From the foremost master of cheese in the country, Max McCalman, comes a practical twist on wine and cheese pairings that includes detailed information about the history, production and unique flavor of fifty of the world’s finest cheeses, as well as the accompanying information about the best wine varietals and vintages to pair them with. The easy-to-navigate swatchbook format fans out to reveal the ideal wine and cheese match for any occasion.

Maître fromager Max McCalman, author of The Cheese Plate and Cheese, is steeped in the world of artisanal cheeses like no one else. In Mastering Cheese, he shares the wealth of his expertise to help cheese lovers on their path to connoisseurship. After years of teaching courses for amateurs at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, where he is Dean of Curriculum, McCalman has developed a compelling set of classes for understanding and ex-periencing cheese. A full master's course in a book, Mastering Cheese covers the world of cheese in twenty-two distinct lessons, featuring tasting plates that deliciously demonstrate key topics. For example, a chapter titled "Stunning Stinkers" explains why some of the strongest-smelling cheeses can be among the best tasting and then recommends several stars of this category. Learn about the issues facing real raw-milk cheeses and then go out and taste the differences between these cheeses and those made with pasteurized milk. For the first time in any of his books, McCalman includes extensive information on the modern artisanal cheese revolution in the United States and prominently features these artisans and their products alongside the famous cheeses of Italy, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Complete with helpful charts and an invaluable index of more than 300 cheeses, Mastering Cheese is the definitive course that you can use in your own home to pursue your passion for cheese.

If you’ve ever had genuine farmhouse Cheddar from England, or real Alsatian Munster, or aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, you know that fine hand-crafted cheeses have absolutely nothing to do with the bland, shrink-wrapped, food-colored offerings that evoke school cafeterias. Artisanal cheeses—from luscious triple crèmes to the “boss” blues—are complex and richly rewarding, very similar to fine wines. And these cheeses get even more rewarding if you know something about their subtleties, their attributes, and how to get the most out of them—like which wines go with which cheeses (and why), or how a multiple-cheese tasting should progress, or what an appropriate portion size is, or which accompaniments work best, or why the Loire chèvres peak in autumn. Max McCalman is one of the world’s foremost experts on these matters. As the maître fromager (or “cheese master”) at the acclaimed restaurants Picholine and Artisanal in New York City, he spends his entire day, every day, dealing with cheese—ordering it, tasting it, studying it, serving it. And The Cheese Plate is the culmination of his years of passion and study for this subject: the definitive work on how to enjoy the world’s greatest cheeses (and what those cheeses are) at home. The Cheese Plate begins with the fundamentals: history, what exactly cheese is, and how it’s made. Then Max moves onto the subject that has made him a star in the culinary world—the art of cheese tasting. To begin with, it’s important to know how to buy, store, and serve cheeses, and then how to taste them (again, as with wines, the best results come with a little finesse). Then you’ll want to pair cheeses with other foods and beverages, especially wines, to bring out the best of both. And with all this expertise in hand, you’ll want to construct cheese plates, from a quick lunch assortment to a full after-dinner tasting extravaganza. Finally, you’ll appreciate a rundown of the best cheeses in the world—where they’re from, what they look and taste like, their perfect wine accompaniments—so that you can become a maître fromager in your own right.

Beautifully designed in the Pantone swatch book format, Mrs. Lilien’s Cocktail Swatchbook is filled with 50 classic cocktail recipes for colorful entertaining. Interent bon vivant Mrs. Lilien takes a fanciful approach to cocktail making in this retro-chic swatch book, which includes 20 recipes for blended cocktails, 20 recipes for shaken cocktails, and 10 recipes for punch bowls. Every classic recipe is accompanied with a modern twist and chic accouterments. Simply fan the book out to your desired recipe, look at the card, and instantly know which ingredients the cocktail requires from the glossy four-color photographs. The gorgeous cover design (complete with embossed flamingos!) is dazzling on a bar cart, coffee table, or at any cocktail party. Recipes include: Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Basil Rita, Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Julep, Tequila Granita, Brunch Punch, Senorita Spin and many more!

This fun kit for home beer tastings contains eight tasting glasses, two flight paddles, note cards, and a 48-page book on how to host your own craft beer tasting.

Offers detailed descriptions of the unique characteristics and tastes of two hundred varieties of cheese in an alphabetical listing that explains how to select the best cheeses, recommended wine pairings, and tips on shopping and storage.