The Cheeses of Vermont: A Gourmet Guide to Vermont's Artisanal Cheesemakers [Paperback]

Henry Tewksbury (Author), Kimberly Grant (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002

In recent years the number of artisanal and farmstead cheesemakers in Vermont has exploded. These dedicated craftspeople make distinctive, high-quality cheeses from the milk of their own cows, sheep, and goats; age them in their own caves; and ship them to restaurants, gourmet food markets, and cheese lovers all over the world.

Henry Tewksbury, a cheese expert and a passionate devotee of handcrafted Vermont cheese, is your guide to the cheeses, their makers, and their stories. He gives a brief overview of the cheesemaking process, introduces us to the cheesemakers and their herds, and then describes dozens of varieties in delectable detail. He tells you where to go and when to visit to see the cheeses being made, and provides details on where Vermont cheeses can be purchased, both within and outside the state.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Henry Tewksbury, former film and television producer, now Vermont resident and manager of the cheese department of the Brattleboro Food Co-op, celebrates cheese makers in The Cheeses of Vermont: A Gourmet Guide to Vermont's Artisanal Cheese Makers. He provides a brief history of the art and craft of the process, highlighting various cheese makers and facilities. Cheese makers are organized by region, and cheeses by types for easy access, and "Henry the Cheeseman" provides an appendix on locating the makers (including directions), farmer's markets and a glossary of terms. Color and black-and-white photos and a map complete the production.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

More and more Americans are learning to value cheese for its own sake, not just as a topping on burgers or sprinkled over the pasta of the day. Cheeses of gourmet quality now come from small farms all over the nation, especially from small dairy farms in Vermont. Tewksbury's Cheeses of Vermont catalogs the production of dozens of cheese makers in this tiny New England state. He goes from one farm to the next, talking to the owners and describing the farms' output from pungent Camembert to herbed goat cheese and savory cheddar. Vermont offers all three cheese varieties: cow, sheep, goat, and the state's production ranges from tiny artisanal producers to large manufacturers. For the traveler, an appendix gives addresses and detailed driving directions to Vermont cheese makers statewide. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Countryman Press; 1 edition (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881505137
• ISBN-13: 978-0881505139
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #716,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERMONT CHEDDAR IS TO DIE FOR..., January 31, 2005

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Cheeses of Vermont: A Gourmet Guide to Vermont's Artisanal Cheesemakers (Paperback)

For several years now I've been placing my order with Cabot Farms or Grafton village for some of their wonderful, aged, Vermont white cheddar cheese. Wisconsin not withstanding, I am convinced that the finest cheddar cheeses in the world come from Vermont, not to mention the fact that they are found in some of the most gorgeous settings to be found anywhere. You can't help but picture New England on a snowy winter's day.

That's why this book was such a great read. I was already familiar with many of the Farms mentioned by Mr. Tewksbury, having visited many of their websites in the past, but I certainly found some new places I was not aware of. Learning about Vermont's cheesemakers and the products they lovingly craft makes eating them all the more enjoyable. Tewksbury tells us where and how each artisan makes cheese, which operations welcome visitors, and where to purchases the cheeses.

Thank God for the Internet because no matter where you live you can have these wonderful products of Vermont sent right to your doorstep.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the Cheesemakers' Perspective, March 29, 2006

By 

jefkat (Harrisburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Cheeses of Vermont: A Gourmet Guide to Vermont's Artisanal Cheesemakers (Paperback)

Henry Tewksbury spent the better part of his career as Peter Tewksbury in California, where he produced films and TV shows, such as Father Knows Best and My Three Sons. In his later years, he started a second life in Vermont as a cheese expert and consultant and to mark the change, reverted to his real first name, Henry. Tewksbury's transformation from Hollywood bigwig to small town cheese connoisseur is oddly parallel to that of many of the cheesemakers whose stories he tells in this informative and engaging book. While a few were born and raised on the farm, others left successful jobs in law, finance, teaching and other professions for the lure of healthy country living and the chance to try something new.

There are several well written and comprehensive guides available for selecting and serving artisanal and farmstead cheeses from around the world, including many that are produced in the USA. What sets this book apart from all the rest is its focus on the hard-working people who have created these fine cheeses: how they got started in the business, how they learned about making cheese (often with the help of others who came before them, but sometimes also through trial and error), and what their daily life is like. Of course, there is also information about each producer's cheeses, along with Tewksbury's personal assessment. His admiration for what these cheesemakers have accomplished, their vision and passion, and the originality of each cheese shines through in the writing.

Potential readers should understand that the book is a snapshot of Vermont's artisanal cheese movement as it existed about five years ago when the book was researched and written. Most of the information remains valid today, but a few things have changed. The most notable "omission" is Mateo and Andy Kehler from Jasper Hill Farm in northeast Vermont. Their cheeses are now considered to be among the very best made in America, but they were not yet in operation at the time the book was written. Unfortunately, Henry Tewksbury died the year after the book was published, so unless someone else takes up the charge, there will be no update. That, however, should not deter the cheese enthusiast who wants to know "the story behind the story" of farmstead cheesemaking. Highly recommended!