The Modern Cheesemaker

Droolworthy ~ Aspirational ~ Practical
tl:dr: CHEEEEESE

I've made a couple of easy cheeses (ricotta and mozzarella). But, my family dreams of a life of homemade cheese weekends. I picked up the book assuming the many kinds of cheese we dream of eating are too hard to make. McGlynn's book makes those cheese seem doable, with her clear text and attractive, descriptive photographs. I am going to tell you the truth. I may never make some of these cheeses. But, I would still want to own this book. The recipes are wonderful to read, with a tone that makes me feel like I could work my way to up making all that deliciousness.

Thanks to Quarto and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful book that belongs in every serious kitchen. Great explanations, very good recipes and gorgeous illustrations. I love mascarpone, and who knew it's so easy to make?

I have made ricotta and mozzarella at home before so this book looked fun and appealing. I was so impressed with this book and the author! She claimed that you wouldn't need a lot of fancy equipment, and she was right! Purchasing expensive equipment I might never use again kept me from pursuing cheesemaking, but this author really made it simple and reasonable! Every page had beautiful, sharp, informative pictures. She starts on cheesemaking from easy to more complicated, includes recipes to use your cheese, explains wine pairings, and even shows you sample seasonal cheeseboards! She explained so many things about cheesemaking I never knew, but made it so simple and approachable that it really encourages a beginner. I feel like this author is a wonderful teacher as well! This was so fun and informative, I just loved it!

Special thanks to NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This book is well written.
You will benefit from learning about all kinds of cheeses and how they are made.
You will receive recipes that most of them you would be able to do.
Photos in this book are very helpful for technical purposes.
Overall, good read and yes, you will be able to make your own cheeses at home too!

Perfect book for everyone who has ever dreamed of making cheese.Delicious recipes a step by step guide to the equipment you need detailed recipes ,I’m now convinced I can make yummy cheeses.This book is full of lovely photographs it will make a wonderful gift and a book Inwill be using again. #netgalley #quartobooks.

I was excited about this book. One of my neighbors makes her own cheese, something that seemed pretty impressive to me and something I never thought would be do-able for me. I love flavorful cheese and it would be so amazing to make my own.

The book had beautiful photos, step by step directions, as well as a handy list of needed tools andd equipment in which to make these beautiful and flavorful cheeses. It also included goat cheese, which looked so delicious. I think I will be referring to this book often!

I was given an book copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

To be honest, I love cheese and I was totally hooked by the cover and “Cheese”, but I had zero intentions of making my own as I dove in. But after reading it? I’m DEFINITELY going to be trying my hand at mozzarella, ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese, and truffled gouda, and… Never mind. Scratch that. I can’t wait to get home and start making my own cheese. I’m currently in France and fromage is king here…and this gal is going to be trying her hand at making her own!

Love, love, LOVE this book. it makes the process simple and easy to understand. This is going to be an enjoyable experiment and process. I may even have to host a wine and cheese party for some of our close friends if this turns out well.

If you’re a cheese lover, you will enjoy this book…and likely will want to try your hand at making cheese as well. YUM!

Wow who knew how simple it is to make cheese and all of the amazing flavours and types you can make. Like most of us I have been in the supermarket marvelling at the options on offer for cheese but have never thought about making my own. This book has opened my eyes and I love the fact that not only do you get the recipe to make the cheese but also then some delicious dishes to use the cheese in. I loved it.

