| 9:30 am – 11:30 am |
Seminars, Cheesemaking Classes, Cooking and Pairing Demonstrations Join local industry experts, chefs and cheesemakers for a variety of interactive seminars and demos throughout the day at the Sheraton Sonoma County – Petaluma. Seminars include lunch catered by Petaluma Market. *Cheesemaking classes are $95, all others are $65.
1. New Kids on the Cheese Block Moderator:
Janet Fletcher, Food Writer & Educator
We’ve gathered six artisan cheesemakers in one room to introduce you to their latest creations. Taste along with these experts as they discuss their inspirations, challenges and development strategies. All cheeses will be paired with an artisan beer, revealing an added dimension to these newly launched offerings. Participate in a fun Q & A session with our panel of experts and peek into the minds and palates of some of the most talented cheesemakers in the field.
2. Mac & Cheese Please! Plus Wine = Perfection!
Presenter: Laura Werlin, Author & Educator
Mac & Cheese…. Just say the phrase and feelings of warmth and comfort engulf most cooks (and kids of all ages). Enhance your comfort food expertise as cheese expert Laura Werlin presents four delectable recipes from her recently published book, Mac & Cheese, Please! Alongside the warm, creamy versions, you’ll be sampling the unmelted cheese varieties incorporated in the recipes. Wines will be paired with each recipe as well. Warning: Don’t eat breakfast before coming to this swoon-worthy class.
3. Cooking with Cheese
Presenters: Janne Rasmussen from Cypress Grove, Jennifer Luttrell from Pt. Reyes Farmstead, Lenny Rice-Moonsammy from Bellwether and Jacquelyn Buchanan from Laura Chenel Chevre
Ever wondered what to do with cheese after you’ve crumbled it over every type of salad and eaten entire wedges with a box of crackers? Cheesemakers probably spend more time thinking about (and cooking with) cheese than anyone else. Let this group of cheese-making, food-loving former chefs and chef wannabes (with over 100 years of combined experience) take you on a round robin style cooking class adventure. We’ll help inspire you to make your own cheese creations by whipping-up an appetizer, salad, side dish, entree and dessert featuring cheese as a main ingredient. We’ll top it all off with recipes to take home and a celebratory toast to cheese!
4. Simple, Fresh Same Day Cheeses* - SOLD OUT
Presenter: Mary Karlin, Author, Chef & Educator
It is surprisingly easy to make luscious and delicious cheese at home, especially “direct acid” fresh cheeses. At this workshop, chef and author Mary Karlin shares techniques and methods from her book Artisan Cheese Making at Home to lead participants in hands-on cheese making of two fresh “same-day” cheeses: Whole Milk Ricotta and Italian Mascarpone. After discussion about basic cheesemaking processes, equipment and ingredients, participants will work in small groups to complete all the steps for making each of the three cheeses from scratch, from warming the milk, half-and-half or cream, to separating the curds from the whey. At the end of the workshop, students will sample the freshly-made cheeses as Chef Mary discusses serving suggestions and cheese accompaniments.
5. Cheesemaking for the Extreme Hobbyist*
Presenter: Gianaclis Caldwell, Author and Owner of Pholia Farm
Kick your cheesemaking game up a notch! During this in-depth two hour session, the committed home and small-scale cheesemaker can expect to learn tricks and tips for perfecting the art – and mastering the science – of cheesemaking. You’ll learn crucial curd-nerd technique and terminology – from flocculation to heterofermentation and proteolysis to lipolysis. Bring your questions, insights and even your cheese for a little one-on-one critique.
6. Mixin’ It Up With Chef John Ash
Moderator: John Ash, chef, author and educator Panelists: Five Artisan Cheesemakers
Join Chef John Ash as he explores and tastes artisan mixed milk cheeses with a panel of cheesemaking experts. Whether a combination of cow, goat or sheep milk, all of these milks can blend into drastically different flavors depending upon the cheesemaker’s technique and aging process. Hear from these experts what inspired them to delve and experiment in the world of mixed milk cheese. Chef Ash will also give suggestions on the best wine matches for these more complex cheeses.
7. Seasonal Pairings Presenter:
Sarah Dvorak, Mission Cheese
It’s Spring! Pastures are lush, green, & diverse, and the resulting milk is at its peak complexity. For cheese, this means enhanced depth of flavor: rich, sweet, and often herbaceous. We will sample a range of small production domestic cheeses, some fresh from this year & some aged since last. To add to the fun, we will pair these beauties with our favorite spring release craft brews & discuss tips & tricks that is used at Mission Cheese to find the perfect match. |
| 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm |
Seminars, Cheesemaking Classes, Cooking and Pairing Demonstrations Join local industry experts, chefs and cheesemakers for a variety of interactive seminars and demos throughout the day at the Sheraton Sonoma County – Petaluma. Seminars include lunch catered by Petaluma Market. *Cheesemaking classes are $95, all others are $65.
