Spring Classes & Events 

Proving it's possible we live in California not Ireland, May brings us two weeks of spring without rain! And strawberries and asparagus. It's a festivus of ruby and emerald hues out there, with vegetables that need just a quick searing before eating. Spring also brings ample fresh milk from local animals grazing lush fields. With lushness in mind, May and June is packed with cheese classes.

June is for those of you asking me to teach another Camembert class. 

Maybe you've refined your fluffy ricotta and want to go a touch bolder, or make cheese for spring salads. Feta's your girl. Maybe you're crazy about rich cheeses and want to raise a babe to maturity over weeks.Camembert is your buttery wheel. Or maybe you just want to make cheese from pure cream. Meet unabashed mascarpone.Or perhaps you'd like to serve party cheese & wine with budgetary moderation.

May and June public classes follow. As always, classes fill up fast, consider reserving your spot early. If interested in a private class for your friends, party, or employees, please email me at kirstin@itsnotyouitsbrie.com!

Hope to see you around!

May & June Public Events and Classes 

Ridge Montebello Collector Tasting

May 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 talk cheese at the event].

Kermit Lynch Spring Wine Release 

May 19th, Friday, 6:30-8:30pm, Berkeley, Julia Morgan Room

In the stunning setting of Julia Morgan Hall in the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, taste spring selections, new arrivals, and a few very special bottlings from our French and Italian portfolios. (I'll be catering, pairing, and talking cheese)

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,....

Entertaining on a Budget: Cheese & Wine Pairing

June 7th, Tuesday, 6-8:00pm, San Francisco, 18 Reasons

Always the stars of a dinner party but often admonished for their price tag, great cheese and wine can get a bad rap for thinning the wallets of their adoring hosts. But it doesn't have to be this way. Cheese-and-wine party thrower and cheese and wine expert, It's Not You, It's Brie book author Kirstin Jackson will prove that you don't have to leave your favorites behind to throw a budget-friendly bash. 

Basic Cheesemaking: Feta, Mascarpone, and Ricotta

June 18th, Sunday 11-2pm, San Francisco, The Cheese School

Ricotta, mascarpone, and feta are the cheeses that make appetizers and main courses sing. In this hands-on class, cheesemaker Kirstin Jackson will teach you how to make the cheeses that will become staples in your fridge for many more meals to come. You'll try your creations in class and bring some home to share, or not. 

 Feta & Summer Recipes

June 21st, Thursday 6-9:30pm, San Francisco, 18 Reasons

Feta is not only one of the most highly consumed and adored cheeses in the world, it also loves spring and summer seasonal dishes as much as you do!  In this action-packed evening class, you will learn the basics of cheesemaking, including which milk to use and where to find rennet, talk feta lore, taste perfect examples, and make your own feta from scratch. Then you'll master two party-friendly feta recipes perfect for the season, and leave with cheese to brine or marinate at home.

Camembert Cheesemaking

June 25th, Sunday 11-2pm, San Francisco, The Cheese School

Your ovalini are moist and perfectly round. Your chevre is fluffy and tangy. Now you’re ready for your next challenge: Camembert. In this class, you’ll learn how to make the French classic (with a twist) from author Kirstin Jackson. Kirstin will lead you in inoculating fresh milk, recognizing when the curd has set, then layering the curd in the form.....

Hope to see you around!