If you love cheese, this gorgeous encyclopedia of cheese is a must-have for your collection. Filled with color photographs and detailed descriptions, the author's mission is to help the every day cheese lover learn how to make their own cheeses at home. I think she has provided the information to make that a possibility for the dedicated home cook that wants to learn to make their own cheeses. For me, this beautiful book gave me a much deeper appreciation for all the cheeses that I love, and made me grateful that I can buy them with much less effort required! This wonderful book also includes a number of great recipes that USE cheese or are great to accompany cheese, and I am definitely going to be trying some of these. For example, the author provides a recipe for a sweet chili jam as an accompaniment to cheese that sounds really terrific that I'm dying to try. She includes recipes for several "dessert" Camemberts that all sound REALLY good: Roasted Peach Camembert, Fig Walnut and Honey Camembert, Creme Brulee Camembert and Honey and Pistachio Baked Camembert. There are a lot of cheesy goodness in this book that had me drooling, I won't lie. The book also includes information about recommended cheese and wine pairings, or cheese and other types of alcohol, which I found helpful and interesting. She offers tips on storing cheese, and how to avoid wasting cheese. Overall, I thought this book wasn't just a "how to make cheese" guide; I thought it was a loving tribute to a wide variety of cheese, and offered lots of advice on working with cheese. Even if you don't aspire to making your own, if you love cheese, I think you will love this book!

Let's get started!

I confess to having bought a hefty cheese-making kit and giving up after making curd cheese. Moving foward seemed daunting. Now, after reading half of this wonderful book, I am bursting to make cheese again.

Morgan McGlynn's text brims with enthusiasm and expertise. Cheese making is made so very accessible. Methods are very clearly explained, with step by step photos. I love the way she steadily builds up cheese-making technique through a series of appealing cheeses. It's possible to get started by making ricotta cheese with just milk, white wine vinegar, salt, a pan and thermometer, and some muslin or cheesecloth and a colander.

Equally appealing are the cheese recipes interspersed among the cheese-making. Again I am enthused, and dying to start by trying the author's version of tartiflette, and the courgette and goat's cheese tart. I'd love to make the goat's cheese myself and surely will....

The art of making cheese has always been a bit of a mystery to most people, especially those that look at stuff in the supermarket and dont even think about how it got from milk to cheese. This book takes some of the mystery out of that and even gives you the recipes and ideas on how you can not only use the cheese you find but make your own using simple and easy to follow recipes.

This is a great basic look at cheese and cheesemaking, bringing it to where anyone should be able to make cheese at their house, at least on the very basic level, even though there are more complicated recipes in the book.

What I didnt like about this book:

As a cheesemonger, as well as a certified cheese professional, I have been told over and over again that pH is a very important part of cheesemaking. Every cheesemaker and every other book I have read about cheese and cheesemaking always come back to this. In fact, recently I was told from a cheesemaker that not only is pH important but that TA is also an important thing to look at for certain types of cheese. This book seems to ignore pH in what I am sure is a way to make it easier for a kitchen cook or chef to follow, in favor of more time and temperature. While this may work, I think you could be developing cheese that may not be the best version of what you want, plus with altitude temps may change. When you get to the harder cheeses I know that there are many factors that could affect the cheese, which is why I think her book mostly focuses on the softer cheeses.

What I did like about this book:

This book was very pretty, the photography in it not only made me want to make the cheese and eat the cheese but it really spotlights how pretty everything is. Cheese can be art, and cheese dishes definately can be art. There is a picture in the book of Paneer spring rolls, and they were so beautiful with the flowers wrapped into the rolls. Love it.

The cheesemaking recipes seem like they really are really easy, and this makes this book much more approachable to someone who doesnt have large vats for cheesemaking or a way to cook 10 gallons of milk or more at a time.

Final thoughts, this is a great beginners guide to cheesemaking, while not a recipe book for someone that really wants to make and sale products, or someone that plans to be a cheesemaker it is a good guide a person who is interested and maybe wants to dabble at home in making their own cheese,

4 stars for fans of cheese, cheesemaking, or just great recipes with some really pretty pictures,

Also an additional kudos on this book for the included cheese lists in the glossary, pointing out what McGlynn thinks are some cheeses of note to try.

This book was received as an ARC from Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely love cheese and I love cookbooks and this one combines both of my favorite things in one. I am always so fascinated with cheesemaking and I wondered where did it all began. This book does a nice job with not only breaking down each process step-by-step but there are pictures shown throughout the book on how each step is supposed to look like when you are complete so its sure foolproof. I can not wait now to make fresh ricotta from scratch since this book really made it all look so easy. I can't wait to try it for myself. I can't wait to add this title to our cookbook collection and potentially do it for a future cooking demo.

