Contents at a Glance Foreword ....................................................................xxi Introduction ................................................................ 1 Part I: Getting to Know Cheese ..................................... 7 Chapter 1: A Crash Course in Cheese .............................................................................9 Chapter 2: Tracing Cheese from Farm to Table ...........................................................17 Chapter 3: A Hard Look at Soft Cheeses .......................................................................39 Chapter 4: Grate Tastes: Hard Cheeses ........................................................................59 Part II: Choosing and Serving Cheese .......................... 73 Chapter 5: Using the Senses to Taste and Learn about Cheese.................................75 Chapter 6: Purchasing Pointers .....................................................................................85 Chapter 7: Serving and Storing Cheese .........................................................................95 Part III: Cheese Around the World .............................109 Chapter 8: The Americas ..............................................................................................111 Chapter 9: The British Isles and Ireland .....................................................................135 Chapter 10: France .........................................................................................................147 Chapter 11: Italy .............................................................................................................165 Chapter 12: Spain, Portugal, and Other Mediterranean Countries..........................179 Chapter 13: The Rest of Europe ...................................................................................197 Chapter 14: Off-the-Map Cheesemaking ......................................................................213 Part IV: Eating, Drinking, and Cooking with Cheese ... 229 Chapter 15: Making Cheese the Life of the Party .......................................................231 Chapter 16: HavingCOPYRIGHTED a Drink with Your Cheese ...........................................................245MATERIAL Chapter 17: Cooking with Cheese, Pt. 1: Appetizers, Salads, and Sides .................263 Chapter 18: Cooking with Cheese, Pt. 2: Main Dishes and Desserts .......................289 Chapter 19: Making Cheese at Home ...........................................................................317 002_9781118099391-ftoc.indd2_9781118099391-ftoc.indd ixix 33/28/12/28/12 33:37:37 PMPM Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................... 331 Chapter 20: Ten of the World’s Most Bizarre Cheeses .............................................333 Chapter 21: Ten of America’s Most Influential Artisanal Cheesemakers ................339 Chapter 22: Ten Cheese Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss .............................................345 Chapter 23: Ten Cheese Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss .............................................351 Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide ........................... 357 Index ...................................................................... 361 002_9781118099391-ftoc.indd2_9781118099391-ftoc.indd x 33/28/12/28/12 33:37:37 PMPM Recipes at a Glance Condiments Buttermilk-Oat Crackers ...............................................................................................241 Caramelized Shallots in Port Wine ..............................................................................244 Cherry Preserves ...........................................................................................................242 Chile-Citrus Olives .........................................................................................................240 Beverages Blueberry Cobbler .........................................................................................................262 The SweetWater .............................................................................................................261 The Widow’s Kiss ...........................................................................................................260 Appetizers Comté Wafers .................................................................................................................267 Crispy Cheese Croquettes ............................................................................................268 Gougères .........................................................................................................................270 Queso Fundido con Pollo ..............................................................................................269 Salads and Soup Bistro Salad with Poached Egg and Parmigiano-Reggiano .......................................276 Fennel, Tangerine, and Hazelnut Salad with Crottin .................................................278 Nectarine, Prosciutto, and Arugula Salad with Crescenza Toasts ..........................272 Salad Greens with Roasted Pears, Cornbread Croutons, and Camembert Dressing ...........................................................................................274 Sopa de Quinoa ..............................................................................................................280 Side Dishes Grilled Asparagus with Chèvre and Orange Zest .......................................................281 Haricot Verts and Miniature Tomatoes with Bocconcini .........................................284 Israeli Couscous with Preserved Lemon, Sugar Snap Peas, Feta, and Mint ...........282 Pan-Roasted Wild Mushrooms over Cheddar Polenta with Pumpkinseed Oil ......286 Wood-Roasted New Potatoes with Délice du Jura and Black Truffle Oil ................285 002_9781118099391-ftoc.indd2_9781118099391-ftoc.indd xixi 33/28/12/28/12 33:37:37 PMPM Main Dishes Blue Cheese and Potato Tartlets .................................................................................302 Broiled Gruyère Sandwiches with Maple-Caramelized Apples ................................298 Chicken Cacciatore with Ricotta Salata ......................................................................293 Farmstead’s Cheesemonger Mac ’n’ Cheese ..............................................................294 Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone, Pistachios, and Raspberries ............................307 Grilled Sausages with Grapes, Wilted Greens, and Pecorino Romano ...................296 New Classic Cheese Souffle ..........................................................................................304 Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones ....................................................................299 Sheep Milk Ricotta Gnocchi with Fresh Peas, Spring Onions, and Bacon ..............290 Stinky Cheese Omelet with Herb Topping ..................................................................300 Desserts Aged Gouda and Walnut Biscotti .................................................................................308 Dried Apricot-Goat Cheese Tart...................................................................................312 Ginger-Poached Pears with Roquefort-Honey Ice Cream .........................................314 Rhubarb-Brown Sugar Cake with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote and Crème Fraiche ......................................................................................................310 Cheese Chèvre .............................................................................................................................326 Crème Fraiche ................................................................................................................325 Mozzarella .......................................................................................................................328 Ricotta .............................................................................................................................324 002_9781118099391-ftoc.indd2_9781118099391-ftoc.indd xiixii 33/28/12/28/12 33:37:37 PMPM Table of Contents Foreword .....................................................................xxi Introduction ................................................................. 1 About This Book ..............................................................................................1 Conventions Used in This Book .....................................................................2 What You’re Not to Read ................................................................................2 Foolish Assumptions .......................................................................................2 How This Book Is Organized ..........................................................................3 Part I: Getting to Know Cheese ............................................................3 Part II: Choosing and Serving Cheese ..................................................4 Part III: Cheese Around the World .......................................................4 Part IV: Eating, Drinking, and Cooking with Cheese ..........................4 Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................................................4 Icons Used in This Book .................................................................................5 Where to Go from Here ...................................................................................5 Part I: Getting to Know Cheese ......................................7