In Praise of Biodiversity and Traditional Cheesemaking
By Thomas & Sally Camm-Artisan Made-Northeast

Occasionally in the life of a business an opportunity appears that seems too good to be true. This is surely what we thought when approached by respected television producer and documentary film maker, Patricia Thompson, about the possibility of Artisan Made-Northeast being one of the underwriters of her latest documentary, "The Cheese Nun."

As we learned more about the documentary from its makers, its content, scope and focus on the craft and science of cheese making and the future of the small farm, we felt compelled to assist the project in whatever way we could.

This fascinating piece chronicles the life of Sister Noella Marcellino, a Benedictine nun from Regina Laudis Abbey in Bethlehem, CT. Cheesemaker, Fulbright scholar and Ph.D in Microbiology (University of Connecticut), Sister Noella is a nationally recognized expert on the microorganisms associated with aging of traditionally made cheeses.

In this film, Sister Noella's sabbatical to France on a Fulbright to further her research on Geotrichum candidum (a fungus that grows on certain cheeses during early ripening and lends flavor and character), acts as the spring board for her revelatory collaboration with fellow researchers in France and poignant interactions with traditional French cheesemakers from the major regions.

Told with wit and intelligence by a master documentarian, Sister Noella's story mixes cutting edge science, the craft and art of traditional cheesemaking and great humanity.

One of the key messages of the "Cheese Nun" is about the importance of the bio-diversity of the tiny, microorganisms found on traditionally made cheeses and in the caves where they age. These organisms give cheeses their character and unique flavor profiles. In fact, Sister Noella's research links the particular configurations and strains of these microorganisms to a specific cheese, its aging room and individual farm. The film makes the point that the reason there are so many different cheeses in France (over 350 varieties) is because of the diversity of microorganisms that exist there.


(Bethlehem Cheese-St. Nectaire style)

This has great import for American cheesemakers. The American Cheese Society's Annual competition highlights the creativity of American cheesemakers and the wide variety of artisanal and farmstead cheeses available to the American public. Sister Noella's research findings support what many American cheesemakers intuitively know - that their cheeses, handcrafted using traditional methods, express the place from which they come.

This documentary is avalable online at the Abbey Of Regina Laudis Art Shop.

A fascinating addition to your food library!

Dutch Belted Cows Grazing-Abbey of Regina Laudis