Many cheese retailers offer recreational cheese tasting classes, some may even offer workshops in cheese making. But for people whose cheese interest falls somewhere between just casual cheese appreciation and actually operating a dairy farm, what are the options for getting a foundational cheese education, that go deeper than just tasting or making a batch of cheese? Does merely moving to Vermont count?
Short of apprenticing yourself to a reputable cheesemaker or pursuing a degree in food science—both of which are great options if you are extremely serious and have the time and wherewithal—these 7 programs offer educational cheese intensives geared toward a deeper understanding of cheese, whether your interest lies in making it, selling it, or simply worshipping it.
Photo by northdevonfarmer is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Academy of Cheese
Is anyone else feeling cheated that up to this moment they weren’t aware there was such a thing as an Academy of Cheese? (Doubtlessly some of you already did.) Based in the UK, but open to students worldwide, the Academy offers 4 levels of cheese certification, from Associate to Master, and even houses an online Cheese Library. Levels 1 and 2 can be completed entirely virtually or by self-study, whereas levels 3 and 4 involve a number of hours of field work. The Academy encourages anyone whose passion is cheese, or whose job might intersect with cheese—including food writers and sommeliers—to pursue accreditation. It was founded by an esteemed industry group that included Mary Quicke of Quicke’s, a legendary cheesemaker who runs a British farmstead that was established centuries ago.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Short Courses in Cheese
It’s no wonder that the only state to have its own Master Cheesemaker accreditation would also offer a multitude of options for cheese study. The Center for Dairy Research at UW-Madison offers day-long or multi-day short courses on a variety of cheese topics: Cheesemaking 101, Processed Cheese, Cheese Technology, Master Artisan Cheese, and Cheese Grading.
Westminster Artisan Cheesemaking
Courtesy of Peter Dixon/Parish Hill Creamery
Peter Dixon is a cheesemaker and consultant whose credentials include an M.S. in Dairy Science from the University of Vermont. His resources for everything cheese-related from food safety, to cheese cave designs, to the business of operating a dairy farm have helped to launch many up-and-coming creameries. Held at Parish Hill Creamery in Westminster, VT, Dixon offers several multi-day intensive workshops: Introduction to Artisan Cheesemaking, Advanced Cheesemaking, and Affinage: Techniques, Microbes, and Facilities.
Murray’s Boot Camp
The term “boot camp” doesn’t usually conjure images of intensive cheese instruction, which then begs the question, why would someone attend any boot camp but this one? From humble beginnings in NYC’s Greenwich Village circa 1962, Murray’s has become the preeminent cheese retailer in the U.S., selling domestic and imported cheese from its several NYC locations, online, and through a nationwide cheese counter program inside Kroger supermarkets. Murray’s Boot Camp is a weekend-long seminar offered several times a year whose topics range from chemistry to geography, to cutting and pairing.
Penn State University Short Course in The Science and Art of Cheesemaking
You don’t need to be a matriculated college student to attend this yearly short course offered by the Department of Food Science, part of the College of Agricultural Science at Penn State University’s Main Campus. This particular program goes deeply into the microbiology and chemistry of cheesemaking. According to the website, the course is recommended for “Farmstead and artisan dairy producers and processors, individuals interested in developing a value-added dairy business, individuals interested in cheese making, equipment and ingredient suppliers for small-scale cheesemakers, (and) regulatory personnel.”
Boston University Metropolitan College Cheese Certificate Program
Open to the public each spring semester, this 7-week program is taught by Ihsan Gurdal, a member of the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers and owner of Formaggio Kitchen. This is perhaps the most extensive tasting-based course available, with an emphasis on techniques used to produce various cheese, as well as wine and condiment pairings. Now that’s a certificate I’d love to publicly display. They also offer a 4 day short course that covers milk composition and microbiology, rennet and cheese cultures, cheese making principles, sanitation practices, food safety plans, sensory evaluation, and marketing
University of Vermont Artisan Cheese & Sensory Fundamentals Professional Certificate
This 4-week course focuses mainly on the assessment of cheese from a sensory perspective, culminating in a final project that involves a full sensory evaluation and presentation of a selected cheese. Now available as an online option, this program requires some self-study and motivation, and when that involves getting deeply sensory with cheese? That shouldn’t be hard.
For further reading about extensive cheese study, read our article on How to Become a Certified Cheese Professional.