The Modern Cheesemaker: Making and cooking with cheeses at home

by Morgan McGlynn

Morgan McGlynn, expert cheesemaker, owner of the Muswell Hill Cheese Shop and resident cheese expert on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch brings you this complete and comprehensive guide to making cheeses.

The Modern Cheesemaker shows you how to make 18 cheeses, from the rich and gooey, to the wonderfully stinky, and all the cheeseboard favourites – including simple, fresh cheeses such as mozzarella and ricotta, working up to salty and versatile halloumi, feta and paneer, perfect, melting Swiss cheese, through to aged Cheddar and Brie.

Starting from the very basics of the making process, with a guide to milk types and the seasonal nature of cheese, The Modern Cheesemaker will deepen your understanding of this essential ingredient and its production.

The equipment you will need is thoroughly explained and readily available and by following the easy-to-use instructions and Morgan McGlynn’s expert tips, you’ll soon learn how to become your own artisan cheesemaker.

To reap the rewards of your hard work, there are also over 40 recipes for delicious cheese-based dishes to make, along with guides to flavouring cheese and suggested accompaniments to make the most of flavour pairings.

‘From the first time I met Morgan I knew she was a special talent. From making, storing and ageing to tasting, slicing and hunting out new cheeses, there seems to be nothing she doesn’t know.’ Simon Rimmer
 

• ISBN13: 9781911127871
• Publish Date: 21 March 2019 (first published 19 March 2019)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 25 May 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Jacqui Small
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 224
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Modern Cheesemaker is a tutorial guide with recipes for home fromagier by Morgan McGlynn. Released 21st March 2019 by Quarto on their White Lion imprint, it's 224 pages and available in ebook and hardcover formats.

I am a lifelong cheese fanatic. I am in love with artisanal cheeses which are, unfortunately, in short supply in my area. I do always look forward to the traveling cheese faires and competitions which happen a few times a year locally, but it's a cheese desert betweentimes. There are apparently 3500 different cheeses and they are distributed literally all over the planet across cultures and time, just not where I live, apparently. This book comes to the rescue.

This recipes are arranged more or less in order of difficulty. The book begins with an introduction to the tools and ingredients necessary. Readers will likely have most of the supplies in their kitchens already and the author clearly advises against buying extra expensive equipment which will likely not be used regularly. There is also a short subchapter on different types of milk and how different seasons affect milk production along with a very short discussion of the biology of cheesemaking.

The first cheese recipes in the book are fresh, unaged cheeses such as ricotta and 'cottage' cheese. I like that the recipes also include refinements and 'satellite' recipes using the cheeses produced. The ricotta section, for example, includes a recipe for ricotta and basil pesto gnocci, and a ricotta cheesecake that made my mouth water.

The types of cheeses covered in the book include fresh cheeses, cream cheese, goatmilk, semi hard, hard and blue cheeses. I really had thought that most except the very simplest would be beyond the scope of a home hobbyist, but now I'm inspired to try.

All of the recipes and procedures are packed full of clear and well made photographs which elevate the whole to an artistic, almost coffee table book. The photos really make this book beautiful.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.