Yes, much of this discussion thread is not actually based on David's book. I recommend this book. He makes cheese making simple, safe and accessible to more people. David's book is mostly recipes.
How do I know? After reading an article by him on-line, a friend and I had David Asher put on a three day cheese making conference in our small village mid-June. I wrote and he responded...
David does address dairy issues though. For me as a person in a big dairy state who has to be part of a local herd share to get raw milk, there are political ramifications to making cheese that are inescapable. I have to jump through hoops to be a herd owner to buy GOOD, CLEAN raw milk (2-3 days old, with monthly tests less than 10 and usually 0 coliforms) from animals whose healthy diet includes a wide diversity of grasses making for beautiful curd and excellent cheese--each and every time. I believe in 'Live and Let Live', I just wish Big Dairy did too. I do not remember David saying anything negative regarding artisan cheese makers. Quite the opposite, he served a variety of cheeses he bought in an artisan cheese shop on his way to our workshop. My impression was he understands their issues and the constraints they are working under with the USDA.
Let me digress before going further, I have been meaning to introduce myself since joining this forum a couple months ago, but have been too busy making cheese, being a grand parent and gardening. I will do that, but not here, as I have pictures, etc. to post with my introduction...I owe so much to the help I have received from folks on this forum. Thank you. I have made the following 'in the style of' cheeses using DVI (with no flops--thanks everyone): Chevre, Crottin, Cheddar, Shropshire Blue, Stilton, Humboldt Fog, Camembert, Gorgonzola Dolce, Caerphilly, Feta, Provolone, and now Tomme.
Using kefir as the culture as David suggests, I have made a tomme cheese. In addition, I am the affineur for the cheeses our various classes made (Crottin, Gorgonzola, and cloth bound cheddar). I only received David's book two days ago, but he said that our workshops covered what is in his book.
Our cheese group just ate a 'wet nurse' style Crottin--amazingly delicious. But so are my Crottins made with DVI culture, not the depth of character and flavor though. Both made with raw goat's milk and picture perfect interior development. What I did notice with absolute objective certainty is the care of the mold rind is so, so much easier with kefir as the culture. I am seeing this ease of care to be true with the Tomme too (albeit the Tomme is still fairly young).
David recommends using kefir grains (one of several methods of culturing he discusses) because of the great diversity of cultures found in Kefir grains. All the microorganisms in kefir are probably not even completely known at present, much less what all their advantages are. For example, the geotrichum in the kefir is probably not one single strain but a multitude of geo strains. This is why it is so much easier to care for my bloomy cheese. In my opinion, a single strain geo can not compete in ease of care side by side with the wide variety of geo strains found in kefir grains. A wide variety of geos can better handle a range of climate conditions. If my 'cheese cave' fluctuates in temperature or humidity the diversity of geos are not affected as a temperamental single strain is. This same diversity holds true for the Mesophilic and Thermophilic strains creating more depth of character and flavor. Ecosystems do better with diversity. Monoculture anything, whether it is chicken, pig or single crop farms, do not have the inherent resilience to withstand environmental challenges, whether from disease or climate. I am now finding this to be true with cheese cultures and the several cheeses I have worked with so far using kefir. This is not politics, this is science. Are there any draw backs to kefir as a cheese culture? Not what I have seen so far. I believe my raw milk cheeses will be much safer and more tasty. I look forward to making more cheeses using kefir to learn first hand what the strengths are in this method.
Also it is important to note, the monetary savings is tremendous. I do not have to purchase expensive DVI cultures, maintain them in my freezer and then use them before they expire. I also don't have to wake them up from being frozen. My impression was that David wants cheese making to be accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy who can afford all the equipment, cultures, etc.
While I cannot speak for David as I only met and talked with him for four days, I believe he is looking at traditional cheese making techniques to understand their successes and what we can learn from the ancient art of cheese making as it has been handed down through generations of cheese makers. I had my doubts, but he is very knowledgeable and well grounded in this knowledge with extensive personal experience. He makes cheese making easy and safe for the individual.
