Slow Food @ TRS: Eat More (Local) Cheese!

TRS’s chapter of Slow Food has partnered with Slow Food Philly to host a series of tasting seminars on campus. First topic: cheese! We already adore cheese, but this was a fun opportunity to hear from talented cheesmakers right here in PA – and of course taste scrumptious samples.

Cheesemakers sharing stories from the farm.*

We started with a lively talk by Janet Chrzan, Nutritional Anthropologist from the University of Pennsylvania, who researches food history and trends. Janet explained that Americans eat astounding amounts of processed, industrial cheese and mainly treat cheese as a condiment (think pizza, nacho toppings and sandwich accessories). She encouraged us to make cheese the star of more dishes and to consume hand-crafted artisan cheeses, which provide greater nutrition, more complex flavors and support family-run farms.

Mmm, cheese - and wine!*

Cheesemakers from Birchrun Hills Farm, Shellbark Hollow Farm, Spring Meadow Farms and Stoudt's (yes, from the brewery) discussed how they began producing cheese and the importance of advocacy groups such as PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) and Slow Food. We learned that farmstead cheesmakers raise their own animals and that Pennsylvania grasses and herbs add distinctive flavors to milk. Delicious cheese terroir! An important message for all cheese lovers: our choices as consumers and chefs directly impact the local food economy and the future of artisan cheese.

Jenny Harris, Executive Chef of Tria Cafe and Biba Wine Bar, led us through eight selections showcasing the tasty diversity of local cheese. We tasted fresh chevre, rich feta, and nutty tommes from goat’s milk and snackable pressed cheese, luscious bloomy-rinds and a fudgy blue crafted from cow’s milk.

Inspired to learn more or make a new dish oozing with cheesy goodness? Use our library resources to explore the Slow Food movement, expand your knowledge of cheeses of the world, learn how to make cheese, and browse cheese-themed cookbooks.

If you missed this event, there will be more! Slow Food has made 25 spots available for students to attend these events for free. Take advantage of opportunity to taste, learn, network, and engage with food issues. Click here for more info about the upcoming seminars and look for announcements in our What’s Happening on Campus e-mail newsletter.

*Photography by Heather Turnbach of Slow Food Philadelphia