and searched and even have pictures to prove it! (but they are only PC compatible and I am a MAC girl so you'll have to do without).
However, I did manage to find a sassy pair of polka dotted boots that have been gracing my feet all week in the cheese room, and quite the week it has been. I have finally reclaimed my all girl cheese room! I came home this evening and realized that I find making cheese insatiable and cannot seem to slow down! The week away was quite lovely even if I didn't find a lactating Moose to milk. I did however learn that if you get married in Montana that they ask you first if you are intoxicated and second if your partner is your sibling! (It was second hand knowledge :-).

I have some more disappointing news to share, sadly I had a very important member of my cheese making crew pass over to the other side. R.I.P. My gram scale is scheduled to be picked up in the morning, in the recycling bin :( It was early Sunday morning when I realized we had made our last batch of cheese together. By Sunday afternoon I was scrambling like an egg to try and find a new one. Where does one find a gram scale on Sunday afternoon in Nowwheresville you may wonder.
You don't! there are no gram scales to be sold!
So into Portland I went to the most unlikeliest of places! After consulting a friend I headed out to 82nd avenue to what I learned was called a Head Shop (where they sell glass pipes, smoker novelty and things to smoke (basically a pot smoking shop)). Before the transaction was complete I was starting to feel the giggles coming on, because I was certain that after questioning the fellow on the accuracy of the scales and paying with cash that he thought I might be a drug dealer. So, I not so casually pointed out that I was a cheese maker and that I measure out my culture with the scale. One eyebrow went up and he said "uh huh" and out I went to start my next batch of cheese thankful that cheese making had widened the varieties of stores I shop in.

So I actually have some news news! I know all of you are my hard core fans and will shlep out to the farmers markets in any weather to see me and get some yummy dairy but what if you were in an emergency and you couldn't make it? Or if the 100+ heat or hail and snow prevented you from attending? Wouldn't you just love a backup? Or a front up? Or rather a store front??? hhhmmmmmm
Yes I have been dreaming lately of what my 1k sq ft store would look like!
It appears that it may be more than a dream and that I may wake up one day to find that Jacobs Creamery has its very own retail home! I am fairly certain that I could run two creameries, ten farmers markets and a store all together :)
I am dreaming of imported cheeses to supplement my own and cannot stop my mind from spinning about the possibilities! Cheese classes and cheese buying trips and wine and cheese pairing events!
I am thinking of going to Europe and developing relationships with some other small artisan dairies and opening a store and selling them along with my own products! I know!!!!! What a fun idea!!!!!! I know !!!
Nothing is for sure yet I am still in the dreamy planning stage but I will alert you all when there is more than just the fast pace of my beating heart and tile floor to pick out :)

If you were wondering what on earth you were going to do this Sunday wonder no longer because the Hillsdale farmers market will be going from 10-2. In case that wasn't enough there are a few seats left in my cheese class at Sweetwares Sunday evening! We will have a cheese sampling (with some of my newest creations) and some of the finest picks out of the aging room, as well as a light dinner with the class :)
The class is 5-7 and you can call 503.546.3737 to reserve your seat.

Yours always even without a lactating Moose to milk (and hell yes I would have milked one)
Yours always dreaming of a store front,
Your very own,
Cheese Czarina!