We will consider adding this title to our Cookbook collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Frankly, I would never have considered making cheese at home. I live in urban foodie-centric Northern California, and have a wide range of local and imported cheeses available. But then I started reading!
Morgan McGlynn makes cheesemaking seem as accessible and logical as baking bread. I had heard rumors of a fresh mozzarella maker in Manchuria, and had always thought, “Well, yeah! If I lived in Manchuria I might start making my own cheese, too.” But McGlynn’s easy ramp-up from beginner fresh cheeses to cured and even blue cheese might just tempt me along the home-cheese making path.

Even if you never set rennet to milk, this is a fascinating book to read, and the “made-with-cheese” recipes are simple and delicious.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*wiping the drool off*. Oh my, what a truly scrumptuous book! Being a self-confessed (hard) cheese nerd, I have been toying with the idea of making my own, but never dared. This has changed! I have already made curd cheese, feta and a cheeky little goat’s cheese and cooked some of the mouthwatering cheese recipes that make this book such an extraordinary find. Next step will be to attempt more mature cheeses. The only trouble I have is to find a storage area with the correct and even temperature, but try it I will.
Great step-by-step instructions, loads of encouragement, recipes, seasonal cheese board suggestions, mouthwatering images...
I also have a deserving lil person in mind - a fellow cheeseketeer - for whom this will make a great present!

Some time ago, I watched a Food Network episode that showed how mozzarella was made. At the time I was into making homemade pizzas where I crafted each part, the dough and the sauce, using techniques that took a lot of time. I remember thinking I should add making my own mozzarella to the mix!

If I had had this book then, I would have had no difficulty making my own mozzarella. This beautifully photographed book gives you step-by-step instructions about how to make a variety of cheeses, from soft ones like ricotta (two of them) and burrata to goat cheese to semi-hard cheeses like halloumi, hard cheeses like cheddar, and even blue cheese. The book starts with information about ingredients and equipment needed. For most of the soft cheeses, not much is needed, while other ones will require cultures and rennet. Not only does she give recipes for the cheeses themselves, but she also offers recipes that use the cheeses. Who could resist a recipe called Very Naughty Mac and Cheese? The photos accompanying these recipes look mouth-watering!

Sprinkled throughout the book are sidebar sections featured what she calls a star cheesemaker. Following the chapters on making the cheeses, there's a section on cheesemongers tips, including flavoring cheeses, wine pairings, and setting up a cheeseboard. She also gives resources to get needed equipment and the other supplies. The book ends with her list of favorite cheeses by country.

If you ever had a desire to make cheese yourself at home, this is the book for you.

Delicious recipes with all kinds of cheeses! Most of them are easy to cook at home, and all of them will delight your guests. The pictures are just beautiful and mouth-watering.

The Author Morgan McGlynn, has worked in a cheese shop and made many cheeses for years. She shares some really good tips, cheese making recipes, useful cheese making tools and more. I only wanted to know how some of the basic cheeses are made with foods most would commonly have in the kitchen, but learned so much more. I cannot believe how easy it is to make some cheeses, like ricotta. I have tried it and it really is as easy as she shows in almost all of the recipes or technics, there is step by step pictures to follow along to make sure you are doing it right. That alone was priceless.

I thought initially that cheesemaking was too difficult for the average cook - I was glad to find out that I was wrong!
The author (a cheesemaker who has delighted in cheese since she was very young - she even owns her childhood cheese shop!) starts you out with soft cheeses that use ordinary ingredients, such as milk, salt and liquid rennet, along with tools such as cheesecloth, and a read now thermometer to create a cheese curd that can be made and eaten the same day!
You are given detailed instructions, lists of necessary tools, and reasons for each step of the process in order to make your cheesemaking journey successful!
The different types of cheeses are pictured, their local history is discussed, and you are told how you can “age” cheeses like a pro!
You will learn how to make your own homemade ricotta and mozzarella cheese so that you can have it freshly and readily available in your own kitchen - enjoy!
Enjoy making your own dips, mac and cheeses, meals, salads and even desserts with this fabulous cookbook!

