Laura Werlin proves once again that cheese really does make everything better — even beer
Author Laura Werlin, one of the foremost experts on cheese, co-leads a cheese and beer seminar with Anne Becerra during the Food & Wine Classic on Saturday, June 17, 2023, in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
When the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen asked part-time local “Cheezelady” Laura Werlin to return to the festival for its 40th anniversary with a seminar focused on cheese and beer pairing, she was skeptical.
“It wasn’t a preference on my part, beer versus wine,” she said. “This is the first seminar of its kind at the Classic, which is wild because the festival is called Food & Wine. I partnered with beer expert Anne Becerra, which is a good thing because I really don’t know much about beer. But I’ve learned and discovered that cheese and beer are a really great combination.”
Turns out Werlin and Becerra are a great pairing, as well, as their seminar, “All Aboard for Cheese & Beer: Take a Trip Through Europe’s Greatest Craft Beers and Artisanal Cheeses” proved.
Becerra, the beverage director for Treadwell Park, is the first female certified Cicerone in New York City. Cicerone is a designation given to hospitality professionals with proven experience in selecting, acquiring, and serving a wide range of beers. She was introduced at the seminar as “someone who is still shocked that she’s been able to turn her love of craft beer into a career.”
Author Laura Werlin, right with the phone, one of the foremost experts on cheese, co-leads a cheese and beer seminar with Anne Becerra during the Food & Wine Classic on Saturday in Aspen.Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Author Laura Werlin, right, one of the foremost experts on cheese, co-leads a cheese and beer seminar with Anne Becerra during the Food & Wine Classic on Saturday in Aspen.Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
For the seminar, Werlin first chose the cheese, and Becerra then chose the beer. They would taste the pairings and go back and forth on what…
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