A writer named Jen Billock has turned to a rather unconventional method of telling the future. Instead of peering into tea leaves or seeing if the stars align, she uses cheese to make her predictions.
Jen Billock is a travel writer based in Chicago, and she is a self-proclaimed “Cheese Witch.” Reading cheese is actually an ancient practice known as tyromancy.
It dates all the way back to the second century and was used in medieval England to predict harvest seasons and determine whether people were innocent or guilty of a crime.
Billock had long been interested in fortune-telling. She started learning how to read tarot cards when she was just 15 years old. She learned about tyromancy during the pandemic, a time when many people were getting into new hobbies.
She specifically Googled “weird ways to tell fortunes with food.” From there, her interest in cheese divination was piqued. During her research into the topic, she found that one of the first mentions of cheese divination came from a second-century professional dream interpreter, Artemidorus Daldianus, who complained that the practice threatened the work of real diviners like himself.
Another record of tyromancy came from the French Renaissance writer, Francois Rabelais, in his 1653 work titled Gargantua and Pantagruel.
Billock practices tyromancy by examining the shape of the cheese, the number of holes, the pattern of mold, and more. The client must choose four pieces of cheese for her to read.
The first three pieces tell the past, present, and future, while the fourth pertains to a specific question.
According to Billock, the best cheeses to read are Asiago DOP, Manchego 1605, Bleu Mont Bandaged Cheddar, Bleu d’Auvergne, and Pleasant Ridge Preserve. They all have a lot of texture and variations, which helps make the message clearer.
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Aside from Billock’s way, there are other methods of reading cheese. For example, a cheese diviner could create a fondue-like dish where two cheeses are melted together in white wine or dry apple cider.
Next, a long stick may be used to dip a small bit of bread into the mixture. Then, the bread is removed from the cheese and brought next to a lit candle to see what kind of shape it casts onto the wall.
In the Middle Ages, some practitioners would write down the names of their love interests on separate pieces of cheese. The piece that molded first meant that was the person they should be with.
Billock notes that you don’t need to have special abilities to read cheese. Anyone can do it; they just have to tap into the energy of the cheese. She also reads other foods and beverages, including croissants, wedge salads, curry, beer, and wine. She claims that she can even read food that is blended up.
Currently, Billock is writing a book on tyromancy and offers readings online and in person. So, if you’re interested in knowing something about your future, give tyromancy a shot!
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
