In the News

Hamden's Wintergreen school children create cheese-inspired characters

April 4th, 2013

View Article at New Haven Register

Ingrid Ellinger-Doviak, head of the Wintergreen enrichment program, said the field trip was the result of character studies of children’s books by Roger Hargreaves. Hargreaves, who died in 1988, wrote and illustrated books featuring such characters as Mr. Tickle and Little Miss Sunshine. Ellinger-Doviak said pupils were inspired to create their own characters, and the theme they decided on was cheese.

So the students came to Caseus to present the staff with drawings of their extraordinary characters, with such powers as cheese tornadoes, Midas touch cheese-changing abilities, cheese lightning, chameleon cheese camouflage and cheese-powered rockets. “It was really cool the way we made our characters. I really loved it,” said second-grader Gracie Wilson. In exchange, the children received a cheese education of their own through the grilled cheese sandwiches Caseus cooks using 10 varieties.

 Lydia Casparie, head cheesemonger at Caseus, showed Gracie a block of blue cheese, and told her holes poked in the cheese allow in air, giving it a blue tint. “I don’t really like blue cheese,” Gracie said. “It’s just not my type.” But she liked learning about it and other types of cheese. Casparie brought out samples of Beemster Vlaskaas, a sweet Dutch cheese traditionally made to coincide with the flax harvest. She told the children how thecheese is made, how long it is aged, and then produced a 4-foot wheel. “I think it is important for kids to learn at a young age about food and the process of making them,” Casparie said. “And also about good, simple ingredients, not these overly processed things that are in the supermarkets these days. “Good food, happy person, happy brain,” Casparie said.

Caseus executive chef John Naughright said he and his staff opened early to feed the kids and see their cheesy characters. “We love being a part of the community. We pride ourselves on being a community-driven restaurant, with supporting local farms, local charter schools, foundations,” he said. “Anything we can support, we’re behind,” Naughright said. “Even if that means getting out of bed a little early. I got a little guy myself, a little younger than these ones here today, so I’m up early anyway. “Just a little extra early start this morning, but to see their smiling faces makes it worth it,” he said.

Caseus Restaurant and cheese shop co-manager John Glasses, left, with parent / chaperone Lauren Wilson for Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School of ACES in Hamden, listens to pupil Alanna (CQ) Davis of Hamden, 6, far right, make a presentation on her drawing of a children's book character involving cheese during a visit to the restaurant by a class led by Enrichment Teacher Ingrid Ellinger-Doviak (not in photo) of the Wintergreen School Tuesday March 26, 2013. Caseus fed the children grilled cheese sandwiches before they made their presentation at the restaurant. Photo by Peter Hvizdak / New Haven Register