Hey cheese lovers! Have you ever thought about learning to make your own cheese? It’s a dangerous but oh so indulgent skill to have and if you love cheese, you should definitely consider doing a cheesemaking course with Bridgette from Cheese Making Wee Jasper.
I recently took part in one of Bridgette’s classes, the Cheesemaking and Wine Tasting Class, at Hops & Vine in Hall. I’ve always wanted to make my own cheese and this class is a great way to learn the basics and to start your cheesemaking journey.
The 4-hour class will teach you to make halloumi, lemon cheese and a 30-minute mozzarella. During the class, you’ll also get to indulge in a range of different cheese, nibble on other gourmet food products and sample a different wine.
It’s a really fun and delicious way to spend an afternoon with your friends, partner or some of your family members. I did the class on my own but I partnered up with some lovely ladies who were sisters. We had heaps of fun learning the different processes and creating our own cheese, while eating LOTS of delicious food and enjoying a few wines. The cheese just kept on coming….
Bridgette is also a school teacher and her warm personality will instantly make you feel welcome. She is really knowledgeable and her passion is infectious.
After we’d finished making our cheese we cooked some marinated halloumi, made a smoked salmon dip and prepared some balsamic strawberries that we ate with mascarpone at the end of the class.
I left the class feeling very proud of my new title as a certified cheese maker with my booklet, lemon cheese, a smoked salmon cheese, a 30-minute mozzarella and two blocks of halloumi in hand.
Mr Eat Canberra and I made homemade pizzas and bruschetta the night after the class, using my homemade mozzarella. I felt so happy knowing that I had made the cheese we were using and it tasted incredible too. I still have some halloumi in the fridge and have used it in salads and for breakfast dishes.
Bridgette also offers a range of other classes and can organise private classes for larger groups. I think it would be a really fun thing to do with a group of girlfriends and I’ve already mentioned the idea to a few friends.
You can see the upcoming classes at Hops & Vine by visiting the events section on their website. Information about Bridgette’s other classes can be found on her website.
Amelia was invited to attend the Cheesemaking and Wine Tasting class on behalf of Hops & Vine and Cheese Making Wee Jasper. All opinions are the author’s own.
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.