The Cheese Bible
   Christian Teubner, Dr Heinrich Mair Waldburg,
   Friedrich Wilhelm Ehlert
  1998 Penguin Studio/Penguin Putnam, NY USA
   ISBN: 0670881295


A unique collaboration of three distinguished people in the world of food: a master pastry chef & world-renowned food photographer; a revered cook in both Germany & Sweden who is also the author of training books for cooks & a master lecturer & the head of the Institute of Dairying in Germany have produced this definitive sourcebook for one of our all time favorite foods.

The only cheese available in my war-rationed childhood was what we unaffectionately called “mousetrap”, so when I first left the White Cliffs of Dover behind I was smitten by what I found. In France I lived on cheese & bread with handfuls of olives, radishes, onions or fruit. After I got to America I found those enticing delicatessen shops that dot big cities' neighborhoods & began exploring all the exotic varieties displayed beneath their glass counters.

The title of this book is no idle boast, for it is the most complete & beautifully illustrated reference work on one of our most popular foods. My mouth watered constantly!

My sandwich of choice is cheese & when I would take my marathon walks around the bays, beaches & coves of the Northwest I would always pack them along with whole cucumbers to wet my whistle.

The Cheese Bible is a companion for life - giving a pleasantly researched history with woodcuts & dairy tool plates; a clear explanation of how cheese is made & how quality is tested.

The photographs are spectacular & mouth-watering & there is a useful glossary. Then comes the Encyclopedia from Cheddar to Gouda; from Trappist to Steirischer; from Roquefort to Brie; from Ricotta to Zeiger; from Gjetost to Quark & so much more!

In the “Cheese in your kitchen” section we are given all the ways to buy, store, cut & consume the varieties & then come the cheese dishes & recipes. Mm-mm-mm! From just a bite to chunks & slices; from fresh cheese fillings to creams & canapes; from salads to soups; from eggs to casseroles; from toast to pasta, polenta & risotto; from fish, meat & poultry to vegetables & potatoes; from fondue to tartlets; from pizza to savory rolls to desserts. Finally there is an elegant chapter on the age-old marriage between cheese & wine.

What magnificence The Cheese Bible offers. A worthy book for your kitchen shelf & your coffee table! A splendid gift too!

More from Penguin Studios: The Chicken & Poultry Bible; The Herbs & Spices CookBook; The Pasta Bible & The Chocolate Bible
(07/09/00)

Rebecca