The Cheese Course: Enjoying the World's Best Cheeses at Your Table

This is a nice book to have around. The book is organized by type of cheese and offers suggestions of how to use the cheese. I wish it would have showed how the author would put together a whole cheese plate or a party instead of just individual cheese offerings.

Case of subtitle should have been title. "The Cheese Course" as other reviewers have pointed out does not adequately describe the contents. The subtitle: Enjoying the World's Best Cheeses at Your Table" does. This is about utilizing cheese in more than macaroni casseroles or nachos et al. This is about nice pairings with salad, torta, galette, etc. While there is nice section on storing and purchasing, I refer those wanting to know more about this and various cheeses consult two fine sources such as: "The Cheese Primer" and "The Cheese Plate." These will provide more thorough info on cheese shopping and more detail on world's fromage wealth. This little book (just over 100 pages) provides a much different yet important reference, ways of utilizing cheese from cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and mixed milk sources. There are some great opportunities here for presenting new tastes, the likes of: Three French Cheeses with an Apple, Fennel and Walnut Salad; Cabecou with Honey and Walnuts; Aged Gouda with Apple Galette; What's nice about these offerings is that with each she suggests where in the menu this recipe might be offered, what accompaniments would go well, plus options such as wine/beverage. Nice format and color photos.

This is a book carefully produced, the photographs and the introductions to the recipes add to the fun of using the recipes. The book begins with a personal introduction including information on buying and storing cheese, on the selection and presentation of cheeses on a cheese platter, instruments for cutting cheese etc. This introduction is followed by four chapters of recipes using cheese: cow's milk cheeses, goat's milk cheeses, sheep's milk cheeses, and mixed milk cheeses and cheese platters.While the recipes are excellent, they are why I take exception to the title - many of the recipes are for the salad course. Other recipes are for breads or cookies to accompany the cheese course, some are for excellent marinades for soft cheeses, some for marinades fruits to accompany the cheeses - items like goat gouda with roasted hazelnuts and sherried figs with five alternative cheeses listed make this volume well worth owning.This is not a book that will introduce you to a wide variety of cheeses, however, it will provide you with many excellent pairings of cheese and fruit, as well as many salads for which a cheese is a necessary ingredient.

This book, beautifully photographed and in the attractive format typical for Chronicle books, is a thoughtful, modern guide that will inspire you to serve cheese. The recipe for the classic party favorite, brie en croute (brie wrapped in pastry) may be missing, but maybe it doesn't even belong in a book that is guided by a love for artisanal cheeses from all over the world that would be smothered by such a preparation. I've tried two recipes from this book so far this summer, the marinated bocconcini (they're miniature balls of mozzarella marinated in oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, capers, parsley, and garlic) and the arugala salad with watermelon and feta, and both were wonderful and easy. If you've looked at your local cheeseshop's selection longingly, wondering how to confidently serve everything from goat cheese (such as the recipe on the cover), to an aged sheep's milk cheese, to trying something new with ricotta, then this is the book for you. It's a good starting point for learning about cheeses, or a good addition to a cook's library that already contains Steven Jenkin's encylopedic Cheese Primer.