The Joy of Cheesemaking

June 13, 2011
Casual nibblers will wonder at all the charts and formulas for calculating the proper amount of pressure to apply to a wheel of cheese and headings like "Properties of Mesophilic Starter Culture" in this cheesemaking guide. But after the detailed explanation of the cheesemaking process that opens the book, aspiring cheese mongers will find the information on making their very own queso blanco , Camembart or blue cheese fairly simple and straightforward. Farnham and Druat, who both work at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese, offer plenty of recommendations for small producers whose exceptional products are worth seeking out and the recipes that showcase a particular cheese's excellence. Once readers have procured the elusive St. Pete's Blue cheese from Faribault Dairy or the sublime Mt. Tam, a brie-style cheese from California's Cowgirl Creamery, they'll be able to create simple dishes like the grilled cheese sandwich that shows off Mt. Tam's excellence. It's this juxtaposition of the simple and complex that makes the book so enjoyable and lasting. Even if readers never attempt a homemade cheese, they'll walk away with a greater appreciation for the process as well as a great resource for the producers of America's finest cheeses.

February 15, 2011

Following Rita Ash's reassuring Cheesemaking: Self-Sufficiency, Skyhorse offers another volume on the topic, this one from a pair of authors who worked together at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese. This new title not only offers step-by-step instruction in the crafting of cheese but also goes beyond Ash's book to encompass cheese appreciation through lively profiles of artisan American cheese makers. This guide is aimed at all levels of readers, from hobbyists to professionals, but it will appeal more broadly to readers of food books. Farnham and Druart strike a good balance between the science of cheese making and love of cheese itself as they guide readers through calculations, sources for materials, explanations of outcomes at various stages of the process, and even wine or beer pairings. VERDICT This well-written guide with full-color illustrations is approachable, enthusiastic, and helpful. Recommended for collections where food books are popular.--Peter Hepburn, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2011
Brush up on Chemistry 101 and be prepared to master all kinds of new techniques, beginning with mesophilic and thermophilic starter cultures and including the creation of a cheese-aging environment in your own home. In between the scientific lingo and the critical procedures of learning about the art of cheesemaking come some great color photographs, a few dozen recipes (e.g., Texas cheese souffl', fromage flatbread), and introductions to rock star cheesemakers around the country that include personal histories, a cheese-featured dish or two, and contact information. And lest we lose sight of the end results, enjoying le fromage has its day in two chapters covering the how-tos of building a cheese board and pairings with wine or beer. The authorsone American, the other Frenchare affiliated with the Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese, one of a handful of similar accredited educational institutions in the U.S.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)