The Cheese Plate
by David Gibbons, Max McCalman
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Book Summary Information
Author: David Gibbons, Max McCalmanEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-03-05
ISBN: 0609604961
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Book Reviews of The Cheese Plate
Book Review: Excellent read for cheese lovers
Summary: 4 Stars
I am a lover of cheese. I've dabbled in cheese making at home and have even taken a Cheese Certificate Course but still learned a lot from this book. I find it to be quite thorough and approachable and if it had been up to me I would have recommended this as one of the texts for the class.
The book includes sections on the history of cheese, the basics of cheese, the cheese making process, buying, storing, and serving cheeses, tasting, pairing cheeses, and constructing a cheese course. I found the first three sections to be interesting, but the most comparable to other books I have read like Cheese Primer and American Farmstead Cheese: The Complete Guide To Making and Selling Artisan Cheeses, but it's the chapters on serving, tasting, and pairing cheese where this book really shines. What I love about the book is that it's the perfect balance of theory and practical, hands on tips. The author also mentions that he only shares pairings that he himself has confirmed works which I appreciated. Overall the sections are tremendously educational and I felt that even someone like me who has done a lot of cheese tasting was still able to learn things and refine my knowledge. Basically, you'll find a lot of information here that is well written and researched and some of it that I haven't seen elsewhere.
The bottom line is that this is a fantastic book. If you're looking for specific pairing and cheese course suggestions you will find that here as well as a lot of principles, theories, and suggestions to help you craft plates and pairings on your own. I highly recommend it for a cheese lover's library along with books like The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide: Over 150 Recipes with Instructions on How to Buy, Store, and Serve All Your Favorite Cheeses, Cheese Primer and [[ASIN:1931498776 American Farmstead Cheese: The Complete Guide To Making and Selling Artisan Cheeses].
Summary of The Cheese Plate
If you?ve ever had genuine farmhouse Cheddar from England, or real Alsatian Munster, or aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, you know that fine hand-crafted cheeses have absolutely nothing to do with the bland, shrink-wrapped, food-colored offerings that evoke school cafeterias. Artisanal cheeses?from luscious triple crèmes to the ?boss? blues?are complex and richly rewarding, very similar to fine wines. And these cheeses get even more rewarding if you know something about their subtleties, their attributes, and how to get the most out of them?like which wines go with which cheeses (and why), or how a multiple-cheese tasting should progress, or what an appropriate portion size is, or which accompaniments work best, or why the Loire chèvres peak in autumn.Max McCalman is one of the world?s foremost experts on these matters. As the maître fromager (or ?cheese master?) at the acclaimed restaurants Picholine and Artisanal in New York City, he spends his entire day, every day, dealing with cheese?ordering it, tasting it, studying it, serving it. And The Cheese Plate is the culmination of his years of passion and study for this subject: the definitive work on how to enjoy the world?s greatest cheeses (and what those cheeses are) at home.
The Cheese Plate begins with the fundamentals: history, what exactly cheese is, and how it?s made. Then Max moves onto the subject that has made him a star in the culinary world?the art of cheese tasting. To begin with, it?s important to know how to buy, store, and serve cheeses, and then how to taste them (again, as with wines, the best results come with a little finesse). Then you?ll want to pair cheeses with other foods and beverages, especially wines, to bring out the best of both. And with all this expertise in hand, you?ll want to construct cheese plates, from a quick lunch assortment to a full after-dinner tasting extravaganza. Finally, you?ll appreciate a rundown of the best cheeses in the world?where they?re from, what they look and taste like, their perfect wine accompaniments?so that you can become a maître fromager in your own right.
Thanks to increased exposure to the world's finest cheeses, Americans are finally learning to love and appreciate this versatile food. But how to enjoy cheese at home? Max McCalman, maître fromager at Manhattan's three-star Picholine restaurant, provides real help. The Cheese Plate, written with David Gibbons, offers introduction to the world's cheese repertoires, cheese manufacturing and finishing methods, how to choose cheese and pair it with wine and other foods, and more--all of which is sensibly and accessibly presented. Without attempting a comprehensive investigation, McCalman nonetheless touches all the necessary bases, providing just the right blend of fundamental and sophisticated counsel.
Beginning with chapters that explore cheese creation--a fascinating partnership of animal, terroir (place of origin), and skills honed over the millennia--the book then provides succinct buying, storing, and serving advice. (Buying rule No. 1: cultivate a cheese monger.) Here and throughout, McCalman offers a wealth of diverse investigations like the Seven Degrees of Ripeness (1, too young; 4, peak; 7, "fuggedaboudit") and Is Shrink-Wrapping Bad for Cheese? (yes, cheese must breath); he also provides informative asides on cheese makers like Britain's famed Neal's Yard Dairy, plus cheese-plate blueprints for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A final section profiles McCalman's favorite cheeses, country by country. With color photos, a glossary, and list of resources, the book is an exemplary place to begin or further a cheese-at-home education. --Arthur Boehm
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