Cheese For Dummies

Cheese
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
Cheese
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by culture: the word on cheese,
Laurel Miller, Thalassa Skinner
Foreword by Chef Ming Tsai
Chef/owner of Blue Ginger and host of Simply Ming
Cheese For Dummies®
Published by
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data
Cheese for dummies / Culture Magazine : The Word on Cheese, Laurel Miller, Thalassa Skinner.
Includes index.
1. Cheese. 2. Cheesemaking. I. Miller, Laurel, 1969– II. Skinner, Thalassa III. Title: Culture magazine.
SF271.C44 2012
641.3’73
C2011-907378-1
ISBN 978-1-118-09939-1 (pbk); 978-1-118-14551-7 (ebk); 978-1-118-14552-4 (ebk); 978-1-118-14553-1 (ebk)
Printed in the United States
1 2 3 4 5 RRD 16 15 14 13 12
About the Authors
Laurel Miller is a Western U.S.-based food and travel writer, contributing
editor at culture: the word on cheese, and culinary educator and owner of
The Sustainable Kitchen. She grew up on a small California ranch raising
dairy goats and a menagerie of other animals, which is what inspired her to
teach people about sustainable agriculture and seasonal eating. When not
writing or working part-time in a cheese shop, Laurel can be found indulging
her street food obsession in the back alleys of the world. She is lactose
intolerant.
Thalassa (Lassa) Skinner works as a cheesemonger in Napa, California,
where she spends much of her time pairing local wines and beers with
cheeses and infusing everyone she meets with the glories of cheese. She is a
founder/owner of culture: the word on cheese and teaches classes at the San
Francisco Cheese School and other venues throughout the Napa Valley and
beyond. A dual citizen of both the United States and Australia, Lassa also has
a home in South Australia’s Barossa Valley and may be the only person on
earth who has managed, promoted, and helped grow farmers’ markets on
two continents. Her dog Samantha (who is, in fact, an Aussie) has a distinctly
cheese-centric palate and, though partial to camembert, has learned to
accept that even she will have to wait until kidding season is complete before
she can savor local goat milk cheeses again.
culture: the word on cheese, the first consumer magazine about cheese, and
its website, www.culturecheesemag.com, was founded in 2008. Cheese
embodies comfort yet oozes mystery. It conjures a better place and time,
green swaths, happy cows, and ancient know-how. New cheesemakers
appear each year. Shoppers seek wider selections of cheeses from specialty
stores to supermarkets. The dizzying range of offerings comes from cow,
goat, sheep, buffalo, or rarer animals’ milks, aged and fresh. Yet while we
love it, we barely know it. That’s why culture magazine serves up the notable
and obscure, with pairings and recipes, gorgeous photography, and introductions to dedicated farmers, makers, and mongers around the world. It’s why
culture is the word on cheese!
Authors’ Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the following people, without whom this book
would not have been possible:
To Tracy Barr, editor extraordinaire, for turning this into something we can be
proud of, as well as for your patience, good humor, and talking us off the ledge
more than once. To everyone at culture magazine for supporting this project
(even when dubious) and helping us see it through to the very end: Kate
Arding, Stephanie Skinner, Elaine Khosrova, Eilis Maynard, and Will Fertman. A
special shout-out to a group of women who went the extra mile: Michele
Buster, Cecile Delannes, Ursula Heinzelmann, Sheri LaVigne, Tami Parr, and
Daphne Zepos. Thank you for putting up with us and our hundreds of e-mails!
And an extra special thanks to Kate Arding, who willingly shared her considerable expertise and feedback when we most needed her, and provided the
photography.
At Wiley: Anam Ahmed, Erika Zupko, and Lindsay Humphreys. And Robert
Hickey—without whom this book would never have happened.
