Writers Take New Slices of Cheese World
Karen Herzog - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Apr 23, 2008
If you love cheese, check out this trio of Wisconsin-authored cheese books, hot off the press or coming soon to a bookstore near you.
Cheese is a sophisticated addition to any party. These books give Wisconsin cheeses -- and the artisans who make them -- their due.
The first book hit stores in February: "Wisconsin Cheese: A Cookbook and Guide to the Cheeses of Wisconsin" (Globe Pequot Press, $16.95) by foodies Martin Hintz and Pam Percy, who share five acres in suburban Milwaukee with two Saanen dairy goats, Thelma and Louise. The couple have authored numerous books and articles, but this is their first cookbook.
The next locally written cheese book came out this month: "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cheeses of the World" (Penguin Group, $18.95) by Jeanette Hurt and Steve Ehlers, both of Milwaukee.
This is the first book for both Hurt and Ehlers. Hurt writes about travel, wine and food as a magazine freelance writer and is a former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter. Ehlers, who lent professional cheese expertise to the book, owns Larry's Brown Deer Market and is a frequent judge of international and national cheese contests.
Hurt has another cheese book due in stores June 2: "The Cheeses of Wisconsin" (The Countryman Press, $19.95).
Hurt said she consumed "pounds and pounds" of cheese while researching two cheese books at the same time. "I probably rank more closely to the Greeks and French, who consume about 50 pounds per capita (per year)."
While both books are about cheese, and each features 20 recipes, they have a different focus, she said.
The Idiot's Guide is, as the title suggests, aimed at cheese novices. It covers the varieties and types of European and American cheeses; the phenomenal growth of artisan cheeses in the United States; how to taste and shop for cheese; cheese pairings for food and beverages; cooking with cheese; and making cheese.
"The Cheeses of Wisconsin" is a travel food guide, Hurt said, noting that she spent three weeks on the road last summer, visiting about 40 artisan cheesemakers and a few dairy producers, who also get a mention in the book. The book begins with the history of Wisconsin's cheese industry and is divided geographically to tell the stories of Wisconsin cheesemakers and includes a guide for visiting cheese plants.
The Hintz-Percy book is a cookbook sprinkled with vignettes about Wisconsin cheeses and the artisans who produce them, plus praise for Wisconsin cheeses from chefs around the country.
The couple tested some 200 recipes for the book and hosted many dinner parties, including seven-course meals designed to fit as much cheese as possible into one meal.
"Pam took the lead on the recipes," Hintz said. "I washed pots, tested and tasted. It was quite a collaborative effort."
Hintz did most of the talking to cheesemakers, though the couple traveled together to several cheese plants. "You learn an awful lot talking to these folks," Hintz said. "They have a marvelous way of looking at the world out of the box."
Hintz personally is a fan of blue cheeses and aged cheddars. "It can be as simple as a salad. Or blue cheese on a hamburger or buffalo burger or a steak."
Of course, Hintz and Percy also consumed a lot of cheese in their research.
"We joined a fitness club after the book was finished," Percy said.
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Copyright 2008 by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
