Fernando, my Maestro of cheese, was also my ambassador for Chilean culture, and in general a pretty cool guy. He grew up not far from where he lives now with his wife and grandson in La Picata, the tiny little town where the fiesta pictures were taken. He calls himself a Campanero (Country man) del Campo (from the country). Age eight seems to be when he learned most things - and he learned a lot. He and his 4 siblings all learned how to make cheese, which has been passed down through the matriarchs in his family for 400 years. He also learned how to ride a horse, drive a tractor (he didn't learn on a car until he was 43), milk the cows, play guitar and build buildings, among a myriad of other things. He and his wife, Eddy, are almost completely self sustaining. They grow and/or make almost everything that they need. They have pigs, sheep, chickens and cows. Eddy uses the wool from the sheep to make socks and slippers that she sells. She also cooks and cleans for families in the area. One day, while we were waiting for the milk to set, Fernando pulled out a guitar and gave me a lively performance of three traditional Chilean folk songs. That was probably my favorite day. So, thanks, Fernando, for all you taught and showed and shared with me.
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