mi.queso

My empirical journey towards cheese turned dramatically when I met during the pandemic.
In June 2021, I traveled to for a cheese making class, which was just the beginning for a deeper understanding of traditional cheese: milk fermentation.
Later that same year, we traveled to Northern Spain to learn from local producers. I then followed David to Denmark and finally, Costa Rica for an advanced cheese class

With David, I found valuable information and guidance on the practice of natural cheese making, focusing on the use of raw milk as the primary ingredient for starters.
Thank you, David, for the time you have invested in learning and teaching with such care, dedication, and respect for tradition.
Your Second Book keeps me busy and inspired to continue 🧀🦠

Me llamo Mercedes. Soy viajera del mundo del queso. Cada quesería que visito hace que mi corazón baile y mi conocimiento se expande con el intercambio de palabras y técnicas de quienes comparten este oficio.

La recuperación de viajes, un estudio empírico y una práctica autodidacta definen a .queso — un sueño que construyo todos los días. Creo quesos naturales de fermentación controlada y promuevo la leche cruda.

El queso reúne información de la tierra que lo origina. Es un alimento que representa tradición, cultura pero sobretodo al alma que lo transforma. La práctica del queso me llama a la presencia.

Cuando visitamos a , nos recibió con un vaso de pulque. “Lo voy a usar para el queso de hoy”. Aunque la idea reta, luego entiendes la dinámica de su quesería.

Los quesos de Flor son algo más que una cuajada salada. A través de su sofisticación transmiten la historia de la tierra familiar.

El queso con pulque se llama Mauro en honor a su abuelo. La cuajada es delicada y en ella se siente el amor que Flor tiene por lo que hace. EL SUERO 🤤 (slide 7)…. Pulque lechero.

Escribimos muchos más detalles y un ensayo fotográfico que refleja a Flor en nuestra página de Medium. Link en Bio.

🧀🥛☘️🍀🧀🥛☘️🍀

When we visited , she received us with a glass of pulque. “I'll use it for today’s cheese.” Even though the idea was surprising, over the course of the day we learned that her creamery reflects the living diversity in her family’s ranch, Don Roque.

Florecita’s cheeses are much more than salted curd. Through their sophistication they transmit the story of her family’s land.

This cheese is named Mauro. The curd is delicate and you sense the love that Flor has for what she does. The whey…. Oh man the whey! (slide 7) It’s mouth watery milky pulque.

We wrote an extended photo essay that describes Flor’s creamery on . Please check it out. Link in Bio.

📸
✍️ .queso

Dancers of the moon, sons of the sun and water
Let’s be a humble living message of
BEAUTY ~ JOY ~ PEACE ~ LOVE
This world needs our contribution,
To offer a positive mind,
Our honorable body,
Our aura in harmony,
Our shining existence,
Our infinite faith for a higher purpose,
THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN KIND
-KM
To live by 2023

Me llamo Mercedes. Tuve la suerte de nacer en las tierras sagradas de Guatemala.
Mi abuelita materna me enseñó a hacer queso en el 2017.
Quería que todos lo probaban y decía “queres probar Mercedes Moreno]]]” - así es cómo nace el nombre.
En el 2020 sentí el llamado por seguir mis sueños y quemar los miedos que esto significa. Decidí entregarme al proceso (al amor)… entonces empecé a estudiar con más atención esta artesanía.

Tengo la suerte de encontrarme con mentores que guían mi camino. También de viajar para aprender todo lo que el queso es: tierra, agricultura, rumiantes y arte.

Me considero artesana, de la comida y de la tierra porque me gusta utilizar mis manos y entrar en un proceso meditativo para crear.

Bienvenidos a Mercedes Moreno]]], aquí comparto mi camino contigo
🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀

My name is Mercedes. I was lucky to born in the sacred lands of Guatemala.
My mom’s mom taught me cheese in 2017.
I would come to friends saying “do you want to try Mercedes Moreno]]]” - this is how it was born.
2020 was the year life made me deal with personal dreams and the fear it involves fully living them. I decided to surrender and flow and started to study more about cheese.

I’ve been blessed to meet great mentors along the whey and have expand my knowledge through travels on what cheese is: farming, soil, ruminants, microbiology and art.

I consider myself a (food)crafter as I enjoy the use of my hands and meditative processes to create.

Here I share my journey with you-
Mercedes Moreno]]]
🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀

Lola Molina was the first woman to compete with Guatemala’s Olympic cycling team in the 2004 Athens World Games.
Alongside her passion for biking, Lola has also earned a reputation as the matriarch of Guatemala’s regenerative farming movement. Her lifegiving force as a mother is reflected in her holistic practices on .de.lola.

These methods include rotational grazing, soil revitalization through worm compost, and artisanal cheesemaking.