And to everyone else who provided expert advice, translation, support, contacts, recipes, or book contributions: Martin and Sarah Aspinwall, Barbara
Backus, Joshua Bernstein, Josepha Bertolini, Giana Ciancio, Kathleen Cotter,
Olivier Charbonneau, Bryan Dayton, Laure Dobouloz, Gordon Edgar, Jody
Farnham, Will Fertman, Janet Fletcher, Camilla Ferenczi, Natalie Fryar,
Jennifer Giambroni, Bryce Gilmore, Lionel Giraud, Malcolm Griffiths, Laurie
Gutteridge, Ryan Hardy, Caroline Hostettler, Konrad Huesser, Ricardo
Huijon, Christine Hyatt, Steve Jenkins, Mary Karlin, Paul Kinstedt, Betty
Kloster, Jen Kruch, Andy Lax, Leah Mayor, Eilis Maynard, Max McCalman,
Rebekah McCaul, Neville McNaughton, Drew Neiman, Patricia Michelson,
Hilary Miller, Dr. Robert M. Miller, Lora Lea Misterly, Jeanne Rodier, Mark
Roeland, Rebecca Sherman-Orozco, Fons Smits, Adam Spannaus, Cathy
Strange, Bobby and Danette Stuckey, Will Studd, Ellen Sutton, Suzanne Swan,
Ming Tsai, Juliana Uruburu, Bart van Kessel, Nancy Vineyard, Laura Werlin,
Sarah Zaborowski, and Red Herring Design.
Laurel Miller wishes to thank: My family, for believing in my writing (P.S.
Mom, the book is finished!); culture magazine for bringing me aboard this
project; Sheri LaVigne of The Calf & Kid, for her mentorship, knowledge, and
time. Grant Martin for tolerating my low output during the completion of this
book; Charles Thoeming for his always sage advice; Juliana Uruburu, who
told me about culture from the very beginning; and Sean, for everything else.
Lassa Skinner wishes to thank: My cheesemongering best man, Ricardo
Huijon; my culture-d partners, who make everything happen; Michael Blum,
for making that crucial decision that led to the book’s contract; Tony Bogar,
whose support and sage words helped at crucial times; my ever-eager and
forward-driving family; John Skovgaard, for listening and providing calm
amidst the storm; Ellen Sutton, who had beer, wine, and grilled lamb ready
when most necessary; and my wise, wonderful cheese industry mates who
always listen, lend hands, and are there when needed most.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For
other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Vertical
Websites
Editors: Robert Hickey, Anam Ahmed
Project Editor: Tracy L. Barr
Production Editor: Lindsay Humphreys
Editorial Assistant: Kathy Deady
Technical Editors: Kate Arding, Daphne Zepos
Recipe Tester: Emily Nolan
Nutrition Analyst: Patricia Santelli
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Kristie Rees
Layout and Graphics:
Joyce Haughey, Sennett Vaughan Johnson,
Corrie Niehaus, Lavonne Roberts
Proofreaders: Bryan Coyle, Susan Moritz,
Lisa Stiers
Indexer: Rebecca R. Plunkett
Photos: Kate Arding,
culture: the word on cheese
Cover photo: © iStock/ rolfbodmer
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Deborah Barton, Vice President and Director of Operations
Jennifer Smith, Publisher, Professional & Trade Division
Alison Maclean, Managing Editor, Professional & Trade Division
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Kathleen Nebenhaus, Vice President and Executive Publisher
Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director
Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
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: Having a Drink with Your Cheese............................................................ 245
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
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
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
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
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
Chapter 1: A Crash Course in Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Accidents Happen: How Cheese Came to Be................................................ 9
From oops!. . ......................................................................................... 10
. . . To ahhh!........................................................................................... 10
Hankering for a hunk of cheese: The cheese industry today.......... 10
Key Things to Know about Cheese............................................................... 12
It’s alive!................................................................................................. 12
Styled out............................................................................................... 12
It has its own language: Speaking cheese geek................................. 13
You can enjoy it in a variety of ways.................................................. 14
Cheese! To Your Health................................................................................. 15
Budget Travel: Exploring the World through Cheese................................ 16
Chapter 2: Tracing Cheese from Farm to Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Got Milk — And What Kind? Understanding Cheese’s Key Ingredient.... 17
White gold: A quick look at milk’s composition............................... 18
Examining the three main milks used in cheesemaking.................. 19
Making Cheese................................................................................................ 23
Smart starter: Heating the milk and adding the starter culture..... 25
Curd is the word: Letting the fluid milk coagulate........................... 26
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Cheese For Dummies
Placing the curds in forms and draining the whey........................... 27
Worth its salt: Applying or adding salt.............................................. 28
Ripe for the picking.............................................................................. 29
Exploring Cheese Styles................................................................................. 31
Getting cultured: Bacteria and mold.................................................. 31
Rinding your business.......................................................................... 32
Where in the World?...................................................................................... 34
Digging into the importance of terroir............................................... 34
Demystifying designations................................................................... 35
Chapter 3: A Hard Look at Soft Cheeses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Soften Up: Understanding the Soft Cheese Basics..................................... 40
