The History, Culture,
and Science of Cheese: A Tasting Journey

In this course, we will discover how humanity is bound to cheese, and how cheese is a magical summation of the land, animals, and chemistry from which it is cultivated. Throughout our studies, we will taste nearly two dozen cheeses. Students even have the option to purchase a cheese kit that will include special tastings not available in stores! We’ll familiarize ourselves with the possibilities each style presents, and consider the economics behind a cheese’s price tag. 

We will delve into the historical origins of cheese, learning how geographic and cultural circumstances yielded unique recipes and styles of cheese (no, blue cheese didn’t come from a shepherd’s lost lunch but you can thank the farm wives of northern France for your Brie-style cheese, and the monks of Burgundy for your stinky cheeses). We will examine the science of cheesemaking, from the nuances of milk chemistry to the fundamentals of cheesemaking, and the alchemy of affinage (cheese-aging), each with their myriad influences on a cheese’s flavor, texture, and age-ability. We will understand that while personal preference is subjective, cheese types have objective flavors and aromas that can be anticipated and used to guide pairing.