Ricotta, queso fresco, and cultured butter are three of the most delicious things in the dairy case. And if someone is showing you the way, how they're also some of the easiest to make! In this beginner-friendly class, cheesemaker teacher Kirstin Jackson will teach you how to master the trio so you can make them in your own kitchen. You'll learn about milk types, how to culture milk, where to buy supplies, cheesemaking science, and taste samples. Then you work in teams to make your own ricotta and queso fresco, watch a creme fraiche culturing demo, and learn about queso fresco seasonings and how to make compound butter. At the end of the class we'll enjoy our cheeses and butters together over a seasonal vegetarian salad, locally baked bread, and light snacks.

With good reason, French cheese and wine is celebrated as some of the world’s best. They invented triple-cremes and sparkling wine that begs for reasons to celebrate, after all. But sometimes the region’s offerings can seem a little tricky. In this class, cheese and wine expert Kirstin Jackson will break down France’s complicated wine labels and specific cheese regions to teach you how to harmoniously enjoy the two together, à la Française. You’ll learn that the country’s pairings are all about tradition, regional combinations, and that once you have the basics down, pairing is actually quite easy. By the end of the class, you’ll have the tools to pair at home, and perhaps more important, after 4 wines, and 7 cheeses, you’ll also be very happy.

Ever tried to make mac and cheese from a fantastic farmhouse cheddar or gouda just to have it turn out lumpy and curdled? Maybe you you've been wondering what exactly to do with the gorgeous ricotta you've been eyeing in the market recently. In this class we'll pin down the rules of cooking and melting with cheese, and explore how to use the often-overlooked, yet wonderful cheeses of the kitchen, like ricotta. By the end of the class you'll know how to cook cheese like an expert, have made Turkish cheese-stuffed meze, be able to transform leftover cheese into an easy, unforgettable appetizer, and, will have the skills to charm guests at your next cheese-tastic meal!

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Macaroni and Cheese

Poğaça—Turkish pastry with herbed cheese

Fromage Fort—A French spread of blended cheeses and wine on toast

Baked Goat Cheese Salad

Lamb and Ricotta Meatballs

Lentil Ricotta Meatballs

Fresh burrata and mozzarella can be notoriously fussy to make. Cheesemaking teacher Kirstin Jackson will guide you along the fun process of stretching bocconcini, ovolini, and their cream-filled cousin, burrata. We'll start with a mozzarella and burrata cheese tasting, then jump into making it ourselves. You'll learn the basics of cheesemaking science, which ingredients to use and why, the ins and outs of stretching cheese curd, and get advice on some simple ways to eat your newest cheese creation.

We'll end the class with a light dinner consisting of our own cheeses, a seasonal vegetarian salad, locally baked bread, and a glass of wine or beer!

This menu contains the following common allergens: Dairy, Wheat. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.

Drake’s Brewing Co's Travis Camacho and local cheese expert Kirstin Jackson take you on a journey through beer and cheese magic.

Drake’s Brewing Barrel Program Manager Travis Camacho is teaming up with local cheese expert and "It's Not You, It's Brie" author Kirstin Jackson on June 10th, to take you on a journey through beer and cheese magic. You'll learn how cheese is made, what styles of beer and cheese blend best, and leave with the power to pair your own at home.

We're talking chèvre, buttery triple cremes and pungent blues, paired with a variety of our Advanced Oak Barrel Aged beers... maybe even a limited release or two. Grab a friend or bring a date to this cheese and beer love fest at Drake’s Dealership!

This is a private, educational event with limited seating. Tickets include one (1) 4oz pour of five different brews, paired with 5 unique cheeses. Service fees, tax and gratuity are included. Must be 21+ to attend.

During the holidays you want your wine and cheese to be three things: delicious, special, and often, budget-friendly! In this class, wine and cheese expert Kirstin Jackson will show you how to achieve all this while sharing and pairing her favorite holiday wines and cheeses with you. With four wines and six cheeses, you'll leave inspired for gatherings and feeling festive. Expect some bubbles, good party and holiday-themed wines, seasonal winter cheese, and to learn a few tricks of the trade for making a special cheese board. And to help you prepare for festivities, bottles of the wines tasted will be available for sale at the end of class in limited quantities.

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Your ovalini are moist and perfectly round. Your chevre is fluffy and tangy. Now you’re ready for your next challenge: Brie. In this class, you’ll learn how to make the French classic (with a twist - double creme!). I’ll lead you in inoculating fresh milk, recognizing when the curd has set, then layering the curd in the form. You’ll take your little cheese home, and over the next month watch it grow fluffy and white as you care for it.

