The Cheese Companion

Dear Class,
I read The Cheese Companion by Judy Ridgeway. This book is really good and delicious and interesting (obviously). You should really read it even if you don't like cheese. Or if you want to find out more about cheese. Yum!

This book is really awesomely cheesy and delicious. It is diveded into 2 parts. The first part is about the story of cheese ( like the history of cheese, how it's made, cheese in different parts of the world, recipes of cheese, things like that). The next part has a directory of more than 116 types of cheeses around the world (there are 117 in all, I counted just now) from Appenzal to Wensleydale. I've never tasted most of the cheeses in here but I really want to.

Here are the first 3 paragraphs of an article on Gruyere cheese, a cheese that's a lot like Emmental (Swiss) cheese. And it's also one of my favorite cheeses. Yum.................................

There is no doubt that Gruyere originated in Switzerland, but its use is so widespread in France that the french might might be forgiven for thinking it is their own. Indeed, a great deal of this cheese is even produced in France now, but genuine Gruyere can easily be identified as it has the word "Switzerland" stamped all over the rind.

Swiss Gruyere is made from unpasteurized milk in the farming regions surrounding the town of Gruyere in the canton of Fribourg. It is quite a large cheese with a slightly oily rind which looks a little like wrinkled almond skin or a small honeycomb.

The paste is firm, but slightly softer then Emmental and it feels smoother in the mouth. There are a few small holes scattered through the delicate yellow paste. in older cheeses the paste firms up and turns a slightly grayish yellow. The cheese smells farmyard-like with honey and nuts. The flavor is similar to Emmental with strong peaty tones and a zingy aftertaste.

Here is a recipe for Feta Stuffed Bell Peppers, also from my book.

• 4 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 10 ounces feta cheese, cut into small cubes
• 2 ounce can anchovies, drained and chopped (yum)
• 1 cup black olives, halved and pitted
• 8 teaspoons sugar (if you leave out the anchovies then leave out the sugar)
• Olive Oil
• 16 fresh basil leaves

1. Place a tomato quarter, some cubes of feta cheese, some chopped anchovies, some olive halves, and 1 teaspoon sugar into each pepper half. Drizzle with olive oil and place basil leaves on top.
2. Broil the peppers over medium heat until they are soft and the skin begins to char, about ten minutes.

And finally,

the first paragraph of my book.

History (that's the subheading)

No one knows exactly when or where cheese was first made. Like so many inventions, cheese-making was probably discovered by different communities at about the same time. We do know that sheep were domesticated around twelve thousand years ago and that cows were raised in Ancient Egypt. It seems reasonable to suppose that cheese came into being soon after these animals were domesticated for their milk.

And, (finally) here are my reactions, questions, connections, etc. for this book.
My first reaction was yum.........delicious.........
My secound reaction was yum......
My 3rd reaction was yummmm
My 4th reaction was yum.

I think you get the point now.

Okay, my first (and last) connection was that this is really similar to the other cheese book that I used when I was making my cheese book. (Read it sometime!)

My opinion was that this book is cheesy, delicious, cheesy, fun, cheesy, interesting, cheesy, and delicious.

I can't really do a prediction so I will come up with a random one: I think 1000 years from now cheese will be made from whale milk.

Questions: Why is cheese called cheese? Why is cheese so good? Why is cheese so cheesy? How was cheese REALLY made when they first made it?

Visulization: eating mouthwatering Brie cheese (especially the white mold rind)
If you haven't tried Brie you should REALLY try it, it's so good!! Plus the rind is edible. Tastes like cream cheese but a tiny bit harder but still spreadable. And try REAL swiss cheese (actually Emmental) It's dark yellow with the word Switzerland stamped on its rind.