Meet Cooking Class Instructor, Gianaclis Caldwell

Get to know Gianaclis Caldwell ahead of her class, "Easy Mozzarella and Burratta - From Scratch!" on March 7. Gianaclis is the author of the award-winning book Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking and owner of Pholia Farm.


Tell us how your love of cooking (or cheese) and food began.

I actually fell in love with making cheese before I came to fully love eating it. Up until my interest in making it started, I hadn't tried that many really grand cheeses. I enjoyed the usual suspects, but along with a hunger for knowledge grew the hunger for truly epic cheeses.

Did you go to school for cooking or cheese making? If so, where?

Even now, there are no definitive ways to learn to make cheese, which might be a good thing! When you work with milk as the major ingredient there is more variation than with arguably any other food ingredient. This means that only with time and practice can you perfect the craft. I learned from books, time, and classes - and I'm still learning!

What is your specialty or what are you best at?

In teaching, I'm known for being able to break the complex science into fun, digestible bites in a way that invigorates your cheesemaking quest.

If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

I'm going to make this if I had one cheese to eat for the rest of my life. This might come as a surprise, but I wouldn't choose some of the more complex, mind-blowing cheeses that I just drool for (such as Rogue Creamery's Echo Mountain Blue and Jasper Hill Farms Harbison). Instead it would be Oregon's Ochoa Creamery (Don Froylan) Queso Oaxaca. It's truly one of the most satisfying and well crafted simple cheese in the US. (Even when I'm at big cheese competitions judging, it is always up there at the top!)

When you are not with the goats, how do you enjoy spending your time?

Not really a surprise, but writing. If we get to get off the farm for anything other than working (my teaching and book travels) then hiking is a big love. I also teach ballet to older ladies (my age and up) and take ballet. In another life (one that made me not so tall) I would have loved to have danced.

More Co-op News

February's Change for Good partner: OHRA

 

OHRA logo

OHRA helps low-income people build better lives through access to social service resources. By helping
people move from crisis to stability, OHRA builds more capable individuals, stronger families, and a
better community. We have three core programs:

December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center

December's Change for Good Partner is

Rogue Action Center

Rogue Action Center

The Rogue Action Center (RAC) builds organizing infrastructure, leaders, and community power for a just, inclusive, and sustainable Southern Oregon for everyone.

September Change for Good Partner: Truth to Power

September's Change for Good Partner is

Truth to Power

Truth to Power

Truth to Power cultivates teen activism and community participation through social justice podcasts and transformative projects.

Celebrate Ashland Food Co-op's 50th Anniversary

Ashland Food Co-op has been a staple in our community for 50 years and invites you to celebrate this anniversary with them on June 3rd, 2022 from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM, at the AFC employee parking lot for dancing, food, face painting and more!

Music by Eight Dollar Mountain and Wild and Blue.

Siano's Karibbean Cookhouse, Walkabout Brewing Co. and Rogue Kombucha will be joining us with delicious food and beverages available for purchase.

SOU Students Sign Up!