Although Sister Noella attended exclusive Sarah Lawrence College during the turbulent 1960s, she found herself seeking a life of simplicity, purpose, and closeness with God, and was attracted to the cloistered world of the Benedictine nuns of Bethlehem, CT, with their emphasis on values of service and manual labor. While working on the order's dairy farm, Sister Noella grew interested in cheese, ultimately becoming a "cheese microbiologist" (which ironically led her back to the university laboratory). Originally aired on PBS, The Cheese Nun, narrated by Sister Noella herself, follows her quest to perfect the ancient art and craft of cheese making, a journey that eventually takes her to France on a Fulbright Scholarship to visit the caves, isolated farms, and abbeys where cheese making has been elevated to a fine art. Sister Noella—who works with international research teams, attends seminars, and goes to cheese tasting competitions—describes the loving, highly local processes which give each cheese its unique flavor, discovering along the way the "soul" of both cheese and the French people. While this offbeat documentary is colorful, it's safe to say that many viewers will be more interested in Sister Noella's spiritual journey than the technical aspects of cheese making—as a result, viewer interest flags about half way through the film. Optional. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
The Cheese Nun
(2005) 60 min. VHS: $24.99 ($54.95 w/PPR), DVD: $29.99 ($59.95 w/PPR). PBS Video. Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 0-7936-9216-4 (dvd). Volume 21, Issue 5
The Cheese Nun
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