Livin' in the Blurbs: Health and Cheese!

Two movies in McMinnville next week talk about whole food nutrition from the perspectives of Dr. Weston Price, a dentist and researcher in the 30s, and Dr. Francis Pottenger, Jr., who founded a hospital specializing in the treatment of asthma and did a study of the effects of various diets on cats. Both are known for their promotion of diet as a way to "avoid the chronic degenerative diseases of civilization."

Details: Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well, Be Well: Empower Yourself, Your Family And Future Generations. Wed., Jan, 28; 6:30-8 pm; $8 pre-registered, $10 at door (seating is limited); admission includes buffet salad, pizza, drink. McMinnville Pizza Company, 326 NE Norton Ln., McMinnville. Phone 503-472-6550.

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More cheese education (and some lovely cheese tasting, too) at Kookoolan Farms with classes on making feta, hard cheeses, blue cheese and soft cheeses. Great for those wanting to start making cheese at home as well as those who like to watch and eat! Check the website for details.

• Sat., Feb. 7: Basic hard and aged cheeses, taught by winemaker Rudy Marchesi.
• Sat., Feb. 21: Making blue cheese taught by Mary Rosenblum, along with a tasting of eight great blues.
• Sat, Mar. 7: Basic soft cheeses taught by Gaston cheesemaker Scott Catino (right).

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Plan a trip down to sunny southern Oregon for the Fifth Annual Oregon Cheese Festival hosted by Rogue Creamery. There's a dinner on Friday evening, but the real draw is the market-style food and wine festival on Saturday where you can not only taste the amazing artisan cheeses made right here in Oregon, but meet the folks who make them.

Details: Fifth Annual Oregon Cheese Festival. Sat., Mar. 14, 10 am-5 pm; $5 entry fee includes tastings and demonstrations; $5 wine tasting fee includes a commemorative wine glass. Rogue Creamery, 311 N Front St, Central Point. Phone 866 -396-4704.