Cheese and Culture: A history of cheese and its place in Western civilization

by Paul Kindstedt

Behind every traditional type of cheese there lies a fascinating story of how it came to be. By examining the role of the cheesemaker throughout world history, and by exploring a few basic principles of cheese science and technology, Paul Kindstedt offers this uniquely focused and in-depth look at the origins and development of cheese, from prehistoric times to the present day.

The author also tells a larger story, a sweeping narrative that binds all cheeses together in a single history - one that started with the discovery of cheese-making in the Neolithic Age and that is still unfolding to this day. Cheese and Culture reconstructs that 9,000 year old story, based on the often fragmentary information that we have available. The book offers a useful lens through which to view our 21st century attitudes to cheese and towards food in general. Exhaustively researched and highly readable, this refreshingly original work will appeal to anyone who loves history, food and, especially, good cheese.

• ISBN13: 9781603584111
• Publish Date: 1 April 2012
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 4 May 2017
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Chelsea Green Publishing Co
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[nsperry92]

Is this a book an attention-grabbing story about the life of cheese? No. Is it a thought-provoking informative textbook-like read? Yes. Don’t be deterred. I love that this book is what it is. It weaves anthropology, sociology, history, politics, and of course, food science, together. History doesn’t always happen rapidly or in a very interesting way, and I believe that is why some may classify this book as boring. I also think the author made a fair attempt and putting what little pieces we have of the archaeological puzzle together.I may be a bit biased due to my extreme obsession of cheese, but this book is definitely on my list of books to read again (I may even take notes next time).