I think that this book is going to be one day at This Ain't the Stilton. At 1400 words, I still have no plot but I feel confident that this isn't a problem. Today I mostly delved into Cara's professional development:
Cara had the distinction of being the head fromager at This Ain’t the Stilton. Not just any asshole can become a professional cheesemonger. She was an asshole, sure, but that isn’t the qualification that got her into fateful interview with Jackie Bauer after phoning the number that she found in the bathroom stall of a dive bar during a battle of the Labrador retriever cover bands night. Cara had gotten her professional cheesemonger certification from George Brown College Hospitality and Culinary Arts program, mostly as a joke after a friend’s husband had remarked after a drunken evening that she had “eaten a lot of cheese”.
The George Brown College Professional Cheesemonger Program was developed because an increasing number of consumers are becoming passionate about cheese, creating a demand for professionals who understand the history of cheese making and the methods used to produce the finest cheeses. Cara had particularly enjoyed coursework on theoretical aspects of cheese, although she was disappointed by how lacking the unit on postmodernism had been. As she developed her critical tasting skills—and a passion for talking about her critical tasting skills—she learned that she had quite an eye for curating cheese menus and pairings. An eye that got the attention of Jackie Bauer.
What a treat to read! I am sure I will be using this as inspiration when I eventually finally get around to writing my version of This Ain't The Stilton. I wonder how the picked the name for the program, "Professional Cheesemonger." Is it ironic, or not? Of all of the ways to refer to someone who enjoys cheese and ha an expertise in it, why this?
ReplyDeleteOh my god, I love the theoretical study of cheese. Too bad the George brown program was so lacking!!
ReplyDeleteI think we are all wondering if this is an accredited program. Maybe a pop-up Jack Kerouac School for Experimental Fromagery is where she can get the postmodern content she desires? Also... what about the Trent University community based research project entitled 'Cheese: the Local Scene'? And finally, obviously the real asshole in the excerpt is the husband who commented on how much cheese she ate.
ReplyDeleteI just ate a pile of cheese to prepare for reading your excerpt and it was an excellent pairing indeed! I like this character's approach to life - getting a professional certification as a joke. How much better our lives might be if we followed Cara's lead. More please!
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