Getting Fresh................................................................................................... 41
Whey to go! Fresh cheese from leftovers.......................................... 43
Pasta filata: Stringy, stretchy, fresh cheeses.................................... 43
Surface-Ripened Soft Cheeses....................................................................... 44
Bloomy-rind soft cheeses: Fluffy, furry, velvety rinds..................... 45
Washed-rind soft cheeses: An odiferous array................................. 47
Mold-ripened: Wrinkly soft cheeses................................................... 49
A Semi-Softie at Heart..................................................................................... 50
Pressed, brined, and dry-salted fresh semi-soft cheeses................ 50
I’m (not) melting! Fresh semi-soft cheeses that stay in shape........ 51
Semi-soft rindless cheeses full of buttery flavors............................. 52
Down to earth: Mushroomy, grassy-tasting semi-softs.................... 53
Semi-soft washed rinds........................................................................ 53
Feeling Blue..................................................................................................... 55
Mellow blues.......................................................................................... 55
Blues with attitude................................................................................ 56
High octane blues................................................................................. 57
Chapter 4: Grate Tastes: Hard Cheeses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Hard to Beat: Understanding the Basics...................................................... 59
Going Topless: A Rundown of Rindless Hard Cheeses.............................. 61
It’s better buttery and mild................................................................. 61
Going mild for rindless cheeses.......................................................... 62
Looking at Natural-Rind Hard Cheeses........................................................ 63
Buttery cheeses with natural rinds.................................................... 63
Earthy natural rind delights................................................................ 64
Natural-rind nutty cheeses.................................................................. 65
Bursting with flavor: Sharp natural-rind cheeses............................. 65
Washed-rind and Wonderful Cheeses.......................................................... 66
Nice and nutty....................................................................................... 67
Slightly stinky cheeses......................................................................... 68
Trying Out Coated-rind and Clothbound Hard Cheeses........................... 68
Coated-rind cheeses with a nutty flavor............................................ 69
Sharp to earthy coated-rind cheeses................................................. 70
Sweet, butterscotchy coated-rind cheeses....................................... 71
Table of Contents
Part II: Choosing and Serving Cheese............................ 73
Chapter 5: Using the Senses to Taste and Learn about Cheese. . . . . . 75
Discovering What You Like and Don’t Like................................................. 76
Evaluating the Characteristics of Cheese.................................................... 77
Using your common sense(s).............................................................. 77
Ten “technical” (if sometimes odd) terms used
to describe cheese............................................................................ 78
Finding the Cheese You Like, with or without
a Cheesemonger’s Help.............................................................................. 80
Going local............................................................................................. 80
Browsing the cheese section at your grocery store........................ 81
Taking the Cheese Challenge........................................................................ 81
Chapter 6: Purchasing Pointers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Where to Buy: Exploring Your Options....................................................... 85
What’s in store...................................................................................... 85
Online offerings..................................................................................... 87
To market, to market: Buying direct.................................................. 89
When to Buy: The Best Time to Buy Certain Cheeses............................... 91
What to Buy: Making Your Dairy Dollars Count......................................... 93
Counter proposal: Having a dialogue with your cheesemonger.... 93
Telling the difference between a cheese
that’s ripe and past its prime.......................................................... 94
Chapter 7: Serving and Storing Cheese. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Cheesy Accessories: All about Knives and Boards.................................... 95
Knifestyles of the rich and famous..................................................... 96
Chairman of the board......................................................................... 97
Serving Basics................................................................................................. 99
Cutting to the chase............................................................................. 99
Serving it at the ideal temperature................................................... 101
Putting together a cheese plate........................................................ 101
Arranging your items: General principles....................................... 102
On the Road or in the Cupboard: Storing and
Traveling with Cheese.............................................................................. 105
Putting your cheese to bed: Successful storage............................. 105
Tips for traveling with cheese........................................................... 107
Part III: Cheese Around the World.............................. 109
Chapter 8: The Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
American Cheese, Please............................................................................. 111
