I Thought I Was Taking a Cheesemaking Class… Boy Was I Wrong

Cheese made in class

Every once in a while, something lands in our inbox that stops us in our tracks.

This weekend, we received one of those messages.

It came from a woman who recently attended one of our cheesemaking classes. She came expecting to learn how to make cheese - and she did. But what she took away from the experience, and what she so beautifully put into words afterward, goes much deeper.

When Christina and I read her email, we looked at each other and realized: this is why we do what we do.

With her permission, we are sharing her words exactly as she sent them. We haven't edited them or polished them because we don't think they need anything from us.

Here is what she wrote:

“I thought I was taking a cheese making class... boy was I wrong. I will try to explain the absolute joy your class brought me. Yes, I learned so much, I went home and made my best cheese yet. But my experience touched on something so much deeper. I have always connected with being thoughtful about the “how” of how I cook. We’ve been a part of a CSA for decades, we are friends with the people who grow our food. I live in a very rural area, so getting quality ingredients is very accessible. I currently homeschool my 3 kids and our life is pretty simple. Your class really reminded me of the deeper meaning of why we are doing so many things that we do. I generally don’t fit in with the typical sourdough, homeschool mom crew because of my very different reasons why I am doing the things I do. I love the environment, I am a spiritual person, ethics are important to me, but I am not religious. Coming to Modern StoneAge Kitchen has also felt a bit like coming home for our family. We go on special occasions, people are always so kind and welcoming to my kids. I just thought, wow, people here are really nice. But, I think it is really so much deeper than that.

Both my husband and I traveled a lot before we had kids (Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, England, and other places). Taking this class reminded me how big the world is, how rich the history of the world is, and how important it is to teach my children from this lense and provide experiences of different cultures to them.

I read the article your daughter wrote about your kitchen table and I cried telling my husband about it. Nourishment and health are two things that we really want to be pillars of our family. There are just so many special things that you are doing and the enthusiasm (without pretentiousness) of how you all share things is just so life-giving.

My kids are 3, 5, 7, and I was explaining to them what an archaeologist is and they are so stoked because there is an archaeologist in the Boxcar children books who is also named Bill. If you ever decide to do any type of classes for kids, we are in!

So mostly, I just want to say thank you for all that you all are doing. I can’t imagine all the work you have put in over the years, but I can tell you, it is so worth it.

Thank you so much for all you are doing,”

— Alison

Dr. Bill with a cheesemaking class

There really isn't much for me to add to that.

We talk a lot about reconnecting people with their food - understanding where it comes from, how it has traditionally been prepared, and why those processes matter. But the food has always been only part of it.

Food connects us to people.
To place.
To culture.
To history.
And, if we're doing this right, to one another!

Creating a place where a family can walk through the door and feel like they've “come home” may be one of the greatest compliments we could ever receive!!

Thank you for reminding us why we do this!!