Scholarship DetailsMurray’s Cheese will cover the full costs for one (1) person outside of Kroger and Murray’s to complete the following:

1. Participate in Murray's signature CCP training program (remote participation welcome)

2. Sit for the CCP exam

3. Attend the ACS conference (includes exam fees, conference attendance, & stipend to cover travel/accommodations)

Application ProcessOur internal application process for the CCP training program & scholarship is robust and reflects the learning environment and demanding workload candidates can expect to encounter in exam preparation. As such, the application incorporates several components, including:

• Personal Information – Applicant fills out form.

• Eligibility Requirements – Applicant fills out form.

• Personal Statement – Applicant writes personal statement (500 or fewer words), which should address the following:

o Why applicant is qualified to win the scholarship.

o What applicant’s intentions are in terms of career growth after the CCP exam.

o How applicant’s work and personal values align with Colin’s work ethic and vision (as described on the website).

• Reading Comprehension Exercise – Applicant reads article and summarizes in writing (400 words or less).

• Diagnostic Quiz – Applicant takes online diagnostic quiz modeled after the CCP exam (30 questions).

• Two (2) Letters of Recommendation – Applicant should provide one recommendation from a peer, and one recommendation from a supervisor/manager.

All items above should be submitted together. Please note that this application is the first step in applying to the Certified Cheese Professional® program. Once accepted by Murray’s & Kroger, there is an ACS-specific application to be submitted directly to the American Cheese Society. Acceptance to the Certification program is at the discretion of ACS.

If interested, please review the ACS Eligibility Requirements (p. 3-5), download and complete this application (including the online components), save the application file and submit to scholarship@murrayscheese.com.

Deadline Information• Fully completed application is due to Murray's and Kroger no later than March 6, 2020.

• Scholarship recipients will be notified the week of March 16, 2020.

• If awarded this scholarship, ACS application is due into ACS by March 31, 2020.

COLIN MING CCP SCHOLARSHIP

Application Components Checklist Be sure to complete each section of the application. You can use the below checklist to track your progress. Remember, only applicants who have completed all sections will be considered for the scholarship.

Eligibility Requirements Please see below for the Certified Cheese Professional® Exam Eligibility Requirements set by the American Cheese Society.

• High School Diploma / GED: Yes / No

• Meets Eligibility Requirements (below): Yes / No

Please provide the breakdown of your hours spent in the cheese industry (see guidance on P. 3-5):

Personal Information

ACS Eligibility Requirements

Personal Statement

Reading Comprehension

Diagnostic Quiz

Two (2) Letters of Recommendation

Application, P. 2

Application, P. 3-5

Application, P. 5

Application, P. 6-8

Online Quiz

n/a

COMPONENT LOCATION COMPLETE?

# Years Worked

APPLICABLE WORK EXPERIENCE

APPLICABLE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

Position Title Avg. Hrs/Week Total Hours Experience

School/Program Title Total Experience Hours

Name:

Current Employer & Title:

Location:

PREFERRED email:

Personal Information

GRAND TOTAL EXPERIENCE HOURS:

Requirements:Murray’s Cheese will cover the full costs for one (1) person outside of Kroger and Murray’s to complete the following:

1. High school or GED basic education, AND

2. Four thousand (4,000) hours documentable paid or unpaid work experience in the cheese profession during thepast six years. Acceptable and unacceptable examples are provided below.

OR

1. High school or GED basic education, AND

2. Two thousand (2,000) hours documented paid or unpaid work experience in the cheese profession during thepast six years, AND

3. Two thousand (2,000) hours of any combination of work experience and formal education, continuing education,or professional development. Acceptable examples of education/professional development are provided below.

Calculating Hours of Experience:4,000 hours = 40 hours/week x 50 weeks x 2 years = 2 years full time work equivalent, accumulated over the past six calendar years. If your job did not relate directly to cheese 100% of the time, then prorate your hours to reflect the time you actually worked with cheese.

Acceptable Work Experience:• Cheese-making/manufacturing

• Cheese sales or commerce (retail, wholesale, importing, exporting); includes sales/account representative or manager for food distributor

• Cheese-related writing, consultation or teaching at the professional level

• Trainer/educator in the cheese field

• Management of a cheese program or extensive work with cheese in a dining establishment

Unacceptable Work Experience:• Work unrelated to the cheese profession

• Purely administrative or supportive service in the cheese field (e.g. accounting, clerical, custodial)

All acceptable work experience should be reported in hours of actual employment (whether full-time or part-time). Fractional responsibility (i.e. working in an establishment where 50% of work is cheese-related) should be pro-rated appropriately. Employer name and dates of employment for each claimed work experience should be listed separately, totaling a minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 4,000 hours for this section of the application.

Detailed documentation need not be presented at time of application, but is subject to random audit.

AMERICAN CHEESE SOCIETYCCP MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Acceptable Formal Education, Continuing Education, or Professional Development:

Formal education includes credit-bearing college courses on cheese-related topics or those directly applicable to the cheese field (including cooking, gastronomy, dairy science, restauration) offered by accredited educational institutions (including universities, junior colleges, culinary schools, Wisconsin Cheese Master’s program, other agricultural degree programs on cheese making). There is no time limitation on this type of education; it may have been earned at any time in the past.

