Reviews of the big, red, SUCESSFUL CHEESEMAKING® book
Can you see what is wrong with this picture of me holding the books?
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If you’re a serious home cheesemaker or you’re looking to jumpstart a cheese business, this 630-page tome (Smooth Stone Press, 2018, $124.99) will prove to be an invaluable resource………Author and teacher Merryl Winstein spent eight years developing these detailed, step-by-step cheesemaking instructions………Lauded as one of the most in-depth how-to guides on the market, the collection provides standalone recipes accompanied by over 800 photos–a perfect starting point for serious dabblers and experienced cheesemakers alike. (Order right here from the author at www.CheeseMakingClass.com; cheesemaking equipment suppliers; Amazon.com/us; or book wholesalers)
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I’ve spent lots of money buying lots and lots of books on cheesemaking. I would read each book from cover to cover and trying to follow the instructions. I made some OK cheese and some really awful cheese but I never got good, consistent results. I was very frustrated…....Then, in Merryl Winstein’s class and glancing through her book, I learned more in 3 hours than I have in 10+ years of teaching myself on my farm…..…. SUCCESSFUL CHEESEMAKING™ is very detailed without being confusing……...The step-by-step instructions are clear and easy to follow, and quickly helped me make cheeses that I am proud of. I’ve had dozens of ‘lightbulb’ moments as pieces of the puzzle easily clicked together…..….I wish I would have started my cheesemaking journey with this book, but for now, the two greatest cheesemaking tools I have on my farm are the wonderful genetics in my dairy cattle, and Merryl Winstein’s SUCCESSFUL CHEESEMAKING™ book…….Jenny Vahldick, Owner, Moxie Farms Kansas City, Missouri, USA www.moxiefarms.com Facebook.com/moxiefarms
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This book is a great addition to the library of anyone serious about improving their cheese making skills……… In addition to a wealth of information on process and the “Why?” of it all, Merryl Winstein includes a very detailed section on several important Northern European and harder-to-find Greek cheeses, as well as an extensive range of other cheese styles………At over 600 pages, it’s not a quick read but well worth the time………Unique to this book are incredibly detailed black-and-white photographs showing consecutive stages of the cheesemaking processes………The book covers the range from herd and milk choices, through process stages, and cave management……. With its wide scope, I certainly see this as a book to go back to time and time again………You will probably find that it answers questions you didn’t even know you had. . . Happy Cheesemaking!
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“One of the most in-depth and informative works on the subject, these volumes perfectly blend practicality, science, and creativity. 800 photos.” (BookLife) ………Cheese-lovers who want to try their hand at making their own Havarti, queso blanco, Brie, or Jarlsberg would do well to start with cheese-making consultant and educator Winstein’s outstanding two-volume collection of step-by-step recipes for producing some of the world’s classic cheeses at home……….Those expecting a quicky recipe for DIY blue cheese or cheddar that comes together in 20 minutes would be best served elsewhere, but serious cheesehounds will find Winstein’s image-heavy, science-based tutelage to be useful………Specifics on aging, salting, ripening, and developing texture go a long way to instill confidence and ensure success for each type of cheese………Though Winstein does offer specific recipes for cheeses like Havarti and Burrata, she focuses more on broad styles, such as a basic Kefalotyri, a classic Greek cheese, or Reblochon, instead of every variety of Brie or Gorgonzola on the market………Those who’ve already made Ricotta and Mozzarella and want to learn more would do well to seek out this impressive work………One of the most in-depth and informative works on the subject, these volumes perfectly blend practicality, science, and creativity. 800 photos. (BookLife)
