Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Cheese Primer
Book Review: A good guide, but don't let it intimidate you
Summary: 4 Stars
If Anthony Bourdain's motto in "A Cook's Tour" is "Eat what the locals eat," the author of "Steven Jenkins Cheese Primer" (no apostrophe) might add the corollary, "Don't eat what the locals eat if you're not where the locals are." For one of the most important, if depressing, pieces of information in this info-packed book is that we in this country are banned, through the wisdom of our government, from eating authentic European cheeses the way they were intended to be eaten (i.e., made from unpasteurized milk). As a result, many "European" cheeses sold in the US, Jenkins tells us, are pallid and bland -- if not downright heretical -- imitations of their European namesakes. If we want to try, for example, a "real" Camembert, we'll just have to wait until we get to France.(Interestingly, Camembert cheese is not made in the village of Camembert, Jenkins informs us, nor is cheddar cheese made in the English town of Cheddar. Not any more, anyway. And needless to say, "real" cheddar cheese is apparently a very different thing from the mass-produced yellow bricks we find in our grocery store.)
The cover of this book describes Steven Jenkins as "America's most opinionated authority" when it comes to cheese, and I've no doubt that's true. His opinions do in fact come through loud and clear. As with any "authority" on matters of taste, you can give his opinions as much weight as you think they deserve. There's no question, though, that Jenkins is immensely informed about his topic. And if you feel a little self-conscious carrying this Primer to your local *crémerie*, rest assured that it would still be easier than trying to memorize all the facts, tips, recommendations, and warnings the book contains.
Book Review: A wonderful cheese education
Summary: 5 Stars
I went on a riding trip to France with two friends in May 2009 and we sampled many of the local cheeses. It was wonderful to find this book and learn more about the area we visited and the various cheeses we sampled. I wish I had known about it before I left on the trip. I bought 3 books and shared the other two with my friends.Book Review: A worldly whirl
Summary: 5 Stars
Jenkins' comprehensive "Primer" offers cheese lovers a wonderfully opinionated global guide to everything, beginning with how cheeses are made, how to buy, store, eat and cook, and what wines and accompaniments to choose with each. This includes a list of his favorites and suggestions for cheese boards.
Then comes the world tour - more than 150 pages for France, about 75 for Italy, 25 for Switzerland, 35 for Britain, 25 for Spain, 70 for the U.S., including a tour of regional cheese makers, and somewhat shorter looks at Scandinavia, Germany, the Balkans and Canada. The book concludes with a reference guide to the world's greatest cheeses.
Interspersed are anecdotes, local cheeses to try when visiting and the occasional recipe. A must for cheese lovers.
Book Review: Anectdotally interesting but technically suspect
Summary: 3 Stars
The author has a few very good recipes and a good knowledge of various cheeses, but cast doubt on his technical expertise through the following statement on Page 15,"Cream is composed of milk's larger fat globules, which float because they are heavier than water." Any high-school chemistry student should know that cream floats because it is less dense than water -- just like oil. Maybe this was just a gross editing error, but you wonder why a cheese expert would even write this kind of error in a draft. The book does have good descriptions of various cheeses, serving suggestions, etc. However, as a Texas, I was disappointed with the brief section on Mexican cheeses which are delicious and becoming widely available in my region.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.