Standardized salt dissolved in sterile water is about as straightforward as it gets—brine made this way is designed to deliver consistent results. And yet, whether in pursuit of complexity or in the name of tradition or both, washed-rind affineurs all over the world have made choices that may threaten such consistency: using local natural salt, adding cultures, mixing or replacing water with other liquids, and more. While establishing an appropriate brine concentration for one’s wash is key, this, too, can vary among affineurs developing similar cheeses. What prompts these deviations? And how impactful are they, really? Daphne Zepos Teaching Award recipient Lilith Spencer has surveyed and visited washed-rind cheesemakers domestically and abroad to learn how these choices are made, how approaches differ between traditional and modern producers, and how brine-making practices can impact washed-rind quality.

Webinar starts at 8:30 PM EST/5:30 PM PST. The link to the webinar will be sent out an hour before the event.