Having worked in the banking sector for more than twenty years, Igor Harchenko decided to radically change his life. Now, instead of a cozy office, he has a workshop in his own house, where he cooks craft cheeses
When Igor thought about changing banking business that had become boring for 20 years, he searched for ideas on the Internet. And once, before he had time to finish the query in the search line, the browser, as it often happens, offered its own option: “cheese production technology”. Igor didn`t think much about it then, but still got acquainted with the process of preparing this product.
Perhaps this was a sign for the future cheese-maker, or even decrees of fate, since from that moment he began to carefully study the topic.
“I began to read articles, study videos on YouTube, visit specialized forums and correspond with cheese-makers. I began to digest information in my head. I began to think about the necessary equipment. I figured that to start you did not need a lot of money. I have never worked in the food field before. Yet when I watched the videos, I thought that there was nothing too complicated. You just needed a boiler to heat the milk, make a sourdough, add enzymes. Most importantly, all the raw materials were there, nothing needed to be imported. Back then I saw nothing complicated in it. Of course, I was wrong about it,” Igor says.
Recipes from the Internet were inaccurate. By trial and error, it had to be independently developed. He cooked his first French camembert in a small saucepan. According to Igor, the cheese turned out to be very tasty. This inspired him, after which the beginning cheese maker cooked another batch and invited his friends for a tasting.
“We had a cheese party. All my friends liked the cheese. This ignited me, and I began to think about a further plan of action. My wife and I started cooking other types of cheese,” Igor recalls.
Since then, the production of craft cheese has been launched. Craft means small production, and craft cheese is a handmade product. Craft cheese is distinguished from mass-produced cheeses by its refined aroma and bright taste. In addition, it contains only natural ingredients - environmentally friendly products. And most importantly, that it is done with the soul. Igor talks about each hunk of cheese as his own child. It can be said with accuracy that people who eat his products are charged only with positive emotions.
Igor Harchenko cooked his first cheese on September 30, 2018. Soon he will celebrate the anniversary of his production. Now it is his life`s work. Having converted one of the premises of his house into a small workshop, Igor cooks several varieties of quality cheese weekly.
“We still process a small amount of milk per day. If we cooked cheese, this does not mean that we immediately receive finished products. Cheese should ripen one and a half to two months minimum. There are cheeses that need to be held for six months, or even a year and more,” Igor says.
For example, Igor cooked the British cheddar on November 30, and tried it only in May. “The cheese turned out great, we made it for the first time,” the cheese maker emphasizes, saying that the results of such work are difficult to track right away.
On the day of communication with the Novosti Pridnestrovya correspondents, he cooked Dutch Gouda cheese, which is in demand among Pridnestrovian buyers. However, this product will be placed on the capital market shelves at least two months after cooking.
Now the cheese-maker Harchenko is only studying the demand for his cheeses, adding new tastes to the line. So, while communicating with us, in addition to Gouda, Igor has cooked Emmental Swiss cheese for the first.
Large holes are its feature. “I think that we will try it by the New Year,” he said.
“I remember how I was worried when I cooked the first cheese. As soon as the enzyme was poured in, I had to wait 50 minutes, I was so worried if milk would turn sour or not. Then he lifted the lid and looked inside - the process began. Now I’m no longer worried,” Igor Harchenko notes.
Not even a year has passed, and his cheeses are already loved and customers are happy to sort it out. Igor sells his products every Saturday in the metropolitan market.
“We sell as much as we produce. We see that the goods are in demand. People want to eat organic food. It’s difficult for us to put off some cheese for later,” Igor says.
Talking about plans for the future, the cheese maker talks about a possible expansion of production. Now he already sees this as expediency.
“When we just started doing production, I told my wife that if the world needed me to do that, then it would start to work out for me. And I think it did worked out for me,” cheese-maker Igor Harchenko emphasizes.
