Rob Kaufelt, cheese purveyor to American’s top restaurants and owner of Murray’s Cheese—named the world’s best cheese store by Forbes magazine—guides us through the bewildering variety of cheeses available today in this entertaining and indispensable guide featuring:
*Descriptions of more than 300 cheeses from across America and around the world, including what to drink with each
*Suggested accompaniments for all the different styles and types of cheeses
*How to arrange cheese plates for dressed-up dinners or casual cheese tastings
*The best cheeses to serve before a meal, with a salad, or for a gooey grilled cheese sandwich
*Must-have lists: The Ten Most Intimidating Cheeses, Sexiest Cheeses, Cheeses to Eat Before You Die
*Answers to the most frequently asked questions about cheese
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Kaufelt is the current proprietor of the 65-year-old New York City institution known as Murray's Cheese, a Greenwich Village shop of great renown and pungent aromas. (Thorpe oversees its wholesale department.) In this expertly handled and instructive catalogue, the authors include vital information for each of the 300-plus entries; there are mentions of milk type (denoted with icons of a goat, cow, sheep or water buffalo); country of origin; whether the cheese is raw or pasteurized; and the type (semisoft, firm, etc.). The authors wax poetic and multisyllabic on cheeses familiar and obscure, bloomy and blue. To wit, the entry on La Serena cheese begins, "Deep in Extremadura, where Merino sheep forage on slate and granite soil, La Serena is a testament to creative seasonal cheesemaking." And of Shropshire blue: "It's as if staid Stilton had a more flamboyant twin." The authors include a glossary and a series of lists and indexes that cover such territory as what cheeses to serve before a meal, top 10 "Most Intimidating Cheeses" (#9: Stinking Bishop), beer and wine pairings, and "Cheeses to Eat Before You Die." Readers whose town lacks a decent cheese shop might find their mouths watering in frustration, but taken as literature, it would be semihard to find a finer book of prose poetry. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“I love Murray’s Cheese Handbook. Although Rob makes it fun to learn about cheese, this is a seriously informative book.”
—Thomas Keller, chef, The French Laundry and Per Se
“What a great cheese guide book--from one of America’s greatest cheese shops!”
—Emeril Lagasse
“What Rob has done at Murray’s is unique; he has brought a level of cheese expertise to America that no one else has ever done before.”
—Alice Waters, executive chef and owner of Chez Panisse
—Thomas Keller, chef, The French Laundry and Per Se
“What a great cheese guide book--from one of America’s greatest cheese shops!”
—Emeril Lagasse
“What Rob has done at Murray’s is unique; he has brought a level of cheese expertise to America that no one else has ever done before.”
—Alice Waters, executive chef and owner of Chez Panisse
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Adam D. Haas
Format:Paperback
Murray's Guide to Cheese successfully combines all the elements for an outstanding food guide. It is endlessly informative, and everybody from the absolute novice to the most seasoned caseophile will learn something new. Everything from milk types, to storing cheese, to descriptions of the cheeses themselves is discussed succintly and articulately. The author does not assume the reader has an advanced lexicon of esoteric cheese-world terms, nor does he ever "talk down" to the reader. The Top 10 Lists, beverage pairing and cheese plate composing indices alone are worth the price!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By annielaurie
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
but unfortunately, most of the cheeses I tried to look up were not among the more than 300 described here. I gave this to my brother as a gift and we took it along to the local Central Market in Dallas. Most of the cheeses we were interested in couldn't be found in the book. Recommended, but with reservations - the descriptions of the cheeses that are actually in the book are truly mouth-watering.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By J. Keller
Format:Paperback
If you love cheese, this book is an essential road map to exploring the rich and pungent world of artisanal cheeses. The book also provides a simple and clear explanation of how cheese is made and why there are so many variations of something that has just a few basic ingredients. I would not be surprised to see the yellow handbook popping up in restaurants when a cheese course is offered as diners take advantage of the slim volume to make educated selections. If nothing else, this book will serve as a useful way to remember the names of the cheeses you have tried and loved by keeping notes next to the descriptions; my annotated guide has become a veritable diary of cheese.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Nina Planck
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
New Yorkers know Murray's as the church of cheese and love to tithe there. What the oldest cheese shop in NYC is famous for is not merely its 400 superb cheeses (and a host of other real foods, from pastured eggs to cream-line milk) but the incomparable counter service. Once they call your number, the expertise of the cheesemonger is yours: cow, sheep, goat milk; raw or pasteurized; what the cows ate; the peak season for a particular cheese; what to eat and drink with it.