The cheese in slides 2-8 is their mozzarella, which is made through long curd fermentation. Mozzarella is a tricky cheese. The curd is stretched through heated liquid- either water or whey- at a specific acidification (pH 5.3). At Granja Lola, the cheesemakers (Luz Clarita and Chelsie) know when the pasta is ready to stretch by the smell (acidification) of the curd. Meanwhile, when acidification takes place, the whey is heated to make Requesón (similar to ricotta/ slide 3). Once time is magically aligned between the curd stretching window and whey temperature, a meditative analysis is made on the threads of the cheese. Then the cheese is placed into round molds and stored in a brine for two hours. After brining, the cheese is cold dried.

Mozzarella fits into the ¨Pasta Filata¨ family of fresh cheeses, the Italian name for stretched curd. But we should mention, this is the Guatemalan interpretation.





✍️ .queso &
📸

“The way they are farming and how green they´ve made the land is very distinctive to this part of Guatemala. Their work speaks for itself.” ~ .queso

Lola explained to us that her and Edgar´s project is unique in the farming world. Her land is surrounded by mono-cropped sugar cane plantations, which are slashed and burned at the end of every growing season. These conventional growing practices deplete nutrients from the soil, pollute the air, and harm living organisms in the environment.

The farm works under the principles of regenerative agriculture, which aims to revitalize soil through tree and plant reforestation. As you walk on this land you can perceive an equilibrium - animals and plants sustaining one another.

Cows are grass fed year round and they create nutritious milk used for cheesemaking. Goats are involved in the dairy as well. Chickens live cage-free and are fed corn grown on the farm.
Native crops and trees such as Chaya (the Mayan spinach) turmeric, ginger and achiote, to mention a few, are planted in order to conserve Guatemala’s indigenous biodiversity.
Their cheeses, fresh chicken and farm other products are sold at their store, in Guatemala city, to offer alternative and sustainable conscious eating for consumers.

Lola hires local workers from the town of Masagua, as well as WWOOFers. These volunteers learn permaculture practices in exchange for their labor on construction projects, irrigating crops, milking, and various other farm tasks.

Granja Lola is a rejection of the conventional and industrial agricultural model that is prevalent throughout the world. Lola’s farm is a permaculture system. Their work towards soil conservation will remain for generations.

✍️ .queso &
📸

Lola Molina was the first woman to compete with Guatemala´s Olympic cycling team in the 2004 Athens World Games. Alongside her passion for biking, Lola has also earned a reputation as the matriarch of Guatemala’s regenerative farming movement. Her lifegiving force as a mother is reflected in her holistic practices on .de.lola These methods include rotational grazing, soil revitalization through worm compost, and artisanal cheesemaking.

The cheese in slides 2-8 is their mozzarella, which is made through long curd fermentation. Mozzarella is a tricky cheese. The curd is stretched through heated liquid- either water or whey- at a specific acidification (pH 5.3). At Granja Lola, the cheesemakers (Luz Clarita and Chelsie) know when the pasta is ready to stretch by the smell (acidification) of the curd. Meanwhile, when acidification takes place, the whey is heated to make Requesón (similar to ricotta/ slide 3). Once time is magically aligned between the curd stretching window and whey temperature, a meditative analysis is made on the threads of the cheese. Then the cheese is placed into round molds and stored in a brine for two hours. After brining, the cheese is cold dried.

Mozzarella fits into the ¨Pasta Filata¨ family of fresh cheeses, the Italian name for stretched curd. But we should mention, this is the Guatemalan interpretation.

Fue en el 2017 la primera vez que viste .de.lola con la excusa de aprender a hacer quesos.
Lola y Edgar abrieron las puertas de su granja, pero en realidad han abierto más espacios en mi: conciencia a la naturaleza, a la verdad y realidad Guatemalteca, al cuidado consciente y respetuoso de los animales.
Aquí sacrifique a mi primer gallina, reventé muchas burbujas mentales, coseché un cuajo y he visto cómo la agricultura regenerativa es una (sino la única) alternativa para un verdadero cuidado hacia la tierra sagrada que nos sostiene.

Gracias infinitas .de.Lola por esta amistad llena de luz y enseñanza.

Foto 1- de esa primera vez, haciendo caldo de gallina con la famosa Cheli 💚 mujer sabia.

🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀

Back on 2017 was the first time I visit .de.lola with one single excuse, learn to make cheese! Little did I know….
Lola and Edgar opened their farm’s doors for me, but really they’ve done more:
They taught me nature appreciation and consciousness, the reality and truth of Guatemala’s industry and society and a caring and respectful living with animals.

Here I sacrifice my first chicken, harvest a rennet and popped a lot of mental bubbles. Overall, I learned about regenerative agriculture as the single source to return to this sacred land what it gives.
Forever grateful for this connection in friendship form that has taught me so much💚

Picture one: my first chicken with Cheli, who is an amazing woman.

Lady and goat in potter vessel.