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“A massive wealth of knowledge for dedicated cheese-making students.” Winstein’s (also author of Your Fertility Signals, 1991) new two-volume work will teach readers how to make the cheeses they know and love—and probably some they’ve never heard of………The author first experienced fine cheese while traveling to Denmark as a teenager but didn’t try making it until many years later………In 1993, she took a one-day cheese-making class and was frustrated when she couldn’t replicate the strong, European tastes that she remembered……….She began taking more advanced classes in Massachusetts and Vermont with a number of master cheese makers……… In these volumes, Winstein hopes to convey the tips that she picked up from them in addition to her own knowledge from years of trial and error……….Cheeses are helpfully grouped by order of complication to allow beginners to start small and then challenge themselves as they gain more experience……….The photos in the book are in black and white; the author explains that monochromatic images show better detail about texture, that the ink will fade less over time, and that, in her opinion, the style is more aesthetically pleasing………The design is sparse and simple, with large pictures of each step………The recipes are very wordy, however, and color photos might have been preferable for readers who absorb information more readily from images or have poor vision………It’s possible that a reader may look at these texts and think that they contain much more information than they want about cheese making; however, the perspective of this book indicates that cheese is a precise undertaking and that if a person is truly hoping to make quality product, they’ll need to know everything here………In addition to recipes and an index of terms, there’s information about milk choice, starter cultures, rennet, cleanliness, safe cooking procedures, and equipment………It’s clear that the book is meant for people who are serious about taking on cheese making as a hobby or as a small business ventur……….Potential readers should also note that they may need to find a local source of raw milk, as Winstein explains that supermarket milk has limited functionality for cheese creation………A massive wealth of knowledge for dedicated cheese-making students.
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I am very happy to welcome the publication of Merryl Winstein’s SUCCESSFUL CHEESEMAKING ™ book………Indeed, it is not every day that such a book, international in its scope, deserves our attention as professional cheesemakers……….For this book is intended for home cheesemakers. Yet it deals with the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of its subject……….In a readable and intelligible manner, she introduces the reader to the mysteries of cheese technology. ……….Having travelled to Denmark on several occasions, and not least undertaken learning the Danish language, she is well capable of transmitting her appreciation of the Nordic way of cheesemaking ……….This she does in a clear and confident manner. Moreover, her volume is both practical and helpful. Supported by hundreds of photographs, the book is clearly organized, well indexed, and logically structured………Not least it has a most helpful, practical, table of contents, an excellent starting point………This book will be used both by professional and home cheesemakers, to the benefit and enjoyment of both. ……..J.M. Buch Kristensen, M.Sc. (Dairy Science) Author of “Cheese Technology— A Northern European Approach” Director for 37 years, of Dalum Technical College: The Dairy Training Centre of Denmark Odense, Denmark
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ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS so you can make really great cheese!……….CLEAR, COMPREHENSIVE, ACCURATE, explains the traditional & professional ways of making the finest cheeses of cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk, using simple home or artisan equipment………670 pages, 800 clear, step-by-step photos. 2 volumes sold together………Learn how and why the same milk & ingredients turn into an astounding array of completely different cheeses………..Discover that each great cheese family is made with its own particular method (for example Cheddar, Alpine, lactic, washed-curd, stretched-curd, etc)……… Understand how varying methods change the flavor, texture, & ripening - make your cheeses turn out strong or mild, hard or soft, mold-ripened or plain………No amount of trial & error will lead to success if the directions you follow are wrong………This book shows how things really should go. Soon you’ll be able to troubleshoot problems yourself………It’s no harder to make great cheese than not-so-good, so get out your pots, equipment, & milk and begin a great adventure-down the cheese road!………“Delightfully refreshing, thoroughly detailed. Goes way beyond the beginnings of home cheese making” Ricky Carroll, founder, New England Cheesemaking………“Answers questions you didn’t even know you had!” Jim Wallace, cheese tech, New England Cheesemaking………“I learned more in 3 hours than in 10 years of teaching myself cheesemaking.” Jenny Vahldieck. www.moxiefarms.com, Missouri ……….“Will benefit both professional & home cheese makers,” J.M.Buch Kristensen, author of “Cheese Technology, a Northern European Approach,” & former director, Dalum Dairy Danish Technical School,