8. Cheese Meets Beer: Strategies for Harmony
Presenters: Janet Fletcher, Food Writer & Educator and Rich Higgins, Master Cicerone
In this thirst-quenching session, students will sample a half dozen of America’s most admired craft brews, paired with cheeses that partner with them best. Learn how to find the love match for light-bodied pilsner, snappy IPA, chocolaty porter and heady abbey-style ale. Steering you through the tasting and sharing pair strategies are San Francisco Chronicle cheese columnist Janet Fletcher and Master Cicerone Rich Higgins, one of only six Master Cicerones in the world.
9. Fresh Cultured Cheeses*
Presenter: Mary Karlin, Author, Chef & Educator
This session will feature fresh cultured cheeses, including: Fromage Blanc (cow’s milk) and Chevre (goat’s milk). Fresh cultured cheeses differ from “same-day” cheeses because a culture (instead of direct acid) is used to generate curds, resulting in more developed flavors. Building on the concepts of cheese making from the morning session (recommended but not required for this workshop), Chef Mary will demonstrate how to start cheese with cultures. Participants will get hands-on to help separate curds from whey as chef Mary shares tips and advice for perfect results. We’ll end the workshop with tasting of each of the cheeses on a composed cheese plate with accompaniments like flavored honey or fruit compote that complement the cheeses.
10. On-line to On-plate: Bloggers Cook with Cheese
Presenters: Kirstin Jackson, author of It’s Not You, It’s Brie: Unwrapping America’s Unique Culture of Cheese, and Stephanie Stiavetti and Garret McCord, co-authors of Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese
In an approachable, hands-on tasting session, these three cheese writers, cookbook authors, and bloggers will break down the basics of cooking with cheese so you’ll leave not only with titillated tastebuds, but equipped to take your own favorite artisan cheese to the next level in your home kitchen. They’ll divulge what they learned as trained cooks and recipe developers about cooking with this sometimes fussy product, and talk about how to consider and identify cheese’s flavors and textures to pair them with foods that make them shine. You’ll be guided through tasting three cheeses in their fresh form with pairings, and two of them in cooked dishes that utilize the session’s teachings.
11. The Secrets of Making Stretched Curd Cheese*
Presenters: Gianaclis Caldwell, Author and Owner of Pholia Farm and Bob Peak, The Beverage People
Whether it is Provolone or Mozzarella, pasta-filata cheeses (stretched curd) all share similar requirements that the savvy cheesemaker will know how to meet. In this class you will learn not only the science of stretched curd but also get some hands on experience stretching and forming traditional pasta filata cheeses (and even some tips for quick-mozzarella) into exciting shapes such as braids, skeins, and string cheese. You will also learn about aged and smoked varieties and the delicious, filled Burrata cheese.
12. Old World, New World Cheeses
Presenter: Laura Werlin, Author & Educator and Naomi Smith, District Manager at Maisons, Marques and Domaines
Some people believe imported cheese is the best in the world. But is that really true? For example, do cheddars from the New World compare with those from England, their birthplace? In this seminar, Laura Werlin will showcase four stellar New World cheese offerings from California side by side with their Old World counterparts. Categories will include cheddar, blue, goat and sheep cheeses. We will also weave in Old World and New World wines to further the comparison. When all is said and done, those in the “imported cheese is best” category will likely have a whole new take on their imported favorites versus California’s artisan cheese. But you be the judge. Come taste and sip along with Laura to find out first-hand.
13. Cheese 101 – How to Talk Cheese
Presenters: Lassa Skinner, Culture magazine founder, author & Oxbow Cheese Merchant founder
Do your hands start to sweat and perspiration beads up across your brow as you think about selecting the right cheese for your next dinner party? Does the cheese case at the local market overwhelm you? Then sign up for this information-packed class that will help settle those butterflies and provide you with “everything you always wanted to know about artisan cheese, but were afraid to ask.” Local cheesemonger, Lassa will both entertain and enlighten you as you use your five senses to discover how to taste, understand and talk cheese, plus learn how the experts pair our local cheeses with Napa wines. At the end of this cheese journey, you’ll be ready to take the Festival of Cheese by storm!
14. Cheese Platters that Wow
Presenters: Leah McFadden, Certified Cheese Professional by ACS & Team Leader and Nancy Brunner, Cheese Specialist from Whole Foods Market Learn how to create a winning cheese platter, no matter what your budget, in this very practical demo and tasting session. Local cheesemongers demonstrate more than three different platter options including – “Budget Friendly,” affordable and easy to find cheese that you can pick up at most supermarkets; “A Little Splurge,” including cheeses that may be a bit more pricey and can be found at higher end and specialty grocers (Whole Foods, Oliver’s, etc.) and “Pull Out All The Stops,” highlighting harder-to-find pricey options that usually require a trip to a cheese shop. Speakers will also cover serving pieces, “go-with” condiments, as well as the very personal topic of when cheese should be featured – as an appetizer, after the main course, with salad, etc. Each platter/presentation will also feature an appropriate wine pairing. One lucky attendee will also win a much coveted Boos specialty cheese board. |
