Customer Reviews

The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin

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First, a confession: I know the authors. When I heard that Jim and Becca were running around the state interviewing and photographing cheesemakers, I was intrigued. I love Jim's blogging and Founding Fathers book and Becca's photography is classy. How would this book turn out? Would this be equally serious? Goofy fun? Kitsch?

The Master Cheesemakers is both fun and serious *and* beautifully done... a real treat for anyone interested in food, Americana, or Wisconsin. They treat their subject matter with love and respect, and the resulting book is delightful. The writing is crisp and engaging and the photographs are evocative, but it's always in the service of the people and place. Both have considerable talent, and they don't allow it to get in the way. In a word... tasteful. The production quality is really high, too, something I was pleasantly surprised with. It's beautifully produced, and you can proudly give it as a gift without hesitation.

I'm most surprised by its value as a piece of Americana. It's really a gorgeous documenting of people and place. If you're uncertain if this is for you, see their blog. [...]

Wisconsin, due to its cultural and agricultural dairy farm legacy, was justifiably world famous for the quality and variety of its cheeses. Indeed, the making of cheese was a specialty brought over from Europe by immigrant settlers beginning in the 1850s, and continues to persist as an important economic contribution to Wisconsin's economic well-being. Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin" is the collaborative project of James Norton and Becca Dilley who extensively interviewed dairymen, surveying the cheese plants that employ them, and profile forty three acknowledged Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin. Enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary of cheesemaking terms, cheese factory touring opportunities, tasting notes, and suggested food pairings, "The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin" is an absolutely recommended addition to community library "Wisconsin History" reference collections, as well as the personal reading lists of anyone who has ever enjoyed the variety and quality of Wisconsin cheese.

Bought this as a gift for my husband who is in the dairy industry and worked in WI for years. He enjoyed it and saw some people he knew in the book.