Note: If the class is sold out, please click here to be placed on the waiting list. We'll notify you if any spots open up.

Join us for a taste of the season during the height of spring! What cheeses and wines can you pair with all the fresh produce arriving at your farmer's market? I’ll lead you in a tasting of the springiest cheeses and wines (and maybe even a beer or two) of the year.

Note: If the class is sold out, please click here to be placed on the waiting list. We'll notify you if any spots open up.

Feta, ricotta and creme fraiche are the cheeses that make appetizers and main courses, sing. In this hands-on class, I’ll teach you how to make the cheeses that will become staples in your fridge for many more meals to come. Celebrate freedom from tax season by learning how to create these fresh beauties. You'll try your creations in class and bring some home to share, or not.

Note: If the class is sold out, please click here to be placed on the waiting list. We'll notify you if any spots open up.

Have you ever tried to make mac and cheese from a fantastic farmhouse cheddar just to have it turn out lumpy and curdled? What about the time the aged gouda cheese in your grilled cheese didn't melt? Cooking with and melting cheese has rules. In this class, we'll break down the chemistry to find out what works and why, and learn about cheese flavor pairing, so you can dream up your next cheese-tastic meal!

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Puff & stretch: Fromage blanc and quesillo wrapped in puff pastry. Like baked brie, but more stretchy!

Salad: Learn how to pair cheeses with the greens of the season.

Mac and Cheese: Maximize the silky lusciousness for your next batch at home.

An Adult's Grilled Cheese: A childhood favorite updated for the modern cheese lover.

Goat Cheese Truffles: Not your average cheese for dessert!

As the weather warms and the days lengthen, we move away from the heavier, bolder red wines that are appropriate to winter, but it's not yet quite time for rosé. Join me as I guide you through a tasting and pairing of light red wines and the cheeses that love them.

Note: If the class is sold out, please click here to be placed on the waiting list. We'll notify you if any spots open up.

Want to revel in the glory of having some of the best cheese and butter you've ever tasted in your fridge at all times? Try making them yourself. Making your own cheese and butter doesn't have to be difficult, and after a quick lesson in dairy science, I’ll show you how to master them at home. After learning what dairy to use and where to source ingredients, you'll transform your milk and cream into sweet mascarpone, flavorful queso fresco, and rich butter. The class will start with a sampling of commercial variations, and end with light snacks that use the cheeses you perfected in class. 

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Mascarpone

Queso Fresco

Cultured Butter

Mascarpone and Jamon Crostini with Pomegranate Molasses

Queso Fresco with Cilantro Tapenade

Herbed Compound Cultured Butter 

For this first day of spring, we'll bring you a taste of the season to come. We’ll answer questions like what cheese and wines to pair with all the fresh produce arriving at your farmers market. I’ll lead you in a tasting of the springiest cheeses  and wines of the year.

Note: If the class is sold out, please click here to be placed on the waiting list. We'll notify you if any spots open up.

In this class we’ll celebrate all things St. Patricks Day with a journey through a tasting of Irish cheeses and the beers they pair best with.

We’ll round out the evening by enjoying Irish cheddar and corned beef grilled cheese sandwiches and potato leek soup.

Mozzarella is 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, we’ll not only demystify the mozz, but also get you on the road to making perfect ovalini and bocconcini every time. But wait! There’s more! We’ll use our curds to make everyone’s favorite cheese, burrata.

Note: If the class is sold out, please click here to be placed on the waiting list. We'll notify you if any spots open up.

Have you ever looked at a wine list at a high-end or farm-to-table restaurant and thought, "is this the name of the grape or the winemaker?", "what the heck is an orange wine", or "I have no idea they made wines in Slovenia"?

If so, you are not alone. In this class, we’ll break down the infamous, baffling wine list. We'll dissect a few of the wine lists of the best restaurants in town, sample and learn about about Sommelier wine darlings and popular wine trends you'll see on BTG (by-the-glass) lists, and talk about how to order the best wine for you and your dining companions. The class material will also be applicable to choosing a bottle in wine shops. To illustrate all points, of course, we will drink wine. Expect to leave informed, refreshed, and able to order like a true wine geek. 

As there will be a fair amount of wine, please be sure to have an early dinner or snacks before class.