Class Schedules
Our Spring/Summer 2010 Class Schedule is below. Scroll down to see our current class offerings or click here to view a downloadable version: Download Schedule.
SPRING/SUMMER 2010 CLASS SCHEDULE
Cheeses of France Tuesday, May 18
| Don’t knock the French for sometimes acting like the world revolves around them. In the case of cheese, they’re right. France is undeniably the historic and cultural epicenter of all things fromage. The enormous variety and centuries of expertise that are represented in French cheesemaking are a true wonder. This class will cover the age-old grand classics, small production treasures, and extraordinary everyday wheels that put the ‘ooh-la-la’ in French cuisine, and includes a couple of French wine selections to complement the tasting. Note: This class is also offered on July 7. Instructor Colette Hatch |
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Cheese & Wine Pairing Thursday, May 20
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Pairing cheese and wine to bring out the best in each is by no means an exact science. When you get it right, you definitely know it, elevating 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. In this class, which is part of our popular Cheese 101 series, you’ll learn some general guidelines that will help you get it right more often than not, and some tasting tips that will help you identify your own personal favorites. Note: This class is also offered on August 17. Instructor Colette Hatch |
Cheeses of the Mediterranean Tuesday, May 25
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The fertile soils, sun-kissed terrain and rich cultures that ring the coral blue Mediterranean make for some of the most interesting cheeses and wines the world has to offer. In this class we’ll enjoy a wide assortment of Mediterranean cheeses, perfectly paired with regional wines and other accompaniments, as we taste our way through Coastal Spain, Southern France, Southern Italy, Portugal, and Greece. We’ll talk about, taste, and learn what makes each cheese from this important region unique. Instructor Daphne Zepos |
Cheese & Wine of California Thursday, May 27
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We here in the Bay Area are very fortunate to be sitting at the epicenter of some of the best contemporary cheese and winemaking in the world. Northern California in particular is flooding the scene with lots of exciting new cheesemakers, but all across the Golden State a number of dedicated artisans are shaking up old notions of taste and craftsmanship and setting new standards in innovation and sustainability in their approach to dairy and viniculture. Taste and explore with award-winning author and educator Laura Werlin. Instructor Laura Werlin |
Basic Cheese Primer Thursday, June 3
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This class is the fundamental first step in your ‘everything you’ve always wanted to know about cheese’ journey. Through tasting, structured discussion, and questions and answers, you’ll learn the basics about what cheese actually is, how it’s made, and how cheeses are typically classified. You’ll also get an introduction to the great cheese making regions of the world and you’ll learn key tasting skills that can enhance your appreciation of cheese for the rest of your life. This class includes a couple of wine selections to complement the tasting. Note: This class is also offered on June 3, August 2, August 3. Instructor Judy Creighton |
Basic Cheese Primer Friday, June 4
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This class is the fundamental first step in your ‘everything you’ve always wanted to know about cheese’ journey. Through tasting, structured discussion, and questions and answers, you’ll learn the basics about what cheese actually is, how it’s made, and how cheeses are typically classified. You’ll also get an introduction to the great cheese making regions of the world and you’ll learn key tasting skills that can enhance your appreciation of cheese for the rest of your life. This class includes a couple of wine selections to complement the tasting. Note: This class is also offered on June 3, August 2, August 3. Instructor Judy Creighton
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Cheese & Rosé Wines Wednesday, June 9
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The exquisite beauty of some pink wines can be absolutely enchanting. Not to be confused with the jug wines of yesteryear, these select Rosés have enough refreshingly robust body and taste to appeal even to the most macho of men. Kirstin Jackson will lead this class in exploring how Rosé is made and discovering the flavors of strawberries, minerals, rose petals and cocoa powder that characterize the best of this style of wine. Pair it with carefully selected cheeses and you have the perfect anchor for summer outdoor entertaining. Instructor Kirstin Jackson |
Cheese & Beer of the Pacific Northwest Tuesday, June 15
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While most cheeses pair extremely well with beer of all kinds, this class hones in on the bold beauties of the Pacific Northwest brewing belt and the cheeses that grew up in the same neighborhood. From just over the Golden Gate Bridge all the way up to the far reaches of Washington and beyond, there is an explosion of breweries and creameries that are making beautiful music, each in their own right. This class will show you how to put them together for a perfect duet. Instructor Wil Edwards |