Continuing education includes short courses of varying length on cheese-related topics or those directly applicable to the cheese field which are generally non-credit bearing, offered by knowledgeable persons in the cheese profession. Programming at professional meetings is included in this category. A certificate of completion or other credential is generally provided as verification. Continuing education credit must have been earned within the past 6 years.

Certificate – Type Program Examples:• Cheese Boot Camp (Murray’s)

• Master Class (Artisanal)

• Cheese Studies Certificate Program (Boston U)

• Three Day Intensive Cheese Education Program (Cheese School of SF)

• Artisan Cheese Certificate Program (College of Marin)

• Cheese Education Guild Certificate programs (Toronto, Canada)

Internal training programs are generally offered within the context of full or part-time employment in the cheese industry, and count as Continuing Education hours in addition to regular working hours.

Other Educational Experiences Include:• Cheese education seminars

• Adult education programs

• Standalone classes

• Seminars at conferences

Professional development includes engaging in activities in the cheese profession (other than work experience reported above) that demonstrate professional knowledge or commitment. Professional development must have been completed within the past 6 years. Some examples include:

• Active mentoring of one or more developing cheese professionals

• Preparing and presenting occasional lectures or articles for professionals or public on cheese-related topics

• Teaching classes at any of the above-listed educational programs, if not creditable as “employment”

• Attainment of ServSafe or similar certification of competence in cheese or related area

• Presenting at industry conferences, either serving on panels, organizing panels, etc.

• Participation in educational sessions at an ACS or similar cheese-oriented conference

• Volunteer work/committees/task forces for ACS or similar cheese-oriented organization

• Serving on boards/committees at cheese related organizations (Cheese Guilds, ACS NASFT, Milk Marketing Boards, etc.)

• Writing books and articles on cheese-related topics published by a secondary source

• Media appearances on cheese-related topics

• Development of a cheese-related marketing plan

• Development of a new cheese-related product

• Development of a novel program (e.g. in-house Affinage, etc.)

All acceptable educational or professional development time should be reported in hours of actual classroom, service, or other activity time involved. Reasonable preparation time may be included in reported hours of involvement, as appropriate. Each activity should be reported separately, noting the name of the activity; provider, recipient of service, etc.; month and year of completion; and claimed hours. Hours claimed for this section may be between 0 and 2,000.

Detailed documentation need not be presented at time of application, but is subject to random audit.

Personal StatementIn 500 or fewer words, please describe why you should be considered for the Colin Ming CCP scholarship, addressing the following questions:

• Why are you qualified to win the scholarship?

• What are your intentions in terms of career growth after the CCP exam?

• How do your work and personal values align with Colin’s work ethic and vision

(as described on this website)?

Reading Comprehension AssignmentPlease read the following article from Cheese Connoisseur. In 400 or fewer words, please:

• Provide 3 attributes that make Greek Feta unique.

• Outline the requirements for a cheese to qualify as a PDO Greek Feta.

• Discuss how you would describe Greek Feta to a customer to influence a sale.

Feta cheese has been a part of Greece for nearly as long as humanity itself. It comes from the very first cheese around 8,000 years ago, which was made soon after people began domesticating animals. Historians believe that milk began to ferment while being transported in the stomach of a goat or sheep. The shepherds noticed that the new product lasted much longer than fresh milk—and cheese was born.

The first written mention of Feta appears in Homer’s Odyssey, which dates from near the end of the 8th century BC. The protagonist Ulysses ventures to visit the cave of Polyphemus, also known as the Cyclops. When he arrives, he finds all the evidence of cheesemaking in action:

“We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding. We went inside the cave and looked around. It was astonish-ing—crates full of cheese, pens crammed with livestock-lambs and kids sorted into separate groups, with yearlings, older lambs and newborns each in different pens. All the sturdy buckets, pails and milking bowls were awash with whey. Next, Polyphemus curdled half the white milk, and gathered it in wicker baskets and laid it away.”

The Cyclops is the mythical grandfather of Feta cheese. Since then, this favorite has been at the center of Greek cuisine, culture and life.

The word “Feta” means slice or slab in Greek. That term originated in the 17th century—before then, Feta was just called “cheese” in Greece—and refers to the tradition of slicing up cheese and placing it in barrels, a practice that continues to this day. Brining is an essential part of what makes Feta unique. The cheese is traditionally made with sheep’s milk, although up to 30 percent of the milk can come from goats. Feta has a tangy, fresh and briny flavor and a creamy yet crumbly texture. Sheep’s milk imparts a buttery richness, and goat’s milk adds acidity.

Rachel Juhl, chief educator and trainer at Brooklyn, NY-based Essex St. Cheese, has been immersed in Feta since well before the cheese importer and wholesaler launched its own Greek Feta in 2013. “It was a three-year process, which involved learning a ton and visiting many different producers,” she recalls. “It fit with our mission to find cheeses that are misunderstood in the marketplace—we find the truly authentic version.” That described Feta perfectly, a cheese that is often seen only as a vehicle for salt and texture in a salad or an omelet. Instead, Essex St. Cheese wanted to celebrate the artisanal version of one of the world’s most ancient cheeses.

