Nun's Favorite Cheese: What's Her Preference?

Mother Noella, also known as the Cheese Nun, is a Benedictine nun at the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut. She is an expert cheesemaker and has earned a doctorate in microbiology from the University of Connecticut. She has also studied fungi in France on a Fulbright Scholarship, focusing on the positive effects of decay and putrefaction, as well as the odours and flavours of cheese.

Mother Noella's journey into cheesemaking began when she joined the abbey in 1973 as a college dropout. She developed an interest in cheesemaking after falling in love with a cow named Sheba, and learned the craft from a young Frenchwoman who visited the abbey and shared her grandmother's traditional cheese-making techniques. Mother Noella has since become a revered international authority on traditional cheesemaking and was featured in a PBS documentary called The Cheese Nun.

So, what is a nun's favourite kind of cheese? Well, Mother Noella's favourite cheese is a Mont d'Or—a raw-milk cheese made in the high valleys of the Massif du Mont d'Or on the border between France and Switzerland. This cheese is so magnificently molten when ripe that it must be held together by strips of local spruce.

Mother Noella, the Cheese Nun

Mother Noella Marcellino, born Martha A. Marcellino, is an American Benedictine nun who has earned a doctorate in microbiology from the University of Connecticut. She is based at the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut, where she is a revered international authority on traditional cheesemaking.

In 1977, Mother Noella began making raw milk cheese at the abbey, but her early attempts were not successful. She prayed for guidance and was soon taught by a young woman whose grandmother had taught her how to make Saint-Nectaire cheese. Mother Noella's early cheeses were made in a wooden whiskey barrel, and she fed many of her early attempts to the abbey's pigs.

In 1985, an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in California caused 29 fatalities, and the FDA cracked down on raw milk cheese production. Mother Noella's barrel was replaced with a stainless-steel vat, and she and three other nuns began studying for doctoral degrees in agricultural science at the University of Connecticut.

Mother Noella's interest in the microbiology of cheese ripening led her to win a Fulbright scholarship to France, where she studied native strains of fungi, particularly Geotrichum candidum, in traditional cheese caves. She spent three years analyzing her samples on a grant from the French government.

Mother Noella's work has been a boon for artisanal cheesemakers, helping to prove that the fungi that grow on raw milk cheeses protect against disease-causing pathogens and contribute to a diversity of flavours. She has been recognised for her work by the French food industry and the International Academy of Gastronomy, and she frequently advises the US cheese industry.

Despite her expertise and fame in the cheese world, Mother Noella would rather not be called the Cheese Nun. She sees herself in more scientific and spiritual terms: as an authority on cheese moulds, and as a singer of gospel and Gregorian chant.

The Abbey of Regina Laudis

The Abbey of Regina Laudis is a Benedictine cloister in Bethlehem, Connecticut, with a 360-acre farm. The Benedictin nuns gather seven times a day for prayer and the singing of the Psalms. The abbey is self-sustaining, with the nuns working as beekeepers, cowherds, and blacksmiths, and making their own pottery and herbal teas.

Mother Noella's Journey to the Abbey

Mother Noella was born in 1951 and left home in 1969. She attended Sarah Lawrence College but dropped out and joined the abbey in 1973. She took her final vows in 1985, pledging to remain at Regina Laudis for the rest of her life. She has said that she was initially attracted to the faith and obedience of the nuns, and their sense of freedom.

The Science of Cheese

Mother Noella's interest in the science of cheesemaking began when she was asked to make the abbey's cheese. She has said that "cheese is the collective memory of France" and that even the most extravagant rituals have a practical purpose.

The enzymes of microorganisms are extremely important in cheesemaking. Their metabolism breaks down the fat and protein in cheese and produces flavour. Mother Noella's research focused on the positive effects of decay and putrefaction, as well as the odours and flavours of cheese. She discovered that the moulds that form on the rind of fungal-ripened cheese create a whole microbial universe.

The Art of Cheese

As well as the science of cheesemaking, Mother Noella also appreciates its art. She has said that cheesemaking is like a kind of Eucharist, transforming simple materials into a transcendent food. She also compares the process of ripening cheese to prayer, repeating an ancient formula and then waiting for something extraordinary to happen.

The Abbey of Regina Laudis

The abbey was founded by Mother Benedict Duss, O.S.B. and Mother Mary Aline Trilles de Warren, O.S.B., both nuns of the Benedictine Abbey of Notre Dame de Jouarre in France. Mother Benedict, who grew up in Paris and studied medicine at the Sorbonne, became the first Abbess of the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in 1976 and the first nun in America to receive the abbatial blessing. The abbey has since grown to include about 40 nuns.

The abbey is known for its commitment to the arts, particularly Gregorian Chant, and its annual summer theatre productions. It is also home to an "exquisite museum-quality, 18th-century Neapolitan Crèche," as well as a Monastic Art Shop open to the public year-round, selling crafts and food made by the nuns, such as pottery, candles, woven goods, cheese, honey, and perfumes.

The abbey has a unique history, having been the subject of media attention in the 1970s and 1980s due to its association with Jesuit spiritual adviser Francis Prokes and certain lay communities, whose practices and behaviour were considered "cult-like". As a result of a Vatican investigation in the early 1990s, Prokes was forced to leave the abbey, and other restrictions were imposed.

One notable member of the Regina Laudis community is Sister Noella Marcellino, O.S.B., also known as "The Cheese Nun", an artisanal cheese maker with a doctorate in microbiology. She has specialised in the study of cheese, exploring the connection between cheesemaking and spirituality, and was featured in the PBS documentary "The Cheese Nun".

The Science of Cheesemaking

Cheesemaking is an ancient practice, dating back to the domestication of animals. It is a controlled process of removing water from milk, which increases its shelf life and concentrates its protein, fat, and other nutrients. This process involves coagulating the casein protein in milk and then separating the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. The liquid whey is drained away, and the curds are salted, shaped, and left to ripen in a controlled environment.

The cheesemaking process can be broken down into several steps. First, milk is pumped into a large tank and warmed to the right temperature. Beneficial bacteria are then added to the milk, which lowers the pH and prevents the growth of harmful organisms. The bacteria ferment the lactose in the milk, converting it into lactic acid. As the bacteria replicate and culture the milk, it coagulates and changes from a liquid into a firm, rubbery material. The curds are then cut into smaller cubes, and the whey is removed, further concentrating the milk components.

The curds are then transferred into molds to drain completely and to give the cheese its final shape. The treatment of the curds varies depending on the type of cheese being made. For soft, spreadable curds, they are ladled into bags to hang overnight and drain. For harder cheeses, the curds are shaped into wheels or large blocks and pressed or weighed down to remove additional whey and form the final cheese shape.

The ripening process is crucial to the development of flavour and texture in cheese. During this stage, bacteria break down the proteins, creating smaller pieces called amino acids, which can then be broken down further into highly flavoured molecules called amines. The longer the cheese is aged, the more complex the flavours become.

The type of bacteria and coagulation method used can also vary depending on the desired type of cheese. Mesophilic bacteria, which thrive at room temperature, are typically used for mellow cheeses such as Cheddar, Gouda, and Colby. On the other hand, thermophilic bacteria, which thrive at higher temperatures, are used for sharper cheeses like Gruyère, Parmesan, and Romano. For most cheeses, rennet, a mixture containing the enzyme chymosin, is added to speed up coagulation and produce a stronger curd.

Cheesemaking is a combination of science and craftsmanship. It requires an understanding of the impact of time and temperature, as well as the ability to "read" the cheese to determine when it is ready for the next step. The art of handling, timing, and modifying plays a crucial role in creating unique flavours and textures that delight consumers and form the basis for successful businesses.