Summertime Fondue Thursday, June 17
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Fondue isn’t just for winter anymore! In this hands-on class – led by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan, authors of Fondue, a top-selling book on the subject – we’ll experiment with several different fondue recipes, focusing on the lighter, brighter summertime flavors of sheep and goat’s milk cheeses in all their melty, creamy glory. We’ll also have lots of delicious dipping accompaniments, a couple of wine selections and a delicious chocolate desert fondue to add to the fabulous fondue fun. Come solo and be ready to mingle, or come with a group of your favorite family and friends! Note: This class is also offered on August 14. Instructors Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan |
Home Cheesemaking Thursday, June 24
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Chef, educator and cheesemaker extraordinaire Sheana Davis will lead this brand new class focused on making fresh cheeses at home. Through demonstration and discussion this class will provide an introduction to the basic principles of making fresh cheese, covering three different fresh cheese types for the home cheesemaker. As a special treat, each student will be provided with fresh chèvre to form and infuse with their own custom blend of herbs and zest, and will be able to take their creation home to share with family and friends. Note: This class is also offered on June 26. Instructor Sheana Davis |
Home Cheesemaking Saturday, June 26
| Chef, educator and cheesemaker extraordinaire Sheana Davis will lead this brand new class focused on making fresh cheeses at home. Through demonstration and discussion this class will provide an introduction to the basic principles of making fresh cheese, covering three different fresh cheese types for the home cheesemaker. As a special treat, each student will be provided with fresh chèvre to form and infuse with their own custom blend of herbs and zest, and will be able to take their creation home to share with family and friends. Note: This class is also offered on June 24. Instructor Sheana Davis |
The Remarkably Redolent and Ravishing World of Robiola Tuesday, June 29
| Dating back to at least the 15th Century, robiola today comes in all shapes, sizes, textures and milks. This class is an exploration of all the unctuous goodness that can be found in the vast and sometimes confusing world of robiola cheeses. Celebrating mostly the Italian producers who originally laid claim to this special cheese, we’ll also sample some robiola-style cheeses from elsewhere around the globe, and wash it all down with a few different sparkling wines whose scrubbing bubbles will further enliven the palate and add to the decadence. Instructors Lynne Devereux and Andy Lax |
Locavore's Heaven: Cheese & Wine of Marin and Sonoma Thursday, July 1
| The term ‘locavore’ describes the practice of eating food harvested from within a 100-mile radius, on the basis that local products are more nutritious, taste better, and easier on the environment. With the abundance of world-class cheese and wine being produced today in Marin and Sonoma Counties, it doesn’t take much convincing to see that for us here in San Francisco, the locavores are probably right. Popular instructor Colette Hatch leads this class in exploring the gastronomic heaven that is our own backyard.
Instructor Colette Hatch |
Cheeses of France Wednesday, July 7
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Don’t knock the French for sometimes acting like the world revolves around them. In the case of cheese, they’re right. France is undeniably the historic and cultural epicenter of all things fromage. The enormous variety and centuries of expertise that are represented in French cheesemaking are a true wonder. This class will cover the age-old grand classics, small production treasures, and extraordinary everyday wheels that put the ‘ooh-la-la’ in French cuisine, and includes a couple of French wine selections to complement the tasting. Note: This class is also offered on May 18. Instructor Colette Hatch |
Whiskey & Cheese Friday, July 9
| Whiskey and the blues always go together, and we’re not just talking about music. The complex, smoky symphony of flavors you find in most single malts and other whiskeys are a great match for the right cheese partner. This Friday night class led by high-energy instructor Wil Edwards promises to be full of fun and frolic for the adventurous. We’ll sample a variety of cheeses that have enough bold richness to bring out the best in select whiskeys. Belly on up to The Cheese School bar! Instructor Wil Edwards |
Cheeses of Italy Monday, July 12
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This class provides a tasting tour of all the major cheese-producing regions of Italy. We’ll explore the regional cultures that define Italian cuisine and customs, and the cheeses that go hand in hand with them, revisiting some of our favorite formaggio friends and introducing some harder to find specialties along the way. With a selection of traditional Italian wines and accompaniments bringing out the very best flavors of the cheeses, the rallying cry for this class is simple: buon gusto! Instructor Judy Creighton |
Great Cheeses in Tuesday, July 13
| Some people live by the principle, ‘What would Jesus do?’ We prefer to be guided by asking, ‘What would Jesus eat?’ Or Caesar, Hannibal or Thomas Jefferson, for that matter. Cheese has been around for millennia – ever since the first wandering goatherd accidentally mixed rennet and milk by carrying his drink of choice in a vessel improvised from the stomach of a freshly slaughtered goat. This class explores – and tastes – some of the great cheeses in history, where they came from, how they have evolved and how they’ve stayed the same, and the impact they’ve had on our culture and society. This class will showcase a couple of ancient wine varietals to complement the tasting. Instructor Judy Creighton
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Port, Wednesday, July 14
| Come experience the amazing interplay of some of the world’s most luxurious taste sensations: port, chocolate and cheese. In this fun and interactive event, we will explore chocolates from around the world, and pair them with several types of Port and dessert wines, with carefully selected cheeses adding layers of flavor and texture to the proceedings. Instructor Marni Rubin, a wine expert and chocolate connoisseur, will guide us through how chocolate is made, from bean to bar, as well as how the best dessert wines, cheeses and chocolate can all be understood according to similar factors and dimension such as aroma, taste, texture, finish, and terroir. Instructor Marni Rubin |
Basic Cheese Primer Monday, August 2
| This class is the fundamental first step in your ‘everything you’ve always wanted to know about cheese’ journey. Through tasting, structured discussion, and questions and answers, you’ll learn the basics about what cheese actually is, how it’s made, and how cheeses are typically classified. You’ll also get an introduction to the great cheese making regions of the world and you’ll learn key tasting skills that can enhance your appreciation of cheese for the rest of your life. This class includes a couple of wine selections to complement the tasting. Note: This class is also offered on June 3, June 4, August 3. Instructor Judy Creighton |
Basic Cheese Primer Tuesday, August 3
| This class is the fundamental first step in your ‘everything you’ve always wanted to know about cheese’ journey. Through tasting, structured discussion, and questions and answers, you’ll learn the basics about what cheese actually is, how it’s made, and how cheeses are typically classified. You’ll also get an introduction to the great cheese making regions of the world and you’ll learn key tasting skills that can enhance your appreciation of cheese for the rest of your life. This class includes a couple of wine selections to complement the tasting. Note: This class is also offered on June 3, June 4, August 2. Instructor Judy Creighton |
Fundamentals of Tuesday, August 10
| We all know how to eat. Open mouth, insert food, chew, swallow. But how many of us really know how to taste? Thoughtful, careful, conscious tasting of cheese – in a way that helps you understand, remember and discuss flavors so that you can explore and develop them more fully – is a skill to be learned. This class provides you with an organized approach to all of the sensory aspects of cheese appreciation, focusing on the palate. A truly special, taste bud-opening experience not be missed by students who want to bring their appreciation of cheese to a whole new level. A palate cleansing sparkling wine will be served to round out the tasting experience. Instructor Daphne Zepos |
Sugar Loves Mold: Dessert Wine & Cheese Thursday, August 12
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Sugar loves mold. Mold loves sugar right back. And you’ll be loving both together in this class that explores the age old wonder of the beautiful interplay between sweet and savory as perfectly embodied by dessert wine & cheese pairings. Starting with a grounding in the basics of different types of molds and the roles acids play in complex flavors – and continuing through to a tasting session covering things like Port and Stilton, Roquefort and Sauterne, and Gorgonzola with honey and Moscato – you are sure to discover a new love match in your life to enjoy and share with friends. Instructor Juliana Uruburu |
Summertime Fondue Saturday, August 14
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Fondue isn’t just for winter anymore! In this hands-on class – led by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan, authors of Fondue, a top-selling book on the subject – we’ll experiment with several different fondue recipes, focusing on the lighter, brighter summertime flavors of sheep and goat’s milk cheeses in all their melty, creamy glory. We’ll also have lots of delicious dipping accompaniments, a couple of wine selections and a delicious chocolate desert fondue to add to the fabulous fondue fun. Come solo and be ready to mingle, or come with a group of your favorite family and friends! Note: This class is also offered on June 17. Instructors Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan |
Cheese & Wine Pairing Tuesday, August 17
| Pairing cheese and wine to bring out the best in each is by no means an exact science. When you get it right, you definitely know it, elevating 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. In this class you’ll learn some general guidelines that will help you get it right more often than not, and some tasting tips that will help you identify your own personal favorites. Note: This class is also offered on May 20. Instructor Kirstin Jackson |
Visit our friends at Cheese Plus located at 2001 Polk Street or online at http://www.cheeseplus.com.