That version of its Feta comes from Agra on the island of Lesbos, where it is crafted by third generation cheesemaker M. Tastanis. The Feta is made every day between mid-December and the end of July when the sheep graze on fresh grasses, herbs and wildflowers, with a combination of chilled evening milk and fresh morning milk. After the milk is pasteurized, it is

Greek Feta: A Cheese as Old as HumanityDiscover how this age-old favorite came about and the qualities that make it so unique

cooled down, and a spoon of yogurt, a starter culture and animal rennet is added. Soon, it develops a creamy texture, and the curds are cut into cubes, salted and pressed for 30 minutes, then salted again on each side for several hours. The curds are thumb-sized, which is what allows the cheese to so easily crumble. It’s almost the exact same process that the Cyclops used thousands of years ago.

The cheesemaker controls the content of the brine, what kind and how much salt is used, and how often the brine is changed. “Salt is another ingredient that affects the flavor,” says Juhl. Tastanis changes the brine weekly so that the Feta does not sit in its own whey, as salt pulls the whey out of the cheese.

Sheree Cardoos, who now runs Cardoos McKenna Marketing in San Francisco, worked as the president of Mt Vikos for 10 years before selling the company to Blue Marble. She still works with the brand as a broker. At Mt Vikos, which sells PDO Greek Feta, the cheese come from the milk of sheep and goats (they use about 15 percent goat’s milk) that graze on fresh grasses and herbs in the mountains of Thessaly. This “gives the milk the extra wonderful flavor and quality,” according to Cardoos.

They never use add calcium chloride or whey powder, common additions to cow’s milk Feta, or use commodity milk or whey powder. Made in a traditional manner, Mt Vikos’ Feta is crafted in 20-pound rounds, then stacked five tall in a Beachwood barrel and covered with brine. The cheese is then cellared for four months, which allows the flavor to develop into something complex, robust and toothsome. “Cheese right out of the barrel is fabulous,” exclaims Cardoos. “The most delicious thing I’ve had.”

After 16 years of court battles with Germany and Denmark, which make their own cheese that they wanted to be able to call Feta, the European Union granted name-protected PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status to Greek Feta in 2002. Other countries were given five years to rename their cheeses or stop production. Sometimes called “white gold,” it is one of the country’s most important exports.

“With the economic crisis, advocating for unique stories and history, instead of assuming everyone knows, became extra important for Greece,” Juhl explained. Its history, tradition and geographic location distinguish Greek Feta from its cousins around the world. “The flora really sets it apart from everywhere else in the Mediterranean,” Juhl adds. “There are more than 6,000 species of natural flora that are endemic—they only exist in Greece.”

To receive the PDO, Feta can be made in one of seven regions: specific prefectures on the mainland and the islands of the Peloponnese; Thessalia; Epirus; Macedonia; Thrace; and Lesbos. Feta is produced from breeds of sheep and goat traditionally grown and fed in these areas and whose diet is based on its natural flora. PDO Feta must be made with only sheep’s milk—and maybe some goat’s milk—rennet and salt. Feta is matured for at least 60 days and cannot contain antibiotics, preservatives, additives and/or food coloring. Cow’s milk “Feta” is often dyed to create the natural white color of sheep and goat’s milk cheese.

“Most people know Feta as the dry, salty, crumbly stuff that goes on a Greek salad,” says Cardoos. “What they’re buying, is cow’s milk domestic Feta, often pre-crumbled,” and not the real deal. As for the real thing, it’s uniquely clean, sweet-tart and full-bodied. Only about 2 percent of all Feta consumed in the United States is actually made in Greece.

Feta is a quintessential part of life in Greece—the average Greek person consumes about 50 pounds each year, and 70 percent of the cheese Greeks eat is Feta. In the U.S., Feta is most often served in Greek salads, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to delicious ways to enjoy the cheese. Tossed into a refreshing salad with watermelon and mint, Feta’s savory notes highlight the fresh sweetness of the fruit.

Use it as a topping for pizza or bruschetta—a pizza with fresh tomato, olives, artichokes and Feta is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It’s the perfect addition to meat and cheese pies, adding a great and creamy bite. Grilled veggies and Feta in foil is an excellent meatless meal or a summer side. Feta is also a good friend to eggs, whether it’s mixed into an omelet with spinach, scrambled into breakfast eggs with fresh herbs or added to a frittata.

“I love marinating Feta in good olive oil, fresh thyme, oregano and peppercorns,” Cardoos explains. “Throw that on bread,

and it’s heaven.”

But the very best way to serve Feta harkens back to its name—as a slab, just as it is. “There is always a slab of Feta on the table,” Juhl says of her visits to Greece, with meals served family-style. “It goes with lamb, fresh veggies and pretty much everything.” Pair Feta with soft red wines, like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais, and crisp white wines, including Sauvignon Blanc and bubbly Cava.

Response: