Discovering Crumb & Rind: A Journey Through Artisanal Cheese, Community, and Connection

For lovers of artisanal food, the experience of eating is rarely just about sustenance; it is about the story, the science, and the community behind every bite. If you are looking to elevate your understanding and appreciation of cheese, Crumb & Rind is a project that deserves your immediate attention. Featured today on edelalon.com, we are taking a deep dive into this unique culinary venture that beautifully marries the world of artisanal cheese with storytelling, education, and genuine connection.

Whether you are a seasoned turophile (a connoisseur of cheese) or a curious beginner looking to move beyond standard supermarket cheddar, Crumb & Rind offers a welcoming, unpretentious, and highly engaging gateway into the world of curds and whey.

The Faces Behind the Rind

At the heart of Crumb & Rind is a trio of passionate founders: Eglantine Crumb, Aritz Rind, and Jennifer Tolliver. While Eglantine and Aritz maintain a bit of an air of mystery—respected for their privacy but deeply integral to the project’s foundation—Jennifer Tolliver serves as the vibrant public face and editor of the enterprise.

Jennifer’s background is as wonderfully complex and layered as an aged Alpine cheese. Before becoming a traveling lecturer, storyteller, and “sharer of snacks,” she walked a fascinating professional path. She has been a lawyer, a Navy linguist, a stay-at-home mom, a bartender, a baker, and a farmer. Her journey into the culinary arts deepened after her family started a farm, leading her to explore pickling and fermentation at the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School and with Farmbelly. Today, she works as a Cheesemonger, notably at the South End Formaggio Kitchen, bringing a wealth of real-world experience to every class she teaches.

“We host classes and seasonal feasts, pairing artisan cheese with everything from tarot to textile arts… putting together a thoughtful spread of cheese, charcuterie, and accompaniments.” — Jennifer Tolliver

The Little Olive Board: Virtual & Intimate Tastings

One of the most endearing and accessible offerings from Crumb & Rind is The Little Olive Board. Named after Jennifer’s tiny, scruffy dog and constant companion, Olive, this initiative was originally born out of a need to raise funds for Olive’s unexpected veterinary bills. It quickly blossomed into a beloved service that brings the cheese tasting experience directly into people’s homes.

Perfect for book clubs, a “Girls’ Night In,” family gatherings, or date nights, The Little Olive Board offers highly customizable, private cheese classes that normally last between 45 to 60 minutes via Zoom, Google Meet, or in person.

How The Little Olive Board Works:

1. Schedule: Fill out a simple booking form.

2. Acquire: Pick up your curated cheese selection from a local shop, have it shipped (e.g., from Formaggio Kitchen), or let Jennifer help you decide.

3. Prepare: Print out your personalized tasting menu.

4. Taste: Join the session and learn all about your delicious spread.

To give you an idea of how tailored these experiences can be, here is a breakdown of the customizable options available when you book:

A Roster of Incredible Boston-Area Classes

For those local to the Boston area, Crumb & Rind hosts a spectacular array of in-person classes. These events are thoughtfully curated, changing with the seasons to ensure the cheeses are tasted at their absolute peak. Partnering frequently with local institutions like Formaggio Kitchen (both Cambridge and South End locations), Trillium Fenway, Indie Ferm, and Farthest Star Sake, the classes go far beyond a standard wine-and-cheese night.

Here are just a few examples of the incredibly diverse educational experiences Crumb & Rind has curated:

• Melt It: Raclette and Fondue: A deep dive into the ultimate winter comfort foods.

• Cheese & Sake Pairing: An innovative exploration of umami flavor profiles.

• Sour Beer & Cheese: Discovering how the tartness of sour beers cuts through rich, fatty rinds.

• Brave the Caves: A recurring, adventurous class exploring deeply aged and cave-ripened varieties.

• Bring in the New Year, Bring in Da Funk: A playful, stinky-cheese-forward celebration.

• The Art of Ice Cream: Expanding beyond cheese to explore the science of tasting, flavor, small-batch ice cream, and gourmet toppings.

Every single class features a custom-made menu tailored to the season, the specific budget, and the personal preferences of the attendees, ensuring that no two tasting experiences are exactly alike.

Expanding Your Palate: Cheese History and Science

Beyond the physical classes and virtual tastings, the Crumb & Rind website serves as a rich, educational blog. Jennifer and the team delve deeply into Cheese Journeys, Food History, and Food Science. They don’t just tell you what a cheese tastes like; they tell you why it tastes that way and who brought it to your table.

If you read through their archives, you will find a treasure trove of information on specific regional cheeses. Here are some of the fascinating varieties they have highlighted:

• Irish Washed Rind (Durrus): The blog pays homage to the 1970s counterculture in West Cork, Ireland, highlighting pioneers like Veronica Steele who created Milleens and birthed the Irish farmhouse cheese industry.

• The Alpines (Comté & Gruyère): Celebrated as the ultimate “snow day” cheeses. These cooked-curd heavyweights from the borders of France and Switzerland are perfect for the coldest months.

• Vacherin Mont d’Or: The ultimate holiday season cheese. Crumb & Rind explains the science of its timing—it is only made in the colder months when alpine herds descend from high pastures and the milk becomes incredibly rich and fatty.

• Raclette: A winter classic that is as much an event as it is a food, perfect for melting over potatoes and cornichons.

• British Territorials (The Crumblies):

  • Pitchfork Cheddar: A West Country Farmhouse PDO Cheddar crafted by the renowned Trethowan Brothers.

  • Gorwydd Caerphilly: A beautiful Southern Welsh cheese that connects to Jennifer’s own Welsh coal-mining heritage.

  • Yoredale Wensleydale: A true farmhouse cheese from Curlew Dairy that rescues Wensleydale from its industrial, cranberry-studded supermarket reputation.

  • Kirkham’s Lancashire: A buttery, tangy, and uniquely “fluffy” cheese that is entirely distinct from standard cheddars.

A Culinary Education Waiting for You

Crumb & Rind is a testament to the fact that food is a connecting force. Through Eglantine Crumb’s field notes, Jennifer Tolliver’s warm expertise, and the inspiration of a scruffy little dog named Olive, this collective has built a welcoming platform for food education.

Whether you want to learn the intricate food science behind a washed rind, book a virtual “British Cheese” tasting for your next book club, or attend a “Brave the Caves” event in Cambridge, Crumb & Rind provides the perfect pairing of knowledge and flavor. They have managed to take the sometimes-intimidating world of artisanal cheese and make it accessible, engaging, and undeniably delicious.