Why is this woman smiling? She’s about to take the Certified Cheese Professional exam, concluding eight months of intensive study. At 65 (believe it or not), Erin Selby is not a typical CCP candidate, and her motivation isn’t typical either. Most people want the credential for career advancement. For Selby, passing the exam would cap a cheese journey that began more than four decades ago, with a college year in Switzerland. But her determination to master the subject really kicked into gear after an intimidating encounter with a cheese clerk.
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If your cheesemonger has a little broader smile these days, it could be because he or she has just passed the CCP exam. Like a bar exam for the cheese industry, the CCP (Certified Cheese Professional) quiz is a rigorous test of knowledge. Modeled loosely on programs like Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, the three-year-old credential encourages professionalism among the people who market and sell specialty cheese.
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