Cheeses of the World

Book excerpt: Parmesan, Camembert, Edam, Gouda-- these cheeses enjoy worldwide reputations. But have you heard of Picodon, Pultost, Caerphilly, and Manchego? And do you know their flavor, their texture, or their origin? "Cheeses of the World," with its rich array of full-color illustrations, provides answers. Detailed portraits of some two hundred of the most famous cheeses from thirty-seven countries illustrate and describe each according to type, production method, and appearance. In addition, this book establishes a system of classification for more than seven hundred different kinds of cheeses. "Cheeses of the World" explores, from antiquity until today, how the varieties of cheese developed and diversified. It takes the reader from some of the world's most beautiful pastures to the aromatic ripening cellars and caves, and explains the traditional and industrial methods of cheese making. Gourmets, connoisseurs and amateurs alike will find "Cheeses of the World," written and compiled by international cheese specialists, a synthesis of the many aspects of the delicacy known as cheese. Here, too, they will discover all the practical information needed to make discerning choices among the vast selection of cheese available today and to savor them for their full gastronomic value. Bernard Nantet is a journalist who specializes in Mediterranean and African subjects. Born in the Alps, the home of many excellent cheeses, he became a devotee of rural life and natural food. His collaborators are Patrick Rance, author of "The Great British Cheese Book" and "The French Cheese Book"; Ninette Lyon who has written six books on food, among them "Fromages"; and Jean Claude Ribaut, a food andrestaurant critic for the Paris newspaper "Le Monde."