The West Coast................................................................................... 113
The Pacific Northwest........................................................................ 115
The Southwest and the Rockies........................................................ 119
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Cheese For Dummies
The Midwest........................................................................................ 120
The South............................................................................................. 122
The Northeast and New England...................................................... 123
Oh, Canada!................................................................................................... 125
British Columbia................................................................................. 127
Alberta and Ontario............................................................................ 128
Quebec and the Maritimes................................................................ 129
Mexican Cheeses: Taste and Tradition...................................................... 130
Getting Fresh in Central and South America............................................. 132
Chapter 9: The British Isles and Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Oh, Britannia! Cheeses of the United Kingdom........................................ 135
Key characteristics of British cheeses............................................. 136
The Southwest and West................................................................... 139
The Southeast and East..................................................................... 140
The Midlands....................................................................................... 141
The North of England and the Borders............................................ 142
Cheeses from Scotland and Wales.................................................... 143
Cheeses from the Emerald Isle................................................................... 144
Chapter 10: France. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Fancying France............................................................................................ 147
Becoming the King of Cheese............................................................ 148
Shopping for French cheeses in the States..................................... 148
Cheeses from the North............................................................................... 150
Île-de-France and its fabulous cheeses............................................ 150
Normandy’s cheeses.......................................................................... 153
Cheeses from Western France.................................................................... 154
Loire Valley.......................................................................................... 155
Pays Basque......................................................................................... 156
Cheeses from the South and Southeast..................................................... 157
Midi-Pyrenees...................................................................................... 158
Auvergne.............................................................................................. 158
Rhône-Alpes and Haute-Savoie......................................................... 159
The cheeses of Corsica...................................................................... 160
Cheeses from Eastern France..................................................................... 161
Burgundy............................................................................................. 161
Champagne.......................................................................................... 162
Alsace-Lorraine................................................................................... 163
Franche-Comté.................................................................................... 164
Chapter 11: Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Cheeses from the North............................................................................... 166
Valle d’Aosta and Piedmont.............................................................. 167
Lombardy............................................................................................. 168
Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto....................................................... 169
Table of Contents
Cheeses from Central Italy.......................................................................... 172
Emilia-Romagna................................................................................... 172
Tuscany................................................................................................ 174
Cheeses from Southern Italy....................................................................... 175
Campania............................................................................................. 175
Puglia/Sardinia and Sicily.................................................................. 176
Chapter 12: Spain, Portugal, and Other Mediterranean
Countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Simply Spain.................................................................................................. 179
Cheese regions in the north.............................................................. 181
Cheeses of the Basque Country........................................................ 184
Cheese from central and southern Spain........................................ 185
Spain’s island cheeses........................................................................ 187
Portugal.......................................................................................................... 188
A thorny situation: Thistle rennet.................................................... 190
North and central Portuguese cheeses............................................ 190
Cheeses from southern Portugal...................................................... 191
The Magnificent Mediterranean................................................................. 192
Turkish cheese, please....................................................................... 192
Greece.................................................................................................. 194
