Linnea Burnham
Middlebury College
Project
The Art of Artisanal Cheese-Making: Exploring Cultural Continuity in a Global Context
Norway, England, Switzerland, Italy, South Africa, Brazil
As a Watson Fellow, I will examine how social, cultural, and economic forces shape cheesemakers’ lives. What is it about cheese that motivates individuals to take on hard, strenuous work with little financial reward? My year will involve working alongside producers, from those who uphold totally traditional methods to those who combine old techniques with modern technologies. I will begin to deepen my understanding of the passion that drives artisanal production as I explore the balance between a global outlook and the need for sustainable, regional food systems.