Formaggio Kitchen Classes, Tastings and Events
Our popular tasting classes offer an opportunity to experience an exquisite selection of our products and recipes. Our mongers choose cheeses that are tasting best at the time and pair them with wine, beer and classic, sometimes surprising, accompaniments. We conduct a short tour of our cheese cave at the end of classes held at our Cambridge location.
To purchase a spot, select the class you are interested in from the list below and register online, or call 617-354-4750. Please have your credit card number ready. If you have any questions, please email classes@formaggiokitchen.com. Lastly, please make note of our cancellation policy.
We also regularly hold free tastings with the artisan producers we work with. Reservations are not necessary for these events.
Friday, July 3, 1 pm: English cheese tasting, Free. Jason from London's famed Neal's Yard Dairy will be here with samples of classic cheddars and blues.
Thursday, July 9, 5:00 pm: Wine tasting with Philip from Vineyard Research, Free.
Saturday, July 11, 12:00 pm: Beer Tasting with Gwen Richardson of Berkshire Brewing Co., Free.
Sunday, July 12, 5:30 pm: Cheese 101, $35 per person. (SOLD OUT! Please call or email to be added to our waiting list.)
Join the crowds flocking to Formaggio Kitchen for this, our most popular class. We'll talk about the history and process of cheesemaking, and how our favorite modern-day cheesemakers (many of whom we have visited) are embracing artisan traditions. Learn the basics of tasting and building your own cheese plate, and sample a few wines and beers for good measure.
Thursday, July 16, 5:00 pm: Wine tasting with wine buyer Gemma Iannoni, Free.
Saturday, July 18, 1:00 pm: Cisco Brewery and Southern Tier Brewery Tasting, Free.
We'll be tasting three beers from each brewer -- a great variety of excellent craft beers from the northeast (Cisco is from Nantucket, Southern Tier is from upstate New York).
Sunday, July 19, 5:30 pm: Cooking with Cheese, $35 per person.
Move a step beyond the classic cheese plate! Kurt, Formaggio Kitchen's cheese buyer, and Brian, Formaggio Kitchen's sous chef, will demonstrate how to make a variety of dishes with some of our favorite cheeses. You'll have a chance to taste each cheese on its own, as well as its reincarnation as a wonderful, seasonal prepared dish. Sample a few wines and beers as well. Note: This is demonstration, not a hands-on cooking class.
Thursday, July 23, 5:00 pm: Wine tasting with Sophie from Violette Wine Imports, Free.
Sunday, July 26, 5:30 pm: The Art of Pickling with Bob McClure, $35 per person.
Bob McClure, who produces some of the tastiest dill pickles we've found, will come up from Brooklyn to give a special demonstration on the art of pickling. He will show us how to make a couple of quick pickled vegetables, as well as a fermented (no vinegar) pickle. Guests will be invited to take notes and ask questions, and will leave with a jar of one of Bob's tasty creations. Note: This is a demonstration, not a hands-on cooking class.
Thursday, July 30, 5:00 pm: Wine tasting with Jeannie Rogers from Adonna Wines, Free.
Sunday, August 9, 5:30 pm: Cheese 101, $35 per person. (SOLD OUT! Please call or email to be added to our waiting list.)
Join the crowds flocking to Formaggio Kitchen for this, our most popular class. We'll talk about the history and process of cheesemaking, and how our favorite modern-day cheesemakers (many of whom we have visited) are embracing artisan traditions. Learn the basics of tasting and building your own cheese plate, and sample a few wines and beers for good measure.
Sunday, August 16, 5:30 pm: Olive Oils, From the Grove to Your Kitchen, $35 per person.
Depending on their origin, olive oils can be mild and fruity, strong and peppery, and everything in between. And each one can add the perfect finishing touch to food, from simple greens to sizzling steak. Join us as we talk about how olive oil is produced, taste several of our favorites, and match them with an array of seasonal dishes prepared by our talented sous chef Brian. As always, we'll have a few beverages for you to sample as well. Note: This is a demonstration, not a hands-on cooking class.
Sunday, August 23, 5:30 pm: The Science of Cheese, $35 per person.
How exactly does milk become cheese? How do bacteria work, and what is their role in forming different types of cheeses, from bloomy-rinded Brie to stinky, washed Tilsiter? Rachel Dutton, a Harvard microbiologist and cheese enthusiast, will offer a fascinating "behind-the-rind" look at cheesemaking, while Kurt, our cheese buyer, leads a tasting of several different types of cheese to illustrate Rachel's talk. And don't forget, no talk about the wonders of fermentation would be complete without a few beers and wines.
Sunday, August 30, 5:30 pm: BBQ, Cheese and Beer, $35 per person.
Our first two sessions sold out! Now our Barbecue Chef Eric is back to share the secrets of his trade with you on this pre-Labor Day weekend. We'll talk about regional barbecue styles and sample some of our favorite dishes from our weekly sidewalk barbecue alongside specially-selected cheeses and beers. Select barbecue items will be available for sale after the class for you to take home -- the perfect preparation for your holiday feast.
For individual classes: If you are unable to attend a class, please let us know at least 24 hours before the class is scheduled to take place and we will give you a full refund or a credit for a future class. If you let us know within 24 hours of the class, we will refund the class fee less a $15 charge. If you don't let us know in advance of the class, you are not entitled to any refund or credit.
For class packages: If you are unable to attend any class within a package, please let us know at least 24 hours before the class is scheduled to take place and we will give you a credit for a future class of equal or lesser value. If you let us know within 24 hours of the class, we will charge a $15 fee -- you may apply the remaining credit for that class to a future, full-price class. If you don't let us know in advance of the class, you are not entitled to any credit.