Download The Modern Cheesemaker Making and cooking with cheeses at home Morgan McGlynn 9781911127871 Books

Product details Hardcover 224 pages Publisher White Lion Publishing (March 21, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 191112787X

The Modern Cheesemaker Making and cooking with cheeses at home Morgan McGlynn 9781911127871 Books Reviews

• I received an electronic galley of this book via NetGalley.
  
  I am known for my passion for artisan cheese. For me, it's a Pokemon-like gotta-catch'em-all joyful hunt. However, I've never tried making cheese, even though I'm a baker and I love experimenting with diverse recipes in the kitchen. What little I had read about home cheese-making left me very intimidated.
  
  That attitude has shifted after reading this book. Morgan McGlynn is a cheese-monger and cheese-maker in the UK, and she has written a book in which I feel like she gently took me by the hand and showed me step by step how to make my own cheese. The book is organized by level of difficulty, too--start with fresh cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta, and work up to hard cheeses (hard in texture, harder and more time-consuming to make) like aged Cheddar and Brie.
  
  This isn't simply a recipe book, though it does indeed feature recipes for 18 cheeses plus some 40 recipes for utilizing that cheese. This is a book about the basics the science of cheese explained in straightforward terms, a breakdown of the equipment needed to safely and successfully make cheese, and also information about professional cheese-makers along with a list of some of the best cheeses in the world to seek out. To make this all even better, there are abundant full-color photographs that illustrate the steps and show what the finished results should look like.
  
  Oh, and I should add that all of the information is presented in measurements friendly for readers/cooks in Britain, America, and elsewhere. The recommended places to buy supplies are also not focused on one specific locale. McGlynn wants to help you make cheese, no matter where you live.
  
  I think I'm going to get a large pot and a few other new additions for my kitchen and finally give homemade cheese a go. The idea does still intimidate me, but now I feel like I have a guide to help me on my way.
• If you love cheese, this gorgeous encyclopedia of cheese is a must-have for your collection. Filled with color photographs and detailed descriptions, the author's mission is to help the every day cheese lover learn how to make their own cheeses at home. I think she has provided the information to make that a possibility for the dedicated home cook that wants to learn to make their own cheeses. For me, this beautiful book gave me a much deeper appreciation for all the cheeses that I love, and made me grateful that I can buy them with much less effort required! This wonderful book also includes a number of great recipes that USE cheese or are great to accompany cheese, and I am definitely going to be trying some of these. For example, the author provides a recipe for a sweet chili jam as an accompaniment to cheese that sounds really terrific that I'm dying to try. She includes recipes for several "dessert" Camemberts that all sound REALLY good Roasted Peach Camembert, Fig Walnut and Honey Camembert, Creme Brulee Camembert and Honey and Pistachio Baked Camembert. There are a lot of cheesy goodness in this book that had me drooling, I won't lie. The book also includes information about recommended cheese and wine pairings, or cheese and other types of alcohol, which I found helpful and interesting. She offers tips on storing cheese, and how to avoid wasting cheese. Overall, I thought this book wasn't just a "how to make cheese" guide; I thought it was a loving tribute to a wide variety of cheese, and offered lots of advice on working with cheese. Even if you don't aspire to making your own, if you love cheese, I think you will love this book!
• Some time ago, I watched a Food Network episode that showed how mozzarella was made. At the time I was into making homemade pizzas where I crafted each part, the dough and the sauce, using techniques that took a lot of time. I remember thinking I should add making my own mozzarella to the mix!
  
  If I had had this book then, I would have had no difficulty making my own mozzarella. This beautifully photographed book gives you step-by-step instructions about how to make a variety of cheesessoft ones like ricotta (two of them!) and burrata, goat cheese, semi-hard cheeses like halloumi, hard cheeses like cheddar, and even blue cheese. The book starts with information about ingredients and equipment needed. For most of the soft cheeses, not much is necessary, while other ones will require cultures and rennet. Not only does she give recipes for the cheeses themselves, but she also offers recipes that use the cheeses. Who could resist a recipe called Very Naughty Mac and Cheese? The photos accompanying these recipes look mouth-watering!
  
  Sprinkled throughout the book are sidebar sections featuring what she calls a star cheesemaker. Following the chapters on making the cheeses, there's a section on cheesemongers tips, including flavoring cheeses, wine pairings, and setting up a cheeseboard. She also gives resources to get needed equipment and the other supplies. The book ends with her list of favorite cheeses by country.
  
  If you ever had a desire to make cheese yourself at home, this is the book for you.
  
  I received a free advance copy, but this did not affect my review.