The highly readable story of Gordon Edgar's unlikely career as a cheesemonger at San Francisco's worker-owned Rainbow Grocery Cooperative.

Flavour is key to the acceptance of cheese products among consumers and is therefore a critical issue for professionals in the dairy industry. However, the manufacture of cheeses that are consistently safe and flavourful often eludes scientists. Developments such as high throughput genome sequencing and metabolite analysis are having a significant impact on research, leading to the development of new tools to control and improve the flavour of cheese. With contributions from an international array of acclaimed authors, Improving the flavour of cheese, provides crucial reviews of recent research in the field.The book begins with a summary of cheese ripening and the compounds associated with cheese flavour. Part one discusses the metabolism of specific substrates to flavour compounds by microbes associated with milk and cheese. Part two reviews the influence of ingredients, processing and certain chemical and physical factors on cheese flavour. Part three addresses the measurement of cheese flavour. The book concludes with a selection of case studies on specific product types such as hard Italian, brined cheese, as well as low fat and soft-ripened cheeses.Improving the flavour of cheese provides a unique review of emerging techniques and ideas to control the flavour of cheese. This original book will be a standard reference for those concerned with the development and manufacture of cheese. - Discusses the wealth of research in the area of flavour development - Reviews the influence of ingredients, processing and certain chemical and physical factors on cheese flavour - Concludes with a selection of case studies on specific product types

"Cheddar is the world's most ubiquitous and beloved cheese. More than that, cheddar holds a key to understanding our food politics and even our cultural identity. In 'Cheddar', Gordon Edgar (Cheesemonger) traces the unexplored history of cheddar, with both wry humor and an eye toward its future. Cheddar has something to tell us about this country: from the way people rally to certain types of cheddar but not others, to the gradual transformation of a once artisan cheese into big commodity blocks (and back again) and the effect that has had on rural communities. One of the first cheeses to be industrialized, cheddar's progression from farmstead wheels to machine-extruded singles mirrors that of our entire food system. The resurgence of traditional cheesemaking over the last few decades, in turn, speaks to ways that we're redefining how food is produced. Edgar also answers some key questions about cheddar. Is it the most popular cheese in the land? Did England invent it and America cheapen it? Is today's 40-pound block a precursor to Velveeta? You'll find these answers and more in 'Cheddar', a book as thought-provoking as it is entertaining and that reveals what a familiar food has to tell us about ourselves and our culture"--Page 4 of cover.

In this home cheese making primer, Ricki Carrol presents basic techniques that will have you whipping up delicious cheeses of every variety in no time. Step-by-step instructions for farmhouse cheddar, gouda, mascarpone, and more are accompanied by inspiring profiles of home cheese makers. With additional tips on storing, serving, and enjoying your homemade cheeses, Home Cheese Making provides everything you need to know to make your favorite cheeses right in your own kitchen.