Cheesemaker

Pepper jack, swiss, gouda, cheddar, or bleu—is there anyone who doesn’t like cheese? There are hundreds of varieties of cheese, each with its own special flavor, look, taste, and texture. And that doesn’t happen by chance. Cheesemakers have been perfecting the art and advancing the science for hundreds of years.

As a Cheesemaker, you turn milk into cheese. Although most of the time, you stick with tried and true recipes, the fun part of being a Cheesemaker is creating new flavors.

That begins with choosing your milk. Cow and goat milk are common choices, but you’re free to dabble in the exotic. What would it taste like with soy milk or sheep’s milk? By tweaking recipes, you can also cater to buyers with certain food allergies.

This job is all about the taste. Although that’s subjective, you have a very refined palate—and you know your cheese. You use machines to mix ingredients (or do it old-world style and mix by hand), making sure instruments are sterile. Then you monitor the temperature.

Like an Artist with a blank slate, you imagine the possibilities while you add cultures, separate the curds from the whey, and prepare the cheese for storage.

Depending on the cheese, you might let it cure for a short time or for years. But along the way, you’re a Scientist, closely monitoring your creation to guarantee the perfect color, taste, texture, and consistency.