Now proprietor Rob Kaufelt has put all that in a smartly written handbook. The expertise of all the Murray's cheesemongers - and the incomparable palate of Kaufelt himself - is all at your fingertips.
In addition to descriptions of 300 top cheeses, there is accurate and genuinely useful information about raw milk cheese and cheese and health. Full disclosure: Rob Kaufelt was kind enough to refer to my book, Real Food, on the merits of dairy and raw dairy. It's rare that a cheesemonger doesn't toe the medical party line. Most would say, 'Sure, eat my cheese - but if you're watching your cholesterol, only in moderation.' But Rob believes dairy is good for you. That makes this an unusual - and in my view - accurate, timely, original, and newsworthy book. Bravo.
Now proprietor Rob Kaufelt has put all that in a smartly written handbook. The expertise of all the Murray's cheesemongers - and the incomparable palate of Kaufelt himself - is all at your fingertips.
In addition to descriptions of 300 top cheeses, there is accurate and genuinely useful information about raw milk cheese and cheese and health. Full disclosure: Rob Kaufelt was kind enough to refer to my book, Real Food, on the merits of dairy and raw dairy. It's rare that a cheesemonger doesn't toe the medical party line. Most would say, 'Sure, eat my cheese - but if you're watching your cholesterol, only in moderation.' But Rob believes dairy is good for you. That makes this an unusual - and in my view - accurate, timely, original, and newsworthy book. Bravo.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Cheesemaker
Format:Paperback
I make cheese, run a website and forum at CheeseForum org, and got this book to broaden my knowledge of different cheeses. "The Murray's Cheese Handbook" is a long thin ½ in/1 cm thick format good for putting in a pocket. It was written by the current owner of the famous Murray's Cheese Store in New York City, USA. It has the normal intro and FAQ and pairing with wine sections but the bulk of the book is a listing and summary of 300+ of the author's favorite US and international cheeses, roughly ½ a page per cheese, no pictures. Nice quality paper, binding and cover that would stand up to many trips in pocket while visiting cheese stores. But, if you want more details and pictures there are better albeit bigger encyclopedia type books out there.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Easy to understand and use, with fairly available cheese selections. Straightforward information, great to take along shopping.The Murray's Cheese Handbook: A Guide to More Than 300 of the World's Best Cheeses
Format:Paperback
I would love a few pictures of the lesser known cheeses. What a bonus - it fits in my handbag.
By A. Jimenez
Format:Paperback
Finally, a sexy book for sexy cheese. This book gives fantastic insight to the world of fromage, without being too dense. Rob makes it cool to be in to cheese. I loved the top ten sexiest cheese list. That's just great. The whole book was filled with good insights on so many cheeses, most of which can't be found at the local grocery. I'm getting hungry for cheese just thinking about the book again. Makes me want to go visit Murray's and buy some more, even though I have plenty in the fridge already. Great book, cheese for every man woman and child. Rob Kaufelt is setting the trend, making cheese cool again.
a.jimenez
a.jimenez
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Guide
I gave this book as a Christmas gift after seeing Rob Kaufelt on Martha Stewart. The handbook was very interesting and the recipients loved it. Read more
Published on January 31, 2007 by Shelly Ann Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars
a cheese lover's delight
The Murray's Cheese Handbook by Rob Kaufelt and Liz Thorpe is just like the cheeses described in their book: easy to enjoy, simple yet with depth, and something that you will want... Read more
Published on November 7, 2006 by R. Waxman
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love cheese!
As a self-proclaimed cheese-lover, I make sure to purchase only the best products the cheese world has to offer. Read more
Published on November 6, 2006 by sjm
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Cheat-Sheet for Cheese Lovers
Murray's Cheese Handbook tells us cheese lovers what we have always wanted to know; What are the most fabulous, sexiest, to-die-for, delicious cheeses in the world (that we must... Read more
Published on October 17, 2006 by Victoria Bishop
5.0 out of 5 stars
This cheese book doesn't stink
This is the new essential guide. Concise explanations for the unusual and old favorite varieties of cheese. Read more
Published on October 17, 2006 by Amy
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