Cheese Primer
by Steven Jenkins
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Book Reviews of Cheese Primer
Book Review: What have you got against Steven? This is a GREAT book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Evidently the reviewer whose words are displayed below has something personal against Steven Jenkins. What's the deal with that? No one in their right mind who knows and loves cheese would ever feel that way about this fabulous book. In any case, be advised that the reviewer below is flat-out wrong on almost all of the errors he cites from the Cheese Primer. I repeat: they do not exist! Not only is the cheese in the picture on page 116 indeed Compte (one of the said reviewer's "favorite" errors), but for it to be msitaken for Grand Cru Emmenthal is not only a careless, but utterly misinformed remark. As for the cheeses the anonymous reviewer (too ashamed to reveal his name!) describes as "boring" and "mundane", their very appeal lies in their ability to intensify and flourish as time goes by. Perhaps someone doesn't have the patience to wait until his cheese have arrived at the appropriate age. When determining the quality of fine cheese, why take the word of an anonymous reviewer rather than someone who ahs obviously worked with cheese for more than 30 years, and has travelled all over the world simply to examine it like Steven Jenkins has?! Perhaps if this reviewer's name were confident enough about his opinions to post his name, one might feel more confidence in his review; also, we Amazon shoppers could judge his credibilty for ourselves.
In any case, Steven Jenkins' Cheese Primer, to these eyes (and nose, and most importantly, taste buds)seems to be refreshingly lucid, awesomely comprehenseive and chock-full of fromage jewels from anywhere and everywhere. A good buy!
Book Review: Great Cheese book
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a great book - packed with more than any one person could possibly ever want to know about cheese. Jenkins e starts out the book very well, giving you basics about cheese: the different kinds, how to serve it, how to store it, which to choose and which not to choose, how each of the different groups of cheese are made, etc.
I read every page of the beginning of the book. The author is a complete cheese-freak...which is good. He knows a lot. But the one thing I wish he'd done is take into consideration us normal mortals a bit. I can't afford to pay huge amounts for cheese, and I don't live in NY near an awesome cheese shop. In fact, I don't really have a cheese shop except at the fancier grocery store in town - which does have a decent cheese counter.
I haven't finished the whole book - I'm into the more detailed part that goes into many different kinds of cheeses. I know I won't remember it all, but it is fun to read about it. And I understand how to buy and care for cheese so much better now. And I love trying different cheeses, so I will make a list of some that he's described that I want to try, and see if I can find them!
One other thing, he includes information about the historical aspects of different cheeses and where they come from, etc. and I found all that very interesting. Overall, it's a great book, and if you're a Foodie and amateur chef like me, it's really good reading.
Book Review: A Thorough Introduction to the World of Cheese
Summary: 4 Stars
STEVE JENKINS CHEESE PRIMER is a great overview of how cheeses are made, what regions of world produce which cheeses and general information about how to serve them.
Though truthfully this book offers way too much information to digest in any one sitting - without a morsel to taste, I have found the information contained here valuable in figuring out how to approach such a broad subject.
The biggest thing I have learned is that there is no real way to learn about most great cheeses in the United States. Thanks to government regulations that do not allow merchants to sell non-pasteurized cheeses, we Yanks are prevented from tasting the most remarkable ones -- widely available in France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain.
Still I do recommend this book because Jenkins knows his stuff. With 20 years experience tasting and buying cheese for Dean & DeLuca, Balducci's and Fairway (three of Manhattan's legendary specialty markets), he's traveled the world and sampled it all. And he's not a snob. He's good at translating his knowledge into information that anyone can relate to.
I think this book would be fantastic for a book club, though I doubt any would consider reading it. Still it would be wonderful if each week the club covered a different chapter and offered a trio of cheeses that best exemplified the regions Jenkins covers.
-- Regina McMenamin
Book Review: As a Primer It's Great but It's Not a Bible
Summary: 4 Stars
I credit this book with opening my eyes to the wide world of cheese. As a true neophyte, I use this book as a starting point whenever I head out to Whole Foods to bring another cheese back to the family (sorry, The Cheese Shop in Beverly Hills is just too darned far). Do keep in mind two things about this book. One, it is a cheese primer, not the bible of all things cheese. Use it to pique your curiousity and to get ideas. Two, taste is subjective and just because a cheese expert likes something does not mean you will (and vice versa). Take Taleggio and Oka. Mr. Jenkins finds Taleggio to be sublime and meaty. I find it to be stinky and bad tasting. Mr. Jenkins finds Oka to be stinky and mediocre. I think it rocks (my wife does find it stinky, though--okay it's a bit stinky but it tastes really good). He's also dismissive of Mimolette while my whole family loves it. Not a ding against Mr. Jenkins, though, because I would not have tried Mimolette if his book had not inspired me to try everything. Just remember to take his subjective opinions with a grain of salt and you will be fine.Book Review: Say Cheeeeseeeeee
Summary: 5 Stars
While browsing the local library used book sale, I came across this book and picked it up as I was wanting to branch out in my cheese choices. Cheddar, Brie and Mozzarella were about my limits! My head was spinning as I leafed through over 500 pages of cheeses organized by country. In the weeks since I purchased the book, I've been searching out certain cheeses and studying the subject through Internet searches. While some of the book is outdated (1996 copyright), the advice and subject matter is timeless.
As you delve through the book, one thing becomes apparent, it is probably impossible to ever learn even a fraction of what there is to know about cheese. The book discusses how to purchase cheese, how to store it, and how to make sure you experience cheese the most wonderful way possible. At the end of each cheese description you'll find a short paragraph on choosing and serving each particular cheese.
This book certainly has piqued my interest in cheese!