Cheese, my second favorite C word, coffee being number one. I love cheese, go on cheese tours and make fresh cheese, mozzarella and ricotta often. I have always felt intimidated to go further in cheese making levels, until I read this book. I love this books, it was a quick and easy read.
Simple, this book makes it all look so simple, with clear directions and amazing photos. The steps are written so that beginning people and seasoned cheese maker can comfortably follow along. I finished my first brie, and am letting it age right now. Yes, I do have my fingers crossed that is comes out as the creamy cheese I love. I raise sourdough starter and will be making fresh sourdough to eat with it, in about 25 days. Oh the recipes, wait till you see the gorgeous photos of the recipes to use the cheese with, you might swoon. My next two huge challenges I will tackle are Swiss cheese then my favorite cheese family blue. I thought blue cheese would be so hard to make, the recipe seems easy, with clear steps.
There are tips, recipes for butter, jams, pairing foods and more in the back. There is even a section on making a cheese board- great for a dinner party.

Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy for review

I can't wait to get a physical copy of this book to keep in my kitchen and reference on my cheese making journey!

I love cheese and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that the idea of making my own cheese never occurred to me. I always assumed it was some laborious process that wouldn't be worth the time or effort, and also that I wouldn't be able to make a good tasting cheese anyways. The recipes in this book are so easy to follow and the author has great tips on how to make cheese. I can't wait to get in the kitchen and start making my own cheese!

I love cheese, but then who doesn’t! I was excited to read this book and learn about cheese, but most importantly how to make cheese. And it didn’t disappoint! This book is loaded with wonderful photographs of each cheese that is showcased.

Before beginning, you will need to purchase a few specialty item and ingredients. The book also gives you a reference guide for where to purchase items online.You’ll start off with the easiest cheese to learn about, and then a detailed recipe and instructions follow.

I have begun my first try and am excited to see how it turns out!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley

This is a beautiful book with recipes both for the actual cheeses and what to make with the cheeses, whether it's Paneer Stuffed Peppers, Cheese and Garlic Scones or other yummy treats. I also really loved the photos.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing for an e-galley of The Modern Cheesemaker for review.
I was mostly just interested in the methods in making cheese at home and this book really lays it all out for you. From easy soft cheese to more complicated aged cheese, they do require some special equipment and ingredients but the book lays it all out so it looks easy! This would be perfect for anyone looking to control the ingredients in their cheese or even to make a speciality cheese that costs a lot in the store. I think I will start making buratta as it is hard for me to find in stores near where I live but it seems simple to make for myself.

I've always been interested in making my own cheese and I cant even find words for how excited I am to use the recipes from this book!! Home made cheese, here I come!

I received an electronic galley of this book via NetGalley.

I am known for my passion for artisan cheese. For me, it's a Pokemon-like gotta-catch'em-all joyful hunt. However, I've never tried making cheese, even though I'm a baker and I love experimenting with diverse recipes in the kitchen. What little I had read about home cheese-making left me very intimidated.

That attitude has shifted after reading this book. Morgan McGlynn is a cheese-monger and cheese-maker in the UK, and she has written a book in which I feel like she gently took me by the hand and showed me step by step how to make my own cheese. The book is organized by level of difficulty, too--start with fresh cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta, and work up to hard cheeses (hard in texture, harder and more time-consuming to make) like aged Cheddar and Brie.

This isn't simply a recipe book, though it does indeed feature recipes for 18 cheeses plus some 40 recipes for utilizing that cheese. This is a book about the basics: the science of cheese explained in straightforward terms, a breakdown of the equipment needed to safely and successfully make cheese, and also information about professional cheese-makers along with a list of some of the best cheeses in the world to seek out. To make this all even better, there are abundant full-color photographs that illustrate the steps and show what the finished results should look like.

