Cooking · Beginner
Make the classic cheeses of the Soviet table in your own kitchen
Sixteen lessons that take you from the history of each cheese to a finished wheel, with a technical card for every recipe.
- 16 self-paced lessons
- 3 practical video lessons
- Technical card for each cheese
- Lifetime access
- 14-day refund policy
Why home cheesemaking feels harder than it is
Many people start making cheese with a recipe found online, follow it to the letter and end up with something rubbery, bitter or crumbly. The recipe rarely explains why the milk matters, what the acidity is doing or how to tell that the curd is ready. Without that understanding every batch is a gamble.
Classic cheeses of the former Soviet Union are a very good place to learn. They were produced at scale by a clear technology, they use ingredients and equipment that are easy to find, and their flavours are familiar to anyone who grew up with them or has ever tried them. Russian, Dutch-style and Kostroma cheese each teach a different set of skills.
This course shows you the whole picture for each cheese: where it comes from, which milk suits it, what you need to have on the table before you begin, and then a full practical video lesson accompanied by a technical card you can print and keep next to the pot.
By the end you will not only own three working recipes. You will understand the logic behind them, and that is what lets you fix a problem on the second attempt instead of giving up.
What you will be able to do
- Choose milk that suits the cheese
Each lesson explains which milk works for the cheese in question and why.
- Prepare your equipment and ingredients
Know exactly what you need before you start heating anything.
- Make Russian cheese from start to finish
Follow a practical video lesson and a technical card.
- Make a Dutch-style cheese
Understand the features of the Dutch group and what sets one Gouda apart from another.
- Explain the washing and de-acidification step
See what the process is for and how it changes the cheese.
- Make Kostroma cheese
Learn the milk, the equipment and the technology specific to this cheese.
- Read and use a technical card
Turn a card into a repeatable routine for every batch.
- Place each cheese in its history
Understand how the cheese industry developed and where popular varieties come from.
- 16
- lessons
- 4
- modules
- 3
- practical video lessons
- 3
- technical cards
The method: understand first, then cook
Every cheese in the course is taught in the same order. You begin with the history and character of the cheese, move on to the milk it needs, then to the equipment and ingredients, and only then to the practical lesson.
This order is deliberate. When you know why a Dutch-style cheese is made with a certain approach to the curd, the steps in the video stop being a list to memorise and become decisions you can reason about.
- History and character of the cheese
- The right milk for the job
- A checklist of what you need
- A practical video lesson
- A technical card to keep
How the course works
The course is a library of recorded video lessons that you work through at your own pace. There are no deadlines and no live sessions to attend. You can watch a lesson in the evening, come back to it on the day you make the cheese and watch it again while the curd is setting.
The programme is built around four modules. The first gives you the historical and geographical background. The other three each cover one cheese or one group of cheeses, ending in a practical video lesson with a technical card.
Cheesemaking takes real hours in the kitchen, so plan your own pace around the days when you have time to cook. Most people watch the theory lessons first and then set aside a free afternoon for each practical lesson.
Access to the materials is permanent, so you can return to any lesson whenever you want to refresh a step or try a recipe again.
The programme
Four modules and sixteen lessons, from the history of Soviet cheesemaking to three practical recipes.
1Module 1 — The story of Soviet cheeseWhere the classic cheeses came from and how they were made popular.3 lessons
- The history of cheesemaking in the USSR
- Geography of production and popular varieties
- The history of Russian cheese
2Module 2 — Russian cheeseEverything you need to make Russian cheese at home.3 lessons
- What you need to make Russian cheese
- Milk for Russian cheese
- Practical video lesson and technical card for Russian cheese
3Module 3 — The Dutch group of cheesesThe features of Dutch-style cheeses and how to make one.6 lessons
- Features of the Dutch group of cheeses
- The many kinds of Gouda
- What de-acidification is and why it matters
- Milk for the Dutch group
- What you need to make a Dutch-style cheese
- Practical video lesson and technical card for Dutch-style cheese
4Module 4 — Kostroma cheeseThe character, milk and technology of Kostroma cheese.4 lessons
- Features of Kostroma cheese
- Milk for Kostroma cheese
- What you need to make Kostroma cheese
- Practical video lesson and technical card for Kostroma cheese
What you get
- Sixteen recorded video lessons
Theory, ingredients and practical demonstrations.
- Three practical video lessons
One each for Russian, Dutch-style and Kostroma cheese.
- A technical card for every recipe
A concise reference to keep beside you while you cook.
- Guidance on choosing milk
Lesson by lesson, for each type of cheese.
- Equipment and ingredient checklists
Know what to prepare before you start.
- Lifetime access
Watch, pause and repeat as often as you want.
- Self-paced learning
No schedule, no deadlines.
- A 14-day refund policy
If the course is not for you, you can ask for your money back.
Is this course for you?
This course is for you if…
- You are new to cheesemaking and want a clear, structured start
- You enjoy cooking and want to make traditional cheeses at home
- You are curious about the cheeses of the Soviet period and how they were made
- You prefer learning from video with a printed reference
- You want to understand the reasons behind each step
Probably not a fit if…
- You are looking for a course on soft Italian or French mould-ripened cheeses
- You want a personal coaching programme with one-to-one feedback
- You expect to learn commercial-scale production for a dairy business
- You want a quick recipe without any theory
After the course
You will have made, or be ready to make, three classic cheeses using the technical cards. You will know how to pick milk, prepare your equipment, follow the stages and judge whether a batch is going well.
Just as importantly, you will have a way of thinking about cheese. When something goes differently from the video, you will know where to look: the milk, the temperature, the acidity or the timing.
From here you can repeat the recipes until they are second nature, adjust them to your own taste and move on to other cheese families with a solid foundation behind you.
Questions before you buy
How much time do I need each week?
There is no fixed schedule. Watching the theory lessons takes a little time, and each practical lesson needs a free afternoon in the kitchen. Many people complete one cheese per week or two; you decide the pace.
Do I need any experience?
No. The course starts with the history and basics for each cheese and explains the milk and equipment before the practical part. It suits beginners and also helps those who have already made a few batches.
How does access work after payment?
After you pay, the course is added to your account and you can start watching immediately. You use your account to return to the lessons whenever you like.
What is your refund policy?
You can ask for a refund within 14 days of purchase if the course is not what you expected.
What format are the lessons in?
The lessons are recorded video lessons. The practical lessons are accompanied by a technical card for each cheese.
Will the material stay available?
Yes. Your access does not expire, so you can rewatch any lesson and return to the technical cards whenever you want.
What equipment and ingredients will I need?
Each cheese has its own lesson listing what you need to prepare, so you can plan your shopping before you start cooking.
Is there live support or one-to-one coaching?
No. This is a self-paced library of recorded lessons and technical cards, designed to be followed on your own.
Start making cheese this week
Sixteen lessons, three practical recipes and lifetime access to everything.