Hello, halloumi: A famous Cypriot cheese....................................... 195
Chapter 13: The Rest of Europe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
The Hills Are Alive: A Brief Primer on Alpine Cheeses............................ 197
Holey Cheese! Styles from Switzerland...................................................... 198
Good eats from Berner Oberland and Emmental........................... 199
Fondue cheeses from Fribourg-Vaud............................................... 200
Raclette from Valais........................................................................... 201
Specialties of the Jura Mountains..................................................... 201
Cheeses from the “bread basket”: Nordost-Schweiz...................... 202
Looking at Cheeses from Germany............................................................ 203
Cheeses from the North..................................................................... 203
Cheeses from Bavaria and Allgäu..................................................... 205
Exploring Cheeses from the Netherlands.................................................. 207
Gouda................................................................................................... 207
Boerenkaas.......................................................................................... 209
Edam..................................................................................................... 209
Graskaas............................................................................................... 210
Cheeses from the Nordic Countries........................................................... 210
Chapter 14: Off-the-Map Cheesemaking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Antipodean Artisans: Australia and New Zealand.................................... 213
Aussie ingenuity.................................................................................. 214
New Zealand: A new era for Kiwi cheesemakers............................ 220
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Subsistence and Barter: Cheese in Central Asia....................................... 223
More than a luxury item..................................................................... 224
Cheese that transcends borders: Part 1.......................................... 225
Nomad’s Land: The Middle East................................................................. 226
The lifestyle and terrain of the pastoralists.................................... 226
Cheese that transcends borders: Part 2.......................................... 228
Part IV: Eating, Drinking, and Cooking with Cheese..... 229
Chapter 15: Making Cheese the Life of the Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Creating Great Plates................................................................................... 231
How much is enough? Deciding on serving size............................. 231
Selecting cheeses for a plate............................................................. 232
Arranging your plate.......................................................................... 234
Picking Sides................................................................................................. 234
Savory................................................................................................... 235
Sweet.................................................................................................... 235
Composing the Components....................................................................... 238
Keeping it simple and other tips....................................................... 238
Complimentary condiments you can make yourself...................... 239
Chapter 16: Having a Drink with Your Cheese. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
The Noble Grape........................................................................................... 245
A few rules and tips to get the best matches.................................. 246
A quick primer on wine and a few pairings to win you over......... 247
Bad relationships................................................................................ 250
A quick list of time-tested pairings................................................... 250
Hop to It: Pairings for Beer Nuts................................................................. 251
Sorting through styles of beer.......................................................... 252
Finding a perfect pairing.................................................................... 252
If the Spirit Moves You................................................................................. 255
White spirits........................................................................................ 255
Brown spirits....................................................................................... 257
The Teetotaling Table.................................................................................. 258
Mixing Things Up: DIY Cocktails................................................................. 259
Chapter 17: Cooking with Cheese, Pt. 1: Appetizers,
Salads, and Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Cheese in the Kitchen.................................................................................. 264
Measure by measure: Cheese conversion chart............................. 264
Which cheese do I choose?............................................................... 265
How Appetizing! Cheesy Starters Your Guests Will Love........................ 266
Soup, Salad, and Side Days.......................................................................... 271
Table of Contents
Chapter 18: Cooking with Cheese, Pt. 2: Main Dishes and Desserts. . . . 289
The Main Event............................................................................................. 289
Cheese for Breakfast and Brunch............................................................... 297
The Sweet Hereafter..................................................................................... 305
Chapter 19: Making Cheese at Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Sourcing Your Equipment and Supplies.................................................... 318
Equip yourself..................................................................................... 318
