The Oxford Companion to Cheese (Oxford Companions) 1st Edition

I love the book

These work great. Highly recommend to store cheese in

This book is definitely encyclopedic in nature, not a narrative story of cheese. If you are looking for a narrative story this book will wholly disappoint. It is a book to sample, not to read from page one.In it you will find not only types of cheese and cheesemaking techniques, but also history, places, people, uses, cultural references, and more. Even things many would not consider cheese, such as Cheez Whiz and Velveeta.You can learn how Cheddar supplanted Cheshire cheese in popularity. How cow's milk mozzarella was developed after the Nazis killed the water buffalo in Italy. (Was there nothing those brutes wouldn't do?) And how water buffalo herds were later replaced, bringing back buffalo mozzarella.On facing pages you find Homer, and his references to cheese, and Hooke, and his microscopic studies of cheese. A few pages earlier there is medieval scholar (and composer) Hildegarde of Bingen comparing "human reproduction with cheesemaking". (Not going into details here! You'll have to buy the book.) Successive entries cover a Monty Python skit about cheese, the idea that the moon is made of cheese, and moose cheese. I not only didn't know people made moose cheese, I didn't know anyone milked moose! (If you've ever seen a moose up close it wouldn't strike you as likely!)If you enjoy cheese, enjoy reading, and enjoy learning serendipitous facts, you will enjoy this book!

Very informative

Excellent for random browsing or as reference. It really increased my knowledge and improved my choices of cheese and pairings.

not as comprehensive as I would have liked

What this book is NOT -- A how to cheese guide- A narrative approach to learning about cheese- For beginners- Casual readingWhat this book IS -- a comprehensive behemoth on cheese- a reference manual for deepening your cheese knowledge- a tool for cheesemongers and creameriesThis book is essentially an encyclopedia of cheese. There are numerous cheeses that have not been covered in other books (such as Mastering Cheese, The Cheese Primer, etc.). Additionally, it book covers topics other manuals have failed to address (noteworthy creameries, bacteria types, association and certification bodies). I am very impressed with Oxford's contribution to the cheese field. I bring this with me to my cheesemonger shifts and reference it weekly. Thank you Oxford!

The book have a comprehensive facts information with all the definitions and facts about Cheeses.Excellent to look-up fast and comprehensive data of all Cheese info, like words in a dictionary.Not divided by Country or Cheese types, but by alphabetic order, from A to Z.Excellent as a reference book.