Morgan McGlynn - 21 Mar

MAKING AND COOKING WITH CHEESES AT HOME

MORGAN McGLYNN

This is a book for all fellow cheese lovers.

My life has been consumed by cheese, in the best possible way, from my early years visiting my local cheese shop, then going on to own that very shop many years later. Along the way my love of cheese has been kept alive by my travels all over the world, discovering new and exciting cheeses.

I love all cheese soft, hard, blue, goats, stinky, creamy, crumbly or mild; there is rarely a day that goes by without me grabbing a bit of cheese and a dribble of honey, crumbling some cheese over a salad or including some in my evening meal.

From a young age my parents would take me to our local cheese shop in Muswell Hill, London, not knowing that one day it would become a major part of my life. As a child I remember the shop sparking a reaction in me the smells, the feel and taste of all these cheeses I was yet to discover. Each visit was an experience, with new cheeses appearing on a regular basis new shapes, sizes, colours and smells. I would later learn that this was down to the changing of the seasons, and determined which cheeses would be on offer that Saturday.

A few years later, while studying graphic design at university, I started work as a Saturday girl for the shop, then just two years later, at 21 years of age, I took a huge gamble and bought the shop, cementing my love of all things cheese, so much so that I have dedicated an entire book to the subject.

Since taking over the shop, I have come across hundreds of cheeses in the course of my work, and we now stock over 250 different kinds of cheese, all tasted and handpicked by myself.

Cheesemakers all over the world are producing incredibly delicious, complex and award-winning cheeses, and along my journey I have met some fantastic people. I have picked out a few of my favourite cheesemakers and included their stories and details of their beautiful cheeses in this book.

Over the last couple of years I have also spent time working with some of the most influential cheesemakers, and some of the new trail-blazing urban cheesemakers, who are changing the cheese industry for the better.

But lets not forget that only a few generations ago, people would make their own cheeses at home. It is a real shame that so few of us attempt this now, worried that it is too difficult, too complicated or that you will need lots of equipment. The truth is that you could probably make a cheese with the things you have in your kitchen right now.

I am passionate about rekindling peoples love of cheesemaking, and in this book I am thrilled to be able to share my expertise and knowledge of how to make your own cheeses at home. It is such a rewarding journey, which starts with a simple ingredient, milk, which can be transformed into the most delicious cheese.

I adore handcrafted cheeses and I love making good cheese, but I also love cooking with produce that I have made myself, and I am delighted to pass on a collection of classic mouthwatering recipes, such as Cheese Fondue (see ), as well as some new and exciting recipe ideas. All the recipes are versatile, too, so you can use your own homemade cheeses or whatever cheeses are available to you.

This is a complete guide to cheesemaking, with easy-to-follow instructions to help you make and cook with the most delicious cheeses at home. Whether you are a curious cheese lover or an experienced hobbyist, this book should satisfy your appetite.

I was inspired to start making cheese at home after my job as a cheesemonger took me all over the world, visiting my suppliers and witnessing the ways in which they make their incredible cheeses. Each one uses a different and original technique, some revolutionary, some passed down through many generations.

I love the way this craft was born from something quite simple, to go on to be used all over the world, by so many different people from various walks of life, all united by the act of cheesemaking.

Every culture in the world has its own cheese, all made following a similar principle, which suggests a common ancestry. Even countries such as China, not known for its dairy products, has its own type of cheese, Rushan, an Asian semi-soft cheese, made by the Bai people. And then there is the more unusual queso blanco from South America. Yet it was in Europe that a large variety of cheeses were developed, many of which have become our cheeseboard favourites today.

There are thought to be 3,500 varieties of cheese being produced across the world. And now the trend is entering our homes too, with more and more people having a go at making their own cheese without setting foot on a farm or getting down and dirty to milking a cow.