Soil- water- heat- milk- woman- art

Last visit was in magical Vermont to visit

Got to try their four year old starters, learn more about natural cheesemaking and wander around the famous trailer/ cave.

Words are useless to describe this one but if I had to: Inspiring. Creative. Conscious. A true teaching gift for all of us cheesemakers.

May your work be followed with the same passion you’ve created it. Thank you deeply.


P.S: that butter in picture 3 is absolute Jersey gold.
🧀🥛🧀🫖🧀🥛🧀🫖🧀

no necesita mucha introducción, aún así los presento. Peter y Rachael hacen queso natural, con cultivos de leche cruda que han seleccionado de vacas específicas. Sus “starters” (el cultivo madre para fermentar) tiene cuatro años de vida. Sus quesos son grandes, madurados de hasta 18 meses, con sabores poderosos que educan al paladar. Pioneros del queso natural en los Estados Unidos, un lugar que percibe la comida como una ciencia en vez de un arte.
A su trabajo lo describo como inspirador, creativo y consiente. Es una escuela para cualquier quesero.
Gracias gracias gracias

Took some time to visit dairies on the Northeast, USA.
First stop amazing where pH is taken by taste to determine the right time for renneting.
Their natural practices such as inoculating milk right from the udder create an interesting 100% pasture feed raw cows milk cheese.

Grateful for Jonathan and Nina’s work as it shows that traditional cheesemaking practices can be done and therefore saved in this side of the world!

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Estuve viajando por el norte de los Estados Unidos visitando lecherías con practicas naturales.
La primera que hace quesos interesantísimos con leche cruda de vacas que se alimentan 100% con pasto.
Sus prácticas incluyen: adición de fermento natural (suero) justo luego de que la leche se ordeña, probar la leche al gusto para determinar cuándo agregar el cuajo y venta directo al consumidor.

Estás son prácticas que permiten la conservación de tradiciones con respecto al queso.

Me escribió una amiga diciendo “el queso es un milagro”.

April 4th was the day I left Guatemala to become the seasonal cheesemaker of . Located in the Midwest, Kansas City, USA.

This experience has gave me the chance to fully experience working in a dairy under FDA regulations, working with different and unique milk such as sheep, cut and stir the curd until it reaches the “feel” for every different cheese and taking care of the affinage (to what I called cheese sitting)

I got here through the eye of the awesome who spotted we through Spain travels December 2021.

It’s beautiful to live in the same environment where cheese is made.

🧀🐑💚🐏🧀🐑🌱

Made some cheeses before I left home this year. They were taken care of by my parents and then shipped on a dear friend’s baggage.
They were very funky. Mushroom rainy smell, deep richness in flavor: sweet, butter and grassy, mushroom. Lots of holes from a warm early aging environment (maybe a bit too long). Great for cooking mostly.

Here is my advice- fill the empty nest with cheese…. They’ll be happy.

It was June 2017. Eight liters of raw cold milk were coagulated, it took us some time… maybe two days to get the cheese. Elisa- my grandmother, the cheesemaker.
We hung the curd in her garden, when I asked about the whey she said “leave it to the birds”.
Day after she milled the curd, added salt and made it into small balls.
The cheese balls would be the after school snacks for her kids.

She planted many seeds in me: a simple life, to be amazed by little things. But her precious gift: cheese. Seed that now is a growing craft in me.

🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀
Fue Junio 2017. Cuajamos ocho litros de leche cruda. Estaba fría, nos tomo dos días.
Elisa- mi abuela, la quesera.
Colgamos la cuajada en su jardín y cuando pregunte por el suero, me dijo “déjaselo a los pájaros”. Al día siguiente molió la cuajada, le hecho sal e hizo el queso en bolitas, las mismas que le daba a sus hijos después de la escuela.
Mi abuelita, mujer poderosa, plantó muchas semillas en mi: a vivir simple, humildad ante lo bello, pero su más valioso regalo: El queso.

Everything in life grows from within
🌀The spiral of life 🌀🌀

To honor the crafts /instruments and their stories today I start with the use of a handmade basquet that one day will represent the patterns and life that milk holds.
In stories we find truth.

🌀🌀🧿🌀🧿🧿🌀
El espiral infinito que es vivir
🧿 Todo crece desde adentro

Honro a las Artesanías y a sus historias hoy, empezando a utilizar una canasta que algún día representara los patrones y la vida que la leche tiene.

En las historias encuentro verdad

Queso en Polaco se escribe “SER” - lo que en español se traduce como estar presente/ estar.
Llámenme romántica pero el queso es simplemente MÁGICO, hermoso y la naturaleza de la leche.
(pero queso de verdad,natural)

🧀🧀🧀😵‍💫🧀🧀🧀🧀🧀
Cheese in polish is written “SER” which in Spanish means -to be-
Call me romantic but cheese is life 💚💚Magic. It’s the nature of milk. Make sure you eat a good one.