Fiscalini Cheese
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© copyright 2006-07 Fiscalini Cheese -
last updated: December 20, 2006
Jorge "Mariano" Gonzalez
Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese
Modesto California
Ricki and Mariano
waiting for the milk
Once it arrives the acidity is checked...
...and starter is added
followed by the rennet
When the proper set is
established, the cutting
begins, first some hand work...
...and then the automated knife
delivers the proper cut
The curd is then stirred
as it is heated gently...
...until a proper curd is determined
At this point the curd is gently pulled to the sides to leave a central trench
and the whey is allowed to run off
Mariano finds this early
gentle curd work...
...assures a proper drainage
which will benefit the final texture
Once the whey is drained the blocking of the curd begins,
This is the stage where
more whey drains off...
...and the acidity
continues to develop
Notice the attention being paid here to the blocking and stacking...
...and how the ends are
tucked into a compact form
The blocks are cut again and stacked into a very compact mass...
...that will now begin to stretch out under its own weight
This is the 'cheddaring' process that give the cheese its typical texture
Once the 'cheddaring' is completed,
the curd will be broken into smaller
bits, salted,and placed into cloth
'bandages' in hoops.

These are then placed in a press
and pressure applied until ready for
the aging rooms.
In the aging room a fine white mold first appears on the surface within the first few weeks...
... and then gradually a darker blue grey mold will begin to develop. The bandage actually provides...
...a substrate for these mold populations. After a few
months these molds begin to dry back, forming this fine package
This photo shows the turning system allowing an entire row to be turned at once, providing for a more even aging.
Mariano's smile here indicates the joy earned from a craft well mastered.
A fine cheese maker's work is never done as he follows through...
...right to the very end.
All-Natural Farmstead Cheese

All our cheeses are made with only natural products, using raw milk. We add no colors,
preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. Our cheeses are made in an open vat, in
small quantities, handcrafted the old-fashioned way. We do not pasteurize the milk,
which allows for the wholesome, natural flavors of the fresh clean milk to be expressed
in the cheese. Our cheddars are made the way cheddar was originally made, cutting
and stacking the matted cheese in the vat, and using a mill for secondary cutting. This
is a time consuming, expensive, labor-intensive process, but it enhances the taste and
texture of the cheese to extraordinary heights
Modesto, California
1-800-610-FARM or 209-545-5495