Dora Saker facts for kids
Dora Glover Saker (born 1888 – died 1 July 1926) was a special teacher who taught people how to make cheese. She worked for the Somerset County Council in England.
Many years after she died, her book, Practical Cheddar Cheese-making (published in 1917), was found again by cheese makers. This book has inspired many people to learn about older ways of making cheese. It quickly became very popular among those who make cheese on farms.
Early Life
Dora Saker was born in Redhill, England, in 1888. Her father, Richard Webb Saker, worked as a clerk for a lawyer. Dora had two sisters and two brothers.
Her Career in Cheese-Making
Dora Saker worked during a time when making dairy products was becoming much more scientific. Farmers, colleges, and teachers worked together. Their goal was to help local cheese makers create high-quality cheese every time.
In 1908, Dora passed important exams from the National Agricultural Examination Board. She earned a special diploma in Dairying (NDD). She also got another diploma from the British Dairy Farmers.
She became a cheese-making instructor for the Somerset County Council. In 1917, she published her first book, Practical Cheddar Cheese-making. In this book, she stressed how important it was to be very clean. She also explained how to properly control the acidity and moisture when making cheese.
Dora believed that making cheese on farms was better than in big factories. She thought that on farms, people could better control the quality of the ingredients and the whole cheese-making process.
In 1919, she became a cheese examiner in Chelmsford. The next year, in 1920, she examined cheese makers for the British Dairy Farmers Association. She also managed dairy, poultry, and home science for the Somerset Agricultural Instruction Committee.
In 1921, she published her second book, Practical Dairying. This book was part of a series about agriculture. In 1923, she traveled to New York.
Death and Lasting Impact
Dora Saker passed away in a hospital in Bridgwater, Somerset, on 1 July 1926. She lived at The Somerset Farm Institute.
Her book on Cheddar cheese-making was rediscovered in the early 2000s. It has greatly inspired a new interest in older cheese-making methods. Many people say her book "quickly acquired cult status" among farm cheese makers.
Experts like Bronwen Percival and Randolph Hodgson explain that Dora Saker was very forward-thinking. She wanted to improve cheese quality using scientific methods. So, her advice wasn't just about going back to old traditions. It was about making cheese better with new knowledge.
Selected Books
- Practical Cheddar Cheese-making. Dora Saker, Harpenden, 1917.
- Practical Dairying. Methuen, London, 1921.
