Along with April's sun and showers comes spring. Baby sheep and goats stumbling in pens. Apple and cherry blossoms floating to the sidewalk. Rains nourishing spring vegetables and weeds both battling for garden space. The sweet milk of animals grazing on Sonoma fields, packed with mustard and clover. Cue cheese classes Bay Area.

Here's my current line-up, below! Spring tends to be packed with private classes, but while there's a few less public ones due to scheduling, the ones on the books are gems. Hope to see you around!

Spring Events & Cheese Classes Bay Area

Light Reds & Cheese

April 11th, Tuesday, 6:30-8:30pm, San Francisco, The Cheese School

It’s spring. Farmers markets beckon, happy cows prance on Sonoma hills, and cheesemaking calls! Just in time for brightening spring’s salads and produce, it’s the perfect time to learn how to master rich feta. We’ll learn how to make this beloved cheese from milk to brine and taste some of the best fetas around. Then, we’ll make a simple party-friendly feta dish to share and mingle over at the end of class...

Ridge Montebello Collector Tasting

April 22nd-23rd, 13-14th, Santa Cruz, Ridge Montebello

Join us for our 16th annual Component Tasting on March 11th & 12th. This event is an exclusive opportunity for Monte Bello Collector Members to participate firsthand in the assemblage process and taste barrel samples of the separate varietal components for the 2016 vintage of Monte Bello. [I pair the cheese, tell the creamery's stories, and attend the event].

Italy vs France

May 1st, 6:30-8;30, San Francisco, The Cheese School

The two biggest names in cheese face-off in a savory showdown. France and Italy each produce over 400 cheeses. Both are heavily influenced by a millennium of tradition. But one taste will lay bare the differences between cheese styles, cheesemaking approaches, and their particular histories. . In this class you’ll learn how these countries’ cheesemaking traditions differ, how they came to be cheesemaking greats,....

Mozzarella & Burrata Making

May 21st, Sunday, 11:00-2pm, San Francisco, The Cheese School

Mozzarella on nearly every aspiring home-cheesemaker’s to-do list. Yet, it’s not easy to get it right. Why won’t your curds form a ball? When you do get the ball to form, why is it hard enough for a game of hacky-sack? These are the mysteries of mozzarella. In this class, your instructor, who is also a cheesemaker, will not only demystify the mozz,....

Italian Wine & Cheese Pairing

May 30th, Tuesday 6:00-7:30, Albany, Solano Cellars

Join us for a Class on Italian Cheese and its perfect Italian Wine Pairings. Cheese maven Kirstin will be serving her favorite formaggio Italiano and Sommelier Julie will pour el vino. Aficionado of The Boot or not, learn how to take your cheese plate to the next level or just sit back, learn and enjoy!