(415) 346-7530, Monday through Friday.
February 2012 Classes
Cheese & Charcuterie — 8 SEATS LEFT!
Instructor: Jana Werner | Tuesday, February 21st (6:30-8:30pm) | $75
Cheese and charcuterie are really about solving the same problem: how to preserve the flavors and nutritional value of two precious foods, fresh milk and raw meat. Cheese Plus cheese buyer Jana Werner will lead this class in exploring how cheesemakers and charcuterie artisans each go about their craft, the explosive and concentrated flavors that can result from the preservation process, and the links between the two – from farm to table. And you will wash it all down with two wine selections.
The Cheeses & Wines of Piedmont, Italy — SOLD OUT
Instructor: Andy Lax | Wednesday, February 22nd (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
The cheeses from the mountainous region of Piedmont, Italy are varied, nuanced, and often subtle. The cheeses, like the wines, are products of a region of historical wealth, closer in spirit to France than to Southern Italy. Instructor Andy Lax imports the cheeses of affineurs Luigi Guffanti and Occelli. The Guffanti and Occelli collection of cheeses from Piedmont are spectacular and we’re thrilled to offer so many of them on one plate.
Dark of the Night: Stouts, Porters, Dark Beers & Cheese — 5 SEATS LEFT!
Instructor: Andy Wild | Wednesday, February 29th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
As the long, cold nights of winter linger, we love to warm up with a hearty, dark brew. And meaty cheeses make an excellent fireside companion. Former CIA instructor Chef Andy Wild will guide you on a tour of stouts, porters, and the cheeses that love them. Prepare to be cozy!
March 2012 Classes
Cheesemaking: Mozzarella from A to Z – SOLD OUT
Instructor: Mary Karlin | Saturday, March 3rd (2:00-6:00pm) | $120
While there is much delicious mozzarella available in your local grocery store, nothing quite compares to the warm, fresh version. Making mozzarella from scratch requires technique and patience. In this class you’ll learn how to turn fresh cow’s milk into squeaky curds and how to stretch those curds into perfect, round balls of ready-to-eat mozzarella. Led by home cheesemaking guru Mary Karlin, you’ll work in small teams. Every student will go home with a few balls to share or not.
Europe’s Finest Cheeses — SOLD OUT
Instructor: Judy Creighton | Monday, March 5th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
For those of you who have never met a cheese you didn’t like or those who are still searching for your cheese epiphany, look no further than Europe’s Finest Cheeses. This class will help you hone your palate and have you snobbing it up with your local cheesemonger on your next visit to the cheese counter. You’ll experience what is truly extraordinary and rare in fine cheese and learn of how they get that way. As nothing goes better with fine cheese than wine, we’ll serve two exceptional wines to complement your tasting.
Baa-rethtaking Sheep’s Milk Cheeses
Instructor: Judy Creighton | Wednesday, March 7th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
Nutty, oily and sweet are all common terms to describe everyone’s favorite sheep’s milk cheese, Manchego. But these terms apply to many cheeses from this most luscious of milk types. In this class you’ll taste your way around the world; through textures and ages. As nothing is better than a hardy sheep’s milk cheese and a glass of wine, you’ll also taste two of our favorite sheep-loving wines. Veteran Cheese School instructor Judy Creighton leads.
Cheese 101 — SOLD OUT
Instructor: Daphne Zepos | Friday, March 9th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
The first step in your ‘everything you always wanted to know about cheese, but were afraid to ask’ education. In this class you’ll taste, listen, and ask your way through the basics of what cheese is, how and where it’s made and how it’s classified. Above all you’ll learn key tasting skills that will enhance your appreciation of cheese for the rest of your life. In cheese as in life, a little knowledge goes a long way.
Master Class: Identifying Cheese Flavors
Instructor: Peggy Smith | Tuesday, March 13th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
Part of our Master Class series, this class is designed for food industry professionals (cheesemongers, chefs, and caterers), and serious cheese enthusiasts.
Grilled pineapple, raw mushroom, dark chocolate, wet stones, and cooked onions: these are terms we often use to marvel at the layers of aroma and flavor we detect in cheese. This two-hour seminar will open up a deeper level of understanding of flavor and how to describe it. With the years of training as chef at Chez Panisse, Cowgirl co-owner Peggy Smith assesses flavor like an artist assesses color. Prepare for sensory bliss.
