Crafting medieval cheese with a traditional press at home
Across the paddocks of Tasmania and the rolling green hills of Gippsland, a quiet revival of medieval cheesemaking has taken root among living-history enthusiasts. Groups like the Companie of Saint George gather each July at the Abbey Medieval Festival in Abbeystowe, hauling timber cheese presses and copper vats alongside their gambesons and helms. The process feels surprisingly familiar to anyone who has spent an arvo at a farmers' market chatting with a cheesemaker about rennet and curd.
The traditional cheese press emerged in monastic dairies across Europe between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, evolving from simple weighted stones into levered wooden frames. Cistercian and Benedictine monks refined the technique, producing dense wheels that could survive long sea voyages and harsh winters. Their methods filtered down through village farms, where a sturdy oak press became as essential as the churn, and recipes spread along trade routes that would eventually shape colonial dairying in Australia.
This guide walks through sourcing a press or building a reproduction, preparing the curds, and aging the wheel in conditions that suit the Australian climate. The aim is a wheel worthy of a medieval feast, ready to share at a winter fair or a summer farmers' market.
| Cheese style | Press pressure | Aging time | Climate suitability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard wheel (Tomme-style) | Heavy, 20 kg or more | 4 to 12 months | Cool cellar, ideal in Tasmania |
| Semi-hard (Cheshire-like) | Medium, 10 to 15 kg | 1 to 3 months | Southern pantry or laundry cupboard |
| Soft brine cheese | Light, 2 to 5 kg | 2 to 6 weeks | Refrigerator, works year-round |
| Fresh curd cheese | Weighted follower only | 1 to 3 days | Fridge, fastest option |
Choosing a press and sourcing materials
A traditional lever press consists of a stout base, a mould or follower that fits the cheese, and a vertical beam with a fulcrum. The most authentic reproductions use hardwoods such as oak, jarrah, or blackwood, all of which can be sourced from specialty timber mills in the eastern states. Jarrah, harvested sustainably in Western Australia, resists moisture beautifully and gives a press that will outlast several generations of cheesemakers.
For those without woodworking skills, many Australian historical suppliers sell reproduction presses or kits ready to assemble. When selecting a model, ensure the pressure can be adjusted, because a hard wheel requires far more weight than a soft curd. A simple kitchen scale placed under the lever helps calibrate the force during the first pressing.
While hunting for timber and hardware, it is worth spending a weekend at a regional fair such as the Sydney Living History Fair or a similar gathering to see presses in action. Enthusiasts at these events often swap tips on construction, and some even share plans for adjustable followers. For those interested in the broader material culture of the period, longsword guides from the same era showcase the craftsmanship that goes into period-accurate wooden gear.
Preparing the curd the old way
Start with whole milk from a single dairy if possible, because the flavour of heritage breeds like Jersey or Guernsey cows carries through to the finished wheel. In Australia, several regenerative farms in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and around Daylesford in Victoria sell unhomogenised milk directly to the public. Pasteurise gently at home to 72 degrees Celsius if you prefer, though many medieval recipes relied on raw milk and ambient cultures.
Warm the milk in a copper pot or heavy stainless bowl to around 32 degrees, then stir in a teaspoon of rennet diluted in cool water. Historically, rennet came from the stomach lining of a calf, and traditional suppliers still sell these dried vells for authenticity. Let the milk sit undisturbed for forty minutes until a clean break forms when you lift the curd with a knife.
Cut the curd into small cubes the size of a chickpea, then slowly raise the temperature to 38 degrees while stirring gently. This step, called scalding, drives out moisture and determines whether the cheese will be soft or firm. A longer, hotter scald suits a hard wheel, while a brief, gentle scald leaves moisture in for a semi-hard style. Drain the whey through butter muslin, saving it for baking bread or feeding the chooks.
Pressing the wheel
Line the mould with cheesecloth, then pack in the warm curds. Fold the cloth over the top and place the follower directly above. Begin with light pressure for the first ten minutes to allow the curd to knit, then gradually increase over the next hour until you reach the target weight shown in the table above.
Flip and rewrap the wheel every thirty minutes for the first two hours, then twice more over the following day. A well-pressed wheel should feel solid when tapped and show a smooth rind. Australian humidity often slows drying, so consider working in an air-conditioned room during the wet season, particularly in tropical Queensland where mould can take hold before the rind sets.
Wash the rind with a mild brine solution if a natural rind is desired, or rub it with salt for a traditional crust. Some reenactors in South Australia age their wheels in limestone caves near the Coorong, achieving conditions remarkably similar to historic European cellars.
Aging in Australian conditions
Aging is where patience meets place. In Hobart or Ballarat, an unheated garage or laundry cupboard maintains a steady 12 to 15 degrees for much of the year, perfect for a hard wheel. In Brisbane or Darwin, the climate is less forgiving, so a dedicated wine fridge set to 14 degrees with humidity control becomes essential.
Turn the cheese every two days for the first fortnight, then weekly thereafter. Brush off any surface mould with a brine-soaked cloth, though a little white or blue growth is often welcome on aged styles. Allow at least three months for a semi-hard cheese, and six to twelve for a traditional hard wheel.
Aged medieval cheese develops a complex, nutty flavour that pairs beautifully with dark ale, dried fruit, and crusty sourdough. Many Australian cheesemakers now compete at the Royal Melbourne Show or the Royal Queensland Show, and entering a wheel in the dairy section can be a rewarding way to gauge progress against modern standards.
Sharing cheese at events and markets
A finished wheel travels well in a straw-filled wooden crate, which also photographs beautifully on a period market stall. Several Australian living-history events welcome food vendors who sell or share cheese, including the Abbey Medieval Festival, the Gumeracha Medieval Fair in South Australia, and smaller gatherings organised through the community directory. Permission and insurance vary, so contact the organisers early.
At a busy market like Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne or The Rocks Markets in Sydney, offering samples alongside a short explanation of the medieval process draws curious crowds. A small sign describing the cheese style and the type of press used often sparks conversations about living history and traditional crafts.
For those more interested in giving than selling, donating a wheel to the communal feast at an event builds goodwill and introduces new people to the craft. Many reenactment companies incorporate cheese-making demonstrations into their encampments, showing how curds are cut and pressed in front of visitors.
A well-aged medieval wheel is the quiet hero of any living-history encampment, rewarding careful pressing with a flavour that bridges centuries. Start with a small batch of soft curd to learn the rhythm, then work toward a hard wheel once the feel of the press becomes second nature. By the next gathering at the Abbey Medieval Festival or the local agricultural show, you will be sharing wedges with mates and explaining the craft to curious passers-by, which is the real prize.