Oh, and I should add that all of the information is presented in measurements friendly for readers/cooks in Britain, America, and elsewhere. The recommended places to buy supplies are also not focused on one specific locale. McGlynn wants to help you make cheese, no matter where you live.

I think I'm going to get a large pot and a few other new additions for my kitchen and finally give homemade cheese a go. The idea does still intimidate me, but now I feel like I have a guide to help me on my way.

The Modern CHeesemaker goes through the processes, equipment needed, and step by step instructions for how to make 18 different delicious cheeses! (40 different recipes!) This is a great book for any bigger or even someone with some knowledge in cheesemaking!

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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

Oh my goodness, this is a fantastic book! I love the idea of making cheese and this book sets it all out for you.

There are six different types of cheese to have a go at: fresh, cream & soft, semi-hard, hard, goats and blue. Overall this book provides instructions in how to make 20 cheeses along with many scrumptious recipes to use them in and drink pairings.

The instructions are very detailed and each step is accompanied by a colour photograph. The ingredients are listed in metric and imperial measurements and at the rear is a list of suppliers as some equipment might be needed, though a few cheeses can be made with a couple of ingredients from the supermarket.

Interspersed are also worldwide family run cheesemakers with a small bit of their history and what cheese they produce.

I've seen the author on Sunday Brunch back in March this year feeding the guests and presenters with the most delicious looking cheese - though last time she was asked about using breast milk to make it!I

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

I LOVED this book. I requested it because I love cheese, but loved it on it's own merits. The pictures were GORGEOUS and mouth-watering, the author clearly knows her stuff and the recipes all looked amazing and made me want to get started RIGHT NOW.

I received this as an eARC and while eBooks are ok, for this, I would highly suggest the "real" book. I ordered one for me about halfway through reading this and some for my store will be following. I'm being greedy, I get my copy first!

I wish she had been a tad more clear about the cheesecloths however. Can they be washed and re-used when used for straining, or are they one-time use only?

Other than that, she was very clear and the pictures corresponded to the text. I love how she included her favorite cheese makers, giving a short bio of them/their cheese and where they were located in the world.

If you love cheese, then this is the book for you. It seems from this book that cheese isn't all that difficult to make, you just need good, fresh ingredients. She also includes vegetarian options for the rennet (don't ask what it is, I went a tad green when I heard what it was, but not enough to not keep shoving cheese in my mouth).

5, huge cheese-wheel, stars!

My thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion Publishing for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

I have made quite a few cheeses, from the fresh ones to the soft Bries/Camemberts and soft blues over the years but have yet to venture into the Cheddar style hard ones. This book is what I would have liked at the start of my cheesey journey - sound, practical advice. So many other books make the whole process seem so convoluted and needing expensive equipment not to mention using 100 litre quantities of milk! This is just not true as Ms McGlyn's book ably demonstrates. The pictures of the various stages of the curds are very clear and useful. The photographs and recipes are an added attraction too. A slight downer is the obvious need for areas of quite cool and steady temperatures and about which she gives us little idea as to how we can achieve these. Normal 'fridges are generally too cold and, whilst I am lucky enough to have a cool traditional larder, many other people won't. and the cool maturing temperatures are definitely essential for many cheeses. I found the approximate yields from given volumes of milk also useful - don't forget that a lot of whey is produced and you need to be a bit imaginative to use it - soda bread, add it to smoothies, for cooking instead of water and so on. I have produced the Norwegian brunost by boiling the whey down to a fudgy caramel, err, mess but it's so much a Marmite thing that I leave it to you to decide whether to try this or not! I like it, my husband does not - brunost that is. We both hate Marmite. A very useful book overall and one that should encourage more people to take time to make their own cheese even if only for a treat. Some may well find that it becomes a routine. My thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a treasure! Step by Step cheese making instructions along with some recipes you'll be on your way to being a cheesemonger! Beautifully photographed, well written, with mouth-watering recipes, this book earns a solid 5!