Cheese & Olive Oil — 3 SEATS LEFT!
Instructor: Laura Martinez | Wednesday, March 14th (6:30-8:30pm) | $75
Cheese, bread and wine are often said to be the holy trinity of gastronomy. But those in the know prefer to think in fours, and olive oil is definitely the missing leg. In this class, instructor and author Laura Martinez will cover the basics of how olive oil is made and what to look and taste for in the very best examples from around the globe. She’ll lead us in a tasting of carefully selected cheese and olive oil pairings. We’ll wash all of this unctuous goodness down with some sparkling bubbly.
Irish Beer & Cheese
Instructor: Andy Wild | Saturday, March 17th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
While the St. Patrick’s Day may be thought of as the tipsiest of holidays, we at The Cheese School believe that it’s also an occasion to celebrate the delicious artisan cheeses of Ireland. And if you have a beer in hand while you taste, so be it. You’ll taste eight delicious cheeses and four outstanding Irish beers. Come celebrate the holiday with us.
Cheese & Wine Pairing 101 — SOLD OUT
Instructor: Daphne Zepos | Monday, March 19th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
Pairing cheese and wine to bring out the best in each is a little bit science and a lot experience. When you get it right, you know it: the combination elevates what is already delicious into a taste experience that is truly transcendent. Get it wrong, and what should be a great cheese or wine falls flat (or worse.) In this class you’ll learn some general guidelines that will help you get it right more often than not, and tasting tips that will help you identify your own personal favorites.
Cheeses of Wisconsin
Instructor: Laura Werlin | Wednesday, March 21 (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
While we take a lot of pride in our California cheeses, we recognize that Wisconsin is no slouch. America’s dairyland has been producing more cheese than any other state the nation for more than 100 years. Building on those traditions, trailblazing artisan cheesemakers are popping up all across the state. Energized by a recent trip there, cheese expert Laura Werlin will guide you through the evolving landscape, from rustic and simple cheese curds–‘squeakers’ in local parlance–to award-winning, artisan masterpieces. Cheese heads of all regions are sure to love this tasty tour of America’s dairy heartland.
Southern Cheeses & Spirits
Instructor: Kirstin Jackson | Sunday, March 25 (5:30-7:30pm) | $75
Let’s name the great cheesemaking regions of the US: California, Wisconsin, Vermont,… Georgia? The South is indeed rising again. Creameries like Georgia’s Sweet Grass Dairy, Texas’ Mozzarella Company, and Alabama’s Stone Hollow are turning out great cheese and getting national attention for it. Cheese blogger and wine maven Kirstin Jackson will lead and pair her selections with her favorite Southern spirits.
Locavore: Cheeses of Marin, Sonoma, Napa — SOLD OUT
Instructor: Lassa Skinner | Wednesday, March 28th (6:30-8:30pm) | $69
Marin, Sonoma, and Napa form the holy trinity of culinary divinity. And lucky for us, they are all in our backyard. Culture Magazine co-founder, Napa-based cheesemonger and co-author of Cheese For Dummies (May 2012) Lassa Skinner will take you on a tour of the who’s who and the rare gems from this food and wine heaven. We’ll serve two of our favorite local wines as well. Follow the golden rule: eat (and drink) local.
April 2012 Classes
Three-day Intensive Cheese Education Program – SOLD OUT
Instructor: Daphne Zepos | April 1st-3rd (full days) | $1,100 ($500 deposit)
Our Three-Day Intensive Cheese Education Program is back! And if you think that’s a mouthful wait until you begin tasting. This program is intended for cheesemongers, chefs, caterers and the fromage-infatuated. We cover the ins and outs of buying and caring for cheese, show you how to taste cheese at a professional level, visit a successful farmstead cheese operation, and cheese shop. If you are looking to open a cheese shop, create a cheese program or just learn more about cheese than you thought possible, this program is for you. Our own Daphne Zepos leads. For more information or to sign up call us at (415) 346-7530.
Register by clicking on the name of the class in blue or call us at (415) 346-7530, Monday through Friday.
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