Formaggio Kitchen Classes & 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. For any classes or events involving tastings of beer or wine, we validate legal age of our participants.
Friday, February 12, 5:30 pm: Wine Tasting with Philip Conroy of Vineyard Research, Free. Chopin Nuits St. Georges, Chaume-Arnaud CDR and Weingut Kirsten Riesling.
Saturday, February 13: Valentine's Day Treats. Join us for a day of free tastings!
11 am: Hot chocolate tasting with Taza Chocolate, Free. The Somerville chocolate-maker will offer samples of its Mexican-style hot chocolate and show you how to make your own at home.
11 am: Lizzy's Ice Cream tasting, Free. Samples of a few flavors from the Waltham ice cream maker. Perfect with hot fudge or caramel!
12 pm: Wine tasting with David Mitchell from Violette, Free. David will pour some of our favorite sweet wines.
1 p.m.: Formaggio Kitchen chocolate fondue demonstration, Free. Learn how to make this easy, decadent treat at home.
2 p.m.: Fudge tasting with the Mill Fudge Factory, Free. Samples of chocolate and other seasonal flavors.
Saturday, February 13, 2010, 7:30 pm: The Perfect Pair, $40 per person. (SOLD OUT! Please call or email to be added to our waiting list.)
Join us for a special evening of Valentine's Day "matchmaking." We'll taste a range of wines perfectly paired with our favorite cheeses, chocolates and other special treats. Our pairings will range from classic (think sparkling wines with rich triple creme cheeses) to the more unusual, and we'll talk about what to keep in mind when creating your own pairings at home. Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day alone or à deux, this promises to be a fun and informative evening. NOTE: The higher price of this class is due to higher beverage costs.
Wednesday, February 17, 5 pm: Cheese tasting with Shelburne Farms, Free. The Vermont cheesemakers will be here with free tastes of their popular cheddar.
Friday, February 19, 5:30 pm: Wine Tasting with Jake from Ideal Wines, Free. Chidaine Vouvray, Sorine Santenay and Griefalco Aglianico.
Saturday, February 20: Winter Warmers, Free Beverage Tasting. Fight the late-winter blues with samples of some of our favorite hot beverages.
11 am: George Howell Terroir Coffee. The Acton-based roaster will be here with samples of their single-origin brews.
11 am: MEM Tea. Sample teas from the Somerville importer.
11 am: Coop's Microcreamery. Come try Cocoa Felice, a great new hot chocolate from the Watertown-based company.
Sunday, February 21, 2010, 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.
Friday, February 26, 5:30 pm: Wine Tasting with Martin of Oz Pacific Imports, Free. Pena do Lobo Ribiera, Richou Blanc, Tour des Gendres La Gloire de Mon Pѐre.
Sunday, February 28, 2010, 5:30 pm: The Bold and the Beautiful, $35 per person.
Winter is the perfect time to bust out our boldest, strongest cheeses, from robust blues to funky washed-rinds. We'll talk about how these cheeses are made, what makes them strong, and we'll taste several of our favorites, along with seasonal condiments and wines. Whether you already love the strong stuff, or are interested in taking your cheese education to the next level, this fascinating evening will offer something for everyone.
Sunday, March 7, 5:30 pm: Intro to Sausage-Making, $35 per person. (SOLD OUT! Please call or email to be added to our waiting list.)
Learn everything you wanted to know about sausage-making as our esteemed charcutier Julie demonstrates how to make a few of her favorite specialty sausages. Julie will talk about the process of making sausage, and give you tips and recipes for making your own at home. This informative evening will culminate with a tasting of Julie's creations, along with condiments, beers and wines. Note: This class is a demonstration, not a hands-on cooking class.
Sunday, March 14, 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, March 21, 5:30 pm: Local Yokels: The Best of the U.S., $35 per person.
Europe may have had a headstart when it comes to artisanal food traditions, but the U.S. is catching up in ways that are no less than thrilling. From Connecticut farmstead cheese to Minnesota honey to California beer, American artisans are producing foods that honor tradition but offer a distinctly New World perspective. Join Vince and Emily as we tour America and sample the best of the domestics.
Class Policies
Our schedule of classes is a living, breathing thing and we sometimes add new classes due to customer interest and we sometimes (rarely!) cancel a class due to low enrollment. If we must cancel a class, we will notify those who signed up and we will happily offer you a credit for another class of your choice.
If a class is sold out, you can still be added to a waiting list. If a spot opens up, we will call the people on our wait list in order.
Cancellation PolicyFor 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.