Later this month when the California Artisan Cheese Festivals rolls into Sonoma County, you’ll even be able to partake in the region’sIf you prefer a slightly more formal setting, The Cheese School of San Francisco is an ideal spot for exploring the wide variety of cheeses and cheesemaking, milk types, fermentation and different flavor profiles, so you know what you like the next time you visit a cheese shop.
In addition to on-site classes — a whopping 21 through June, including “Ricotta & Fromage Blanc Cheesemaking” and “Mooove Over! Focus on Goat, Sheep and Buffalo Cheeses” — you’ll soon find The Cheese School popping up around the city, from the Ferry Building to Chase Center . There’s talk of a cheese, charcuterie and bubbly cart, and taking the school on the road across the Bay Area and beyond.
In those first months — the beginning of the pandemic — Ryan’s virtual classes are what kept the business from crumbling. Now, with a return to indoor dining, the focus has shifted to the restaurant and those impressive pairings . But Ryan is used to wearing all the hats. She’ll even be your monger, offering samples and selling you a wedge of brie or cheddar when the restaurant isn’t too busy.
Preserved instructor Kirstin Johnson teaches a brie making workshop at the DIY kitchen shop in Oakland’s Temescal district.