Getting the (rest of the) goods for cheesemaking.......................... 321
Where to get your milk....................................................................... 321
A Quick Review of the Basic Cheesemaking Steps................................... 322
Four Cheeses to Make on Your Own.......................................................... 323
Part V: The Part of Tens............................................. 331
Chapter 20: Ten of the World’s Most Bizarre Cheeses. . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Casu Marzu.................................................................................................... 333
Airaq............................................................................................................... 334
Pule................................................................................................................. 334
Chhurpi.......................................................................................................... 335
Moose Cheese............................................................................................... 335
Leipäjuusto.................................................................................................... 336
Caravane (“Camelbert”)............................................................................... 336
Milbenkäse (Spinnenkäse)........................................................................... 337
Stinking Bishop............................................................................................. 338
Cougar Gold................................................................................................... 338
Chapter 21: Ten of America’s Most Influential Artisanal
Cheesemakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Alison Hooper and Bob Reese, Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery.... 339
Tom and Nancy Clark, Old Chatham Sheepherding Company............... 340
Mary Keehn, Cypress Grove Chevre.......................................................... 340
Judy Schad, Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheeses........................................ 341
Cary Bryant and David Gremmels, Rogue Creamery............................... 341
Cindy and Liam Callahan, Bellwether Farms............................................ 342
Jennifer Bice, Redwood Hill Farm............................................................... 343
Mike and Carol Gingrich, Uplands Cheese Company............................... 343
Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, Cowgirl Creamery...................................... 344
Mateo and Andy Kehler, Jasper Hill Farm................................................. 344
Chapter 22: Ten Cheese Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
The Festival of Cheese, American Cheese Society................................... 345
California Artisan Cheese Festival.............................................................. 346
Cheese School of San Francisco................................................................. 346
Vermont Cheesemaker’s Festival............................................................... 346
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Oregon Cheese Festival............................................................................... 347
Great British Cheese Festival...................................................................... 347
Bra Cheese Festival...................................................................................... 347
Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival................................................................ 348
The Great Canadian Cheese Festival.......................................................... 348
Seattle Cheese Festival................................................................................ 348
Amish Country Cheese Festival.................................................................. 349
Chapter 23: Ten Cheese Festivals You Shouldn’t Miss . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Banon (Surface-ripened, Goat Milk)........................................................... 351
Barely Buzzed (Coated-Rind, Cow Milk).................................................... 351
Stracchino di Crescenza (Fresh, Cow Milk).............................................. 352
Epoisses (Washed-Rind, Cow Milk)............................................................ 352
Clisson (Washed-Rind, Goat Milk).............................................................. 353
Pleasant Ridge Reserve (Firm, Cow Milk).................................................. 353
Pondhopper (Firm, Goat Milk).................................................................... 354
Comté (Firm, Cow Milk)............................................................................... 354
Rogue River Blue (Blue, Cow Milk)............................................................. 355
Abbaye de Belloc (Semi-Firm, Sheep Milk)............................................... 355
Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide............................. 357
Index........................................................................ 361
Foreword
I
have always loved cheese, and my travels throughout Europe over the
years have fed this passion of mine. During my last stint in France, where
I spent 2 1⁄2 years living and cooking in Paris, I developed a greater appreciation for the craft of cheesemaking and the role that cheese plays in French
cuisine. Curiously enough, cheese is never served at the beginning of the
meal. This is a purely American custom. Cheese is enjoyed at the end, before
dessert, giving diners the opportunity to finish off their bottle of wine.
Cheese can also make it into your cooking repertoire. Personally, aged
cheese is an ingredient I like to cook with because it is a great source of
umami, the fifth taste of savoriness, which adds depth of flavor in a way
similar to soy sauce. That’s why you will find Parmigiano Reggiano and
Gorgonzola on the East-West menu of my restaurant Blue Ginger in Wellesley,
Mass. I am fortunate to have the Wasik family, one of the country’s best
cheesemongers, as neighbors. They have a stellar reputation for procuring
the best cheeses and nurturing them in their cellar. I am proud to feature a
Wasik’s Cheese Plate in the Lounge at Blue Ginger and at monthly wine
dinners.
