Cookbook Corner
The Joy of Cheesemaking: The Ultimate Guide to
Understanding, Making, and Eating Fine Cheese
A good book about cheese is always a welcome addition to any food library, especially
when it is as innovative as the one that just got added to my personal cheese shelf,
“The Joy of Cheesemaking: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Making, and Eating
Fine Cheese” (Skyhorse Publishing) by Jody M. Farnham and Marc Druart. Although it
is first and foremost a guide and instruction manual to the cheesemaking process, it is
unique in that it should appeal to everyone – cheesemakers, cheese sellers, cooks and
cheese lovers alike. Extremely well written with up-to-date information on every facet
of cheesemaking, from the makeup of the various types of milk available to specific
recipes for several of the major cheese varieties, “The Joy of Cheesemaking” also manages to be an entertaining read. Each chapter ends with a profile of an artisan cheese
farmstead, many so small that they sell their cheeses only locally but well worth knowing
about nonetheless, followed by mouthwatering recipes featuring cheese. The final chapter,
“Rockin’ the Wedge,” features in-depth profiles of some of our best and most revered
cheesemakers such as Paula Lambert, the boys at Rogue Creamery, Bob Reese and
Allison Hooper at Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery, Mariano Gonzales of Fiscalini
Farms, the Kehlers at Jasper Hill, Jennifer Bice, Cowgirls Sue Conley and Peggy Smith,
the Crave Brothers, Jeff Jirik and several others.
The authors also tackle the popular subject of cheese and beverage pairing in a spirited
and educational dialogue between the author and a food scientist/brewer as they debate
the relative merits of beer and wine as accompaniments to cheese, along with a few
specific thoughts on both. They offer thoughtful and detailed advice on building a cheese
board, both technical and aesthetic, with plenty of ideas and recipes for accompanying
goodies. Finally, they include a comprehensive list of educational resources, including the
authors’ milieu, The Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont
(Farnham is the program coordinator and administrative director, and Druart is the master
cheesemaker). This is a must-have book for anyone in the cheese business and most
certainly for anyone who loves cheese.
