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  :-[What is an artisional cheese maker?, and how can a person get there?

A person who makes cheese in small batches (as opposed to large industrial scale cheesemaking). You get there by making cheese in small batches, being a cheese artisan.

Cheese artisan SOUNDS like an expert.  I can get there just by making cheese in small batches?  I made two cheeses this weekend.  I am an cheese artisan!  Or am I....  I think I'll wait awhile before I claim that title. 
Susan

oh boy that opens a can of worms. As we all know, art is in the eye of the beholder. Artisnal cheese makers by definition are always small, and the connotation is that there product is a work of art. Sadly that is not true for some. To become one I think that you would develop a unique and very high quality product of you own and produce it in small batches to protect the quality and uniqueness of your final product.

You can find a discussion of this topic at https://cheeseunderground.blogspot.com/2007/06/definition-of-artisan-cheese.html
Basically yes, as noted, handcrafted in small batches with little mechanization.  Where I work we produce farmstead artisan cheese, meaning we make small batches of cheese from milk produced only on our farm.

Quote from: zenith1 on November 09, 2010, 03:28:57 PM
oh boy that opens a can of worms. As we all know, art is in the eye of the beholder. Artisnal cheese makers by definition are always small, and the connotation is that there product is a work of art. Sadly that is not true for some. To become one I think that you would develop a unique and very high quality product of you own and produce it in small batches to protect the quality and uniqueness of your final product.

This goes to the distinction between an artist and artisan; between art and craft.  And I hold no pejorative in either word.  I know that as a writer, an actor, and a chef, in my time, I've wrestled with where on the continuum I would place these efforts, and if while in my younger years I'd have placed all three on the "art" polar swing, I have long found no taint of shame in ascribing "interpreter" to actor and "artisan" to chef.

I'd argue the same for a cheesemaker; if an artisan is one who uses one's hands to craft something into a thing of useful worth, then in my book, anyone who applies learning, experience and a high threshold of care to forge quality cheeses by handmade, traditional methods is, well, an artisan. 

Nicely said Arnaud!  I like that explanation.   

Bonnie

Quote from: Oberhasli on January 11, 2011, 05:48:30 PM
Nicely said Arnaud!  I like that explanation.   

Bonnie

Ha....a bit late on the thanks, Bonnie.  Is that your goat, by any chance?  Beautiful animal!

I'm a bit late on the reply, but, yes, that is my 15 yr. old Oberhasli doe named Meggie.  We have had her since she was 2.  She is "retired", but I have her younger offspring and others as well for milking and cheesemaking.  Obers are great goats!  Thanks for noticing her pretty face.

Bonnie

found this advertisement on Youtube that pretty well sums up the definition of what an artisan cheesemaker is

I Am An Artisan Cheesemaker