Cheese may be a familiar food, but it is a vast subject. This book provides the
essential information you need in an easy-to-digest format and incorporates
delicious serving suggestions. The material is extremely current, with content you won’t find in other resources. The folks at culture magazine bring
years of experience and an educated palate to the table. They provide infallible guidance on how to assemble a cheese plate, and their wine pairing
advice is spot on. Cheese For Dummies is a title that should not be overlooked by foodies or
self-professed cheese connoisseurs. This book will make you fall in love with
cheese if you haven’t already. Now that great cheese is easy to find in local
cheese shops and even grocery stores, you don’t have to travel the world to
enjoy it.
Peace and Good Eating,
Ming Tsai
Chef/owner of Blue Ginger restaurant and host of Simply Ming
Introduction
W
e may be cheese geeks, but we understand that, like wine, learning
about cheese can be confusing, overwhelming, and (in the wrong
hands) pretentious. Our goal is to demystify cheese — which is, after all,
mostly milk — and help you feel comfortable with buying, tasting, and serving
it. The best advice we can give you is, there are no “wrongs” when it comes
to cheese, so have fun with it.
About This Book
Our goal throughout this book is to turn you on to cheese so that you can
appreciate and enjoy it in all of its fresh, creamy, buttery, squeaky, hard,
aged, crumbly, nutty, stinky glory. We also provide you with some inspired
seasonal recipes featuring cheese and tempt you with descriptions of interesting styles and varieties (donkey milk or cheese mites, anyone?).
Each chapter is divided into sections, and each section contains information
about a particular cheese-related topic, such as
✓
How cheese is made and aged, and an overview of cheesemaking terms
✓
The different styles of cheese and rind types and how to identify what
you like
✓
How to buy, serve, and store cheese economically and safely
✓
How to pair cheese with different alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages,
make cheese-friendly cocktails, and create a cheese plate to remember
✓
How to cook with cheese (we include simple, elegant, seasonal recipes
for inspiration), how to make your own cheese plate condiments, and
how to make ricotta, mozzarella, and other fresh cheeses
Whatever aspects of cheese interest you, this book is designed for dog-earring
and flipping, so have at it!
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Cheese For Dummies
Conventions Used in This Book
To help you navigate through this book, we’ve set up a few conventions:
✓
Unless otherwise noted, cheeses that are named for the regions in which
they originated (like Brie, which originated in the Brie region in France)
are capitalized; others, like chèvre, the French word for “goat,” are
lowercased.
✓
Italic is used for emphasis and to highlight new words or terms that are
defined.
✓
Boldfaced text is used to indicate the action part of numbered steps.
✓
Monofont is used for Web addresses.
In addition, the recipes in this book include preparation, cooking and
processing times, and the yield you can expect from your efforts. All
temperatures are Fahrenheit.
What You’re Not to Read
To help you navigate through the content in this book, we make it easy to
identify what material you can safely skip. Sidebars and text preceded by the
“Technical Stuff” or “Ask the Expert” icons aren’t required reading for you to
gain a solid working knowledge of cheese, but they’re interesting tidbits that
we think you’ll enjoy. We’ve also ensured that they’re educational, so if you
like trivia — especially of the cheesy kind — we recommend giving them a look.
Foolish Assumptions
In writing this book, we made some assumptions about you:
✓
You like, but don’t know anything about, cheese.
✓
You know the basics about cheese but want more technical information
and trivia.
✓
You know a fair amount about cheese but want to delve more deeply
into the technical, cultural, and historic aspects; learn more about pairing and tasting; or discover the professional facets of the cheese industry such as affinage, cheesemongering, or cheesemaking.
Introduction
✓
You’re knowledgable about wine, beer, or spirits, and want to know how
to pair cheese accordingly (FYI: Wine For Dummies, Beer For Dummies,
and Whiskey and Spirits For Dummies, all published by John Wiley &
Sons, are excellent reference guides for pairing novices).
✓
You’re into food and want to know how to put together a cheese plate,
or you’re looking for delicious, cheese-centric, and home cheesemaking
recipes.
