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Since I moved to Dallas, I’ve made it a goal of mine to explore different classes, entertainment, and events that the city has to offer. Luckily, I have a couple of friends that feel the same way, and we try to convene monthly, trying new restaurants, classes (cooking, athletic, etc).

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There’s a huge benefit to living in a big city; we have a lot to explore and this cheese class was one of them! Cheese 101 at Scardello addressed much of the different cheese processes and their varieties. They even gave a shout out to my motherland, Wisconsin, as to where cheese curds were made in the total process of cheese production! Most people in the audience didn’t know what squeaky cheese was, but I was proud!

They simplify these cheeses into categories for the average joe:

• Fresh – No aging required. The opposite of fresh isn’t spoiled. The opposite of fresh is aged.
• Semi-Soft – Bends instead of breaking. Aged 2-6 months.
• Soft Ripened – Bloomy rind. Softens from the outside in.
• Surface Ripened – Wrinkled “brain-like” exterior. Can be firm or gooey.
• Semi-Hard – Firm texture. Aged a couple of moths to a couple of years.
• Hard – Hard crumbly texture. Cheese that has lost almost all water content.
• Washed-Rind – Orange rind, pungent smell. Can be gooey or semi-soft.
• Blue – Blue mold inside the paste or on the exterior.

I highly recommend this cheese class or just starting your own “class” and sampling cheeses in your local market! You can’t go wrong! At any given time, we have about 2-4 blocks of cheese in our crisper, and I love them all!! Happy Cheesing!