This book goes far beyond my cheesemaking abilities, but is an excellent resource for a serious cheesemaker! Someday when I have more time, I want to return to this book to truly explore all that it has to offer!

A book for real enthusiasts. I love cheese and loved learning more about the whole process of making and tasting. Honestly, I doubt I will make my own cheese but loved finding out more.

Excellent primer for cheese making. Provides basic information in a easy to follow format.
Sections are logical and the cheeses in the book are all delicious.

4,5 stars, rounded up.

This is an extremely detailed handbook for making cheese and enjoying cheese.
Morgan McGlynn structured this book from the easiest cheeses to make to the most difficult, making this a guide helpful to everyone, from beginner to more skilled cheese makers.
Each recipe (both for making the cheeses and using the cheeses) is accompanied by beautiful pictures. Every step in the making of the cheese is describe thoroughly and the pictures add extra clarification.
I also love that she put the recipes after each homemade cheese. This way you get direct inspiration for what you could make with your homemade cheese and, to be honest, it gave me a lot more drive to actually make the cheese if the dish looked delicious.
At the end McGlynn also added a list with cheese suggestions per country & possible places/links to get the ingredients/tools. Both are great and smart additions.

Morgan McGlynn has been a fan of cheese her whole life. In fact, she loves it so much she bought a cheese shop when she was only 21. Working at the store, tasting cheeses, traveling to cheesemakers to stock her shop, she has learned a lot about cheese. She has even started making her own. And now she is sharing all her best cheese secrets with us all in The Modern Cheesemaker.

Written with novices in mind, McGlynn takes readers step by step through the process of making cheese, from simple cheese that can be made with ingredients you can probably find in your kitchen to more complicated recipes that take specialty ingredients and can age for months. She includes tips on cheese making equipment (you don’t need much to get started) and ideas on knives and slicers to use to create the ultimate cheese board.

In other words, you can put as little or as much effort in as you want, invest a lot or not so much, the options are as numerous as the types of cheeses available.

After a quick introduction to the history, basic process, and equipment of cheesemaking, McGlynn gets to the important part—the recipes. First she starts with simple fresh cheeses, like mozzarella, ricotta, burrata, and mascarpone. And along with the recipes to create these cheeses, she includes recipes you can use these cheese for, like Lemon and Raspberry Ricotta Cheesecake, Curd Cheese Dip, and Burrata and Lemon Penne.

After the fresh cheeses, she takes us on a tour of cream and soft cheeses, so you can make your own cottage cheese, cream cheese, and Brie. Then it’s on to goat’s cheese, with ideas for creamy and crumbly ones, and recipes like a Courgette (Zucchini) and Goat’s Cheese Tart or Goat’s Cheese and Spinach Filo Swirls.

Then things get harder, as both the recipes and the cheese get harder, going through an aging process. You can choose semi-hard cheeses like Paneer, Swiss Cheese, Halloumi, and Feta; or you can go for the hard cheeses, and try your hand at Cheddar, Gouda, or Red Leicester. And then you can go to use those to make Very Naughty Mac and Cheese, a Classic Croque Monsieur, or a Tortellini Bake.

And let’s not forget the Blue Cheese.

Throughout all these recipes for cheeses and for tasty dishes made with cheeses are vignettes of cheesemakers from around the world and lots of beutiful photographs. Add in some expert advice about serving cheese, wine pairings for different cheeses, and how to create an exquisite cheese board for any season, The Modern Cheesemaker is a beautiful reference for cheese lovers of all kinds.

Galleys for The Modern Cheesemaker were provided by White Lion Publishing through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I was so excited to see this book pop up on NetGalley. A friend in Virginia is an avid cheesemaker, and he talks so energetically about his cheese projects that I always leave his company wanting to try my own cheesemaking experiments. I’ve gone so far as taking an Italian cheesemaking class at the local cooking school: however, my limited home experiments have epically failed. So I wanted to learn more about the process of cheesemaking before I attempted any more home experiments.

