The Sour Milk School by Milk trekker x Alla Casa Vecchia | Offered English and Italian | March 18 - March 22, 2024
Trevor Warmedahl is taking over Alla Casa Vecchia for a 5 day workshop. The workshop will cover natural cheesemaking methods that reach beyond the raw/pasteurized dichotomy. We will work with goats milk provided by our shepherd, Giocondo, and offer opportunities to discuss other topics related to our unique operation in the Majella National Park. Each day will feature 6 hours of curriculum and ample time for discovery, play, shared meals and discussion. Our hope is that students leave the workshop full of new approaches to age old questions.
We are excited to share our story with those who have never visited Alla Casa Vecchia and discuss more about our plan to engage biodiversity research via our cheesemaking practices.
Cost €500,00 for the 5 day workshop - lunch and snacks provided daily - limited spots available - to confirm your spot please fill out this form. After receiving your application, we will send you a payment link and confirm your participation.
If you have questions, please contact allacasavecchia.pacentro@gmail.com
Sample itinerary:
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Cheese style #1 : LACTIC COAGULATION — chèvre and little white mold cheeses
CHEESE SCIENCE LEVEL ONE (fermentation, coagulation)
- What is milk and how does it become cheese?
CONVIVIAL LUNCH AT ALLA CASA VECCHIA
NATURAL CHEESE FUNDAMENTALS — Clabber and kefir starters, coagulants, materials, contrast this with the industrial paradigm
HOW TO: initiate and maintain our starters.
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Cheese style #2 : RENNET COAGULATION
VISIT the goats in the pastures
SOURCING MILK that is fresh and microbially rich, and generating clabber as a test.
CONVIVIAL LUNCH AT ALLA CASA VECCHIA
MICROBES, HEAT, AND ACID as the basis of food safety
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TOMME cooked rennet curd, aged semi-hard cheese
CONVIVIAL LUNCH AT ALLA CASA VECCHIA
Discussions about RENNET
What options are available, how rennet is made, and how you can work with fig sap or thistle flowers
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Cheese style #3: ACID / HEAT COAGULATION
CONVIVIAL LUNCH AT ALLA CASA VECCHIA
CHEESE SCIENCE LEVEL 2 - the role of moisture content, ph, and salt in preserving cheese.
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CHEESE AGING, and how to care for the tomme, and aged lactic cheese
Students are supported to think about what would make sense for their milk, kitchen space, possible aging conditions, climate, and lifestyle.
CONVIVIAL LUNCH AT ALLA CASA VECCHIA
REVIEW, CONCLUSION and DISCUSSION
Celebration and farewell dinner at Alla Casa Vecchia.
Trevor is a nomadic cheesemaker - he has been documenting cheesemaking practices of herders and pastoralists all around the world. For those who do not know him, please subscribe to his substack and follow him on instagram @milk_trekker.
Students are responsible for booking their own accommodations - we are happy to help with any language barriers encountered during booking. Students are also responsible for arriving to and leaving from Pacentro. For more information: LODGING + LOGISTICS.