Rating: 4 stars
Headline: The Ultimate Beginners Guide To Cheesemaking is a helpful, well-pitched guide for novice cheesemakers, young and old
Review:
Can I just say, I love cheese. It is both simple and extravagant, it’s non-fussy (preparation time for a meal of cheese and crackers? 30 seconds) and, above all, it goes with absolutely everything. There are over 1800 types of cheese, and one of the crying shames of mortality is that there is every chance I will not be able to try them all before the next world beckons. Hopefully that next world also has cheese.
Kendall Roy must be cut of the same cloth as myself. The American writer, based in California, is the author behind the new publication The Ultimate Beginners Guide To Cheesemaking. Spanning 78 pages, this short guide covers everything any budding cheesemaker would need to know to start crafting their own cheese recipe at home. Starting with the origins of cheesemaking, the guide goes on to cover some basic recipes, including essential kitchen ingredients and utensils. The book covers ten different cheese recipes for popular classics, including cheddar, feta and Swiss cheese and is bookended by common mistakes to avoid, and plenty of references should budding readers want to learn more.
A fun book, the tone of voice in The Ultimate Beginners Guide To Cheesemaking is nicely pitched, with the guidance offered at the right level for novice cheesemakers. The recipes are clear (for my fellow readers outside America, an FYI that the ingredient measurement are provided in cup units), and the detail provided on segments such as “essential kitchen equipment” comes from someone who has been there and got the apron. You can tell the guidance is coming from someone with a deep understanding of the craft. It would have been good to have included more imagery (sadly there are none, and in places it does feel lacking for it, especially as an aide memoir for the recipes). There are also no page numbers, which can make it slightly more challenging to when referencing between different sections.
The Ultimate Beginners Guide To Cheesemaking is a good book for newcomers to the cheesemaking industry, and while Roy makes no slight of the patience needed to produce a good lump of cheese, she is also clear on the rewards it can bring. Namely, cheese.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Ultimate Beginners Guide To Cheesemaking ” by Kendall Roy
Purchase Link: “The Ultimate Beginners Guide To Cheesemaking ” by Kendall Roy (Amazon)
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