This book definitely did not disappoint! The cheesemaking recipes were clearly written, and generously illustrated with step-by-step full color photographs. In addition to the cheesemaking recipes, there was a wealth of recipes for dishes using the homemade cheeses. As much as this book demystified the cheesemaking processes, I’m more likely to try one of the ancillary recipes at one of my upcoming dinner parties.

Even the apocryphal material in this book was super interesting. My favorite section was the section about cheese pairings, which went well beyond pairing cheese with wine. These was an entire page of tips for pairing cheese with beer and cider, as well as other subsections about pairing cheese with whiskey and pairing cheese with other spirits.

To make the cheesemaking process even more accessible, the book contains paragraph length descriptions of the more exotic ingredients used in the recipes, such as the different enzymes and molds required for more advanced cheese making. In addition, the book provided websites accessible worldwide that source cheesemaking materials. And I was tickled that the author chose to include Amazon as one of the sources, because sometimes that is more reasonably priced than the boutique sources.

Even though this was a British book, the measurements and vocabulary were generously translated in American measurements and vocabulary throughout the book. As an American, I felt comfortable that the ocean gap would not prevent me from attempting any of these recipes.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have not tried any of the recipes from this book, and will update this review if I do.

In The Modern Cheesemaker, McGlynn shares 18 cheesemaking tips and over 40 cheese recipes inspired by her love for cheesemaking from a young age. This guide provides a complete hands-on guide to making cheese from scratch.

The author opens this book with by introducing the reader to the history of cheesemaking, cheese seasons and the best season for optimal cheese production; she elaborates using cheese from the mountains (The Alps and Pyrenees).

The first section is devoted to the ingredients: cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, acid, salt etc). Here, the author suggests the quality of milk for the best results. This section also covers cheesemaking equipment (Cheesecloth or muslin, large saucepan, thermometer, wooden spoon etc), and the basic steps in making cheese with illustrated step-by-step instructions to make the cheesemaking process accessible for anyone to try at home.


The cheeses in this book are divided into five categories: Fresh cheese, cream and soft cheese, Goat’s cheese, semi-hard cheese, Hard cheese and blue cheese. Each entry begins with a brief overview of the cheese as well as a summary of the cheesemaking process.

Each of the cheeses listed here is further broken down into different kinds of cheese, as well as recipes to try at home. For instance, under Fresh Cheese, you will find kinds of cheese followed by a recipe or two. Some examples are curd cheese ( curd cheese dip), Ricotta, Mozzarella, Mascarpone (Mascarpone Chocolate Pots with Honeymade Honeycomb. The chapter also features a star cheesemaker from different regions in the world.

Under the cream and soft cheese section, you will find a variety of delectable cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, Brie (Grilled Brie with Caramelized apple and honey).

In the subsequent chapters, (Semi-hard cheese and Hard cheese), the author presents more challenging cheesemaking techniques and introduces the art of ageing cheese, known as affinage. She shows the reader how to make semi-hard cheese such as Paneer cheese, Swiss cheese, Halloumi and Feta cheese including recipes such as Cheese straws and Raclette. Hard cheese: Cheddar, Red Leicester and Gouda.

The author also includes some cheesemonger tips and offers different ways to flavor cheese. Another chapter is dedicated to cheese pairing and explains the balance of tastes, textures, and fragrances, as well as the author’s favorite pairings. Included in this book are seasonal cheese boards featuring cheese in all four seasons and tips on storing cheese.

The Modern Cheesemaker concludes with an extensive list of additives and cultures used for cheesemaking, equipment and where to source them, as well as the author’s selections of cheeses from around the world.

Highly recommend to cheese lovers and experienced hobbyists.

Many thanks to Morgan McGlynn, NetGalley, and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful and informative book that attempts to take the mystery out of home cheese-making. I have long desired to make my own cheese, and this would be a great boo to get me started. It's filled with clear instructions and well-composed photographs, and contains recipes for a wide variety of cheeses. I especially appreciate that it has recipes from easy to difficult - if I owned this book it would be in use for many years.