How This Book Is Organized
One of our main goals while writing this book was to make the information
easy to read, understand, and find. To that end, we organized this very broad
subject into several sections, each containing chapters devoted to a particular
cheese-related topic. Following is a quick run-down of the parts and the kinds
of info you’ll find in each.
Part I: Getting to Know Cheese
This part is designed to give you fundamental knowledge about cheese.
Here, we explore the history of cheese, its nutritional benefits, the basics of
cheesemaking, the different styles of cheese and types of rinds, and how
and why cheese is aged. We also take a look at terroir (the geography and climate of a place of origin) and discuss designation (the country- or European
Union-specific terms for certain regional foods, beer, and wine), how those
terms apply to cheeses of note, and why it’s important to designate these
products.
You may be wondering why the information in these chapters is significant.
Can’t you like a cheese without knowing any of this stuff? Sure. But by learning
these things, you can begin to understand what you like about a cheese and
increase your appreciation of it as a handmade product. This knowledge can
also help you choose other cheeses, opening up a whole world that you may
not have known existed. You’ll also gain an understanding of why artisan
cheese is such an important cultural and subsistence food throughout much
of the world, and why supporting domestic cheesemakers and small-scale
agriculture is so crucial.
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Cheese For Dummies
Part II: Choosing and Serving Cheese
This part shows you how to put the cheesemaking terminology and other
information from Part I to good (tasting) use. In these three chapters, we
explain how to use all of your senses to assess and flavor-profile cheeses so
that you can discover what you like and don’t like. Once you know that, the
rest is easy: We show you how to purchase cheese (including tips on how to
talk to a cheesemonger like a pro), serve, and store cheese.
Part III: Cheese around the World
Pay a visit to this part for an armchair tour of cheese history, cheese culture,
and types of cheeses from around the world. Here, you can find out how
geography and climate play a major role in the style, production, and flavor
of a cheese. Whether it inspires you to look for new varieties at your local
shop or grocery store or to buy a plane ticket, you’ll learn that cheese has no
language barrier.
Part IV: Eating, Drinking,
and Cooking with Cheese
If you love cheese straight-up, chances are you enjoy cooking with it or
pairing it with wine, beer, spirits, or non-alcoholic drinks, as well. In this part,
we expand your cheese repertoire by explaining the basics of cooking with
cheese; providing you with a variety of easy, seasonal recipes; and explaining
the fundamentals of beverage pairing.
We also show you how to create an impressive cheese plate (and what to
serve alongside) and provide you with essential information and recipes for
home cheesemaking.
Part V: The Part of Tens
Whether you’re looking for unusual trivia (how about maggot cheese or
milking a moose?), the most influential cheesemakers in the United States, or
what cheese festivals are worth checking out, this part is where to find it.
Introduction
Icons Used in This Book
To help you find specific kinds of information, we’ve included the following
icons throughout this book:
This icon highlights any wisdom we have to offer about how to buy, serve, or
store cheese, or suggested reading for the topic at hand.
When you see this icon, you know that we’re telling you essential cheese
information. This is the stuff that you need to know.
This icon appears beside answers to common questions or insider info
gleaned from cheese industry folks in all capacities.
We use this icon to point out technical information that we find fascinating,
but that you don’t really need to know (our feelings won’t be too hurt if you
skip it). Just think of these bits as fun trivia or ways to impress and educate
your friends over a plate of (what else?) cheese.
This icon indicates how to best serve or pair a cheese with other foods or
beverages, or what applications (cooking, melting, snacking, and so on) the
cheese is best used for.
Where to Go from Here
Think of this book as a reference manual. It’s structured so that each chapter
or section stands on its own. If you just want to know how to make a stand-out
cheese plate or beverage pairing for your next party, head to Chapter 16.
Chapters 3 and 4 break down the different styles of soft and hard cheeses
and provide you with serving suggestions for each. If you want to know how
cheese is made — from the animal to the plate — Chapter 2 takes you there.
Bottom line: Where you go from here depends entirely on where your interest, or palate, takes you.
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