Monastic Life

The monastic life is a way of life that involves every aspect of one's being. It is a response to a divine invitation from Jesus, a call to enter into the "kingdom of God". This call is addressed to those who wish to follow Jesus in a particular way, renouncing marriage, family life, and participation in typical social and economic structures. Monastic life involves a desire for solitude, usually experienced in a community of like-minded individuals, and is marked by celibacy and self-discipline. The purpose of this solitude is to free a person from distractions and self-absorption, thus facilitating knowledge of oneself and of God.

The monastic day is characterised by prayer, work, and community life. The day begins early, with vigils, the first service of the day, breaking the silent darkness. This is followed by lauds, the second service, which takes place as the new-born light breaks through the sanctuary windows. After lauds, monks return to their cells for "lectio divina", a basic monastic practice of reading and interpreting scriptures. The third service, terce, is then joined with the Mass, the heart of the monastic round. After Mass, the monastic day comes down to earth, with various tasks such as varnishing the teashop floor or tending to the laundry room. The monastic day continues with a balance of services, meals, and work, ending with compline, the seventh and final service of the day, which brings the monastic day to a close.

Monasticism, derived from the Greek "monachos" meaning "living alone", is a practice where individuals separate themselves from society, either by living as hermits or by joining a community of those with similar intentions. It is commonly celibate and ascetic, and is found in various religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Daoism. Monastics play a crucial role in creating, preserving, and enhancing institutions of religious and secular learning, as well as transmitting cultural goods and skills.

The Benedictine way of life, followed by nuns like Mother Noella, the "Cheese Nun", emphasizes the principle of ora et labora, or work and prayer. Saint Benedict valued manual labour and keeping the monks busy, believing that a monk is truly a monk if he lives by the work of his hands. Benedictine monasteries are often self-sustaining, with nuns and monks working as beekeepers, cowherds, blacksmiths, potters, and farmers. Monastic life, therefore, involves discovering one's true self, overcoming imperfections, and striving for spiritual perfection.

The History of Cheese

The production of cheese is believed to date back over 7,000 years, pre-dating recorded history. The earliest evidence of cheese-making has been found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) in Poland and Croatia, which are over 7,000 years old. Shards of holed pottery, hypothesized to be cheese-strainers, have also been found in Switzerland and date back around 8,000 years.

The exact origins of cheese-making are unknown, but it is believed to be closely related to the domestication of milk-producing animals, primarily sheep, which began 8,000-10,000 years ago. According to ancient records, cheese-making has been around for at least 4,000 years. An ancient legend attributes the discovery of cheese to an Arabian merchant who stored milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach during a journey across the desert. The rennet in the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curds and whey, creating cheese.

Cheese-making is also referenced in ancient Greek mythology, and evidence of cheese has been found on Egyptian tomb murals dating back over 4,000 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that cheese-making in Egypt dates back around 5,000 years, with the oldest known cheese from Egypt discovered in the Saqqara necropolis, dating back around 3,200 years.

During the time of the Roman Empire, cheese-making was a widespread and highly valued process, with hundreds of varieties of cheese being produced and traded. The Romans introduced cheese-making to England, and during the Middle Ages, the practice was further developed by monks in the monasteries of Europe. For example, Gorgonzola was made in Italy in 879 AD, and Italy became the cheesemaking center of Europe during the 10th Century.

Cheese-making continued to flourish in Europe and became an established food. The Pilgrims included cheese in their supplies when they made the voyage to America in 1620. The first cheese factory in the United States was built in 1851 by Jesse Williams in Oneida County, New York. As the population grew, the demand for cheese increased, and the industry gradually moved westward, with Wisconsin becoming a center for cheese production.

Today, cheese-making is a global industry, with mass-produced cheese becoming common and replacing hand-made and local cheeses. Britain has around 700 different cheese products, France has 50 protected cheeses, Italy has 52, and Spain has 26. Italy has at least 400 cheese varieties, and the United States has seen a growth in the production of farmstead and artisan cheeses in recent years.

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