{"id":5543,"date":"2016-02-24T20:26:33","date_gmt":"2016-02-25T01:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cheeseloverca.wordpress.com\/?p=5543"},"modified":"2016-02-24T20:26:33","modified_gmt":"2016-02-25T01:26:33","slug":"hobby-to-business-ian-treuers-winding-road-in-cheese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cheeselover.ca\/index.php\/2016\/02\/24\/hobby-to-business-ian-treuers-winding-road-in-cheese\/","title":{"rendered":"Hobby to business\u2014Ian Treuer’s winding road in cheese"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cheese<\/a>
Cheese dreams come true for Ian Treuer of Winding Road Artisan Cheese.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After almost a decade of research, learning and teaching about cheese, Ian Treuer is turning his passion into a career.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI was looking for a hobby,\u201d Treuer said. \u201cI don\u2019t really drink, so beer making was out. I made my first cheese at home eight years ago.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

As of February 15, Treuer is the owner of Winding Road Artisan Cheese in the County of Smoky Lake, Alberta. He purchased the existing Smoky Valley Artisan Cheese business after working there part-time in 2012-2013. It is located 20 minutes from the town of Smoky Lake and 90 minutes from Edmonton.<\/p>\n

\"winding-road-logo\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Treuer and his business partner\/mentor, who works behind the scenes, have rebranded and changed the product line for the launch of Winding Road Artisan Cheese. Treuer is the cheesemaker, bringing his experience as home and professional cheesemaker, teaching cheese making classes and co-ordinating the first ever Canadian Amateur Cheesemaking Awards<\/a> at The Great Canadian Cheese Festival in 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoy both the science and the art form,\u201d Treuer said of cheesemaking. \u201cThere\u2019s something about starting with a liquid and turning that liquid into a solid. I love working with the curds.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Treuer started his road to artisan cheese making, he followed Australian blogger Gavin Weber\u2019s \u201cLittle Green Cheese<\/a>\u201d posts. Weber also creates cheese in his home kitchen. Now Treuer follows many cheesemakers on Instagram. Much To Do About Cheese<\/a> is Treuer\u2019s own popular blog about home cheesemaking.<\/p>\n

\"Ian<\/a>
Ian Treuer working part-time in the make room at Smoky Valley Artisan Cheese. Three years later, he’s co-owner and the cheesemaker.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019m inspired on a daily basis,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m a fan of Gunn\u2019s Hill Artisan Cheese<\/a> in Woodstock, Ontario. It was a thrill to meet Shep Ysselstein, the cheesemaker, at last year\u2019s Cheese Festival,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pending licensing and inspections, Treuer hopes to start making cheese in March. His long-term goal is to obtain federal as well as provincial licenses.<\/p>\n

Winding Road cheeses will be made using a thistle enzyme rather than traditional rennet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will help give our cheeses unique flavors and hopefully set us apart from other cheeses produced in Alberta,\u201d said Treuer.<\/p>\n

To begin with, Treuer will be the cheesemaker with his business partner helping with administration, marketing and sales. Their initial market will be cheese enthusiasts in Alberta and eventually across Canada. The cheeses will be cow-milk cheeses, but they hope to team up with local goat dairies as well.<\/p>\n

The first cheeses ready for sale will be:<\/p>\n