American Cheese - by Joe Berkowitz (Paperback)

About the Book

"Joe Berkowitz loves cheese. Or at least he thought he did. After stumbling upon an artisinal tasting at an upscale cheese shop one Valentine's Day, he realized he'd hardly even scratched the surface. These cheeses were like nothing he had ever tasted--a visceral drug-punch that reverbrated deliciousness--and they were from America. He felt like he was being let in a great cosmic secret, and instantly he was in love. This discovery inspired Joe to embark on the cheese adventure of a lifetime, spending a year exploring the subculture aroudn cheese, from its trenches to its command centers. He dove headfirst into the world of artisan cheese; of premiere makers and mongers, cave-dwelling affineurs, dairy scientists, and restaurantuers. The journey would take him around the world, from the underground cheese caves in Paris to the mountains of Gruyere, leaving no curd overturned, all the while cultivating an appreciation for cheese and its place in society."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

From the author of Away with Words, a deeply hilarious and unexpectedly insightful deep-dive into a cultural and culinary phenomenon: cheese.

"Who knew it was possible to enjoy reading about cheese as much as eating it? Remarkably entertaining, deeply insightful, and downright hilarious, American Cheese goes far beyond the plastic yellow slices we all know, and some love, revealing a community as quirky, passionate, and creative as the cheese they put into the world."
-- Jim Gaffigan, comedian/actor and New York Times bestselling author of Food: A Love Story
Joe
Berkowitz loves cheese. Or at least he thought he did. After stumbling upon an
artisinal tasting at an upscale cheese shop one Valentine's Day, he realized
he'd hardly even scratched the surface. These cheeses were like nothing
he had ever tasted--a visceral drug-punch that reverberated deliciousness--and
they were from America. He felt like he was being let in a great cosmic secret,
and instantly he was in love.

This
discovery inspired Joe to embark on the cheese adventure of a lifetime,
spending a year exploring the subculture around cheese, from its trenches
to its command centers. He dove headfirst into the world of artisan cheese; of
premiere makers and mongers, cave-dwelling affineurs, dairy scientists, and
restauranteurs. The journey would take him around the world, from the
underground cheese caves in Paris to the mountains of Gruyere, leaving no curd
unturned, all the while cultivating an appreciation for cheese and its place in
society.

Joe's journey from amateur to aficionado eventually
comes to mirror the rise of American cheese on the world stage. As he embeds
with Team USA at an international mongering competition and makes cheese in the
experimental vats at the Dairy Research Center in Wisconsin, one of the makers
he meets along the way gears up to make America's biggest splash ever at the
World Cheese Awards. Through this odyssey of cheese, an unexpected culture of
passionate cheesemakers is revealed, along with the extraordinary impact of one
delicious dairy product.

Review Quotes

"Who knew it was possible to enjoy reading about cheese as much as eating it? Remarkably entertaining, deeply insightful, and downright hilarious, American Cheese goes far beyond the plastic yellow slices we all know, and some love, revealing a community as quirky, passionate, and creative as the cheese they put into the world." - Jim Gaffigan, comedian/actor and New York Times bestselling author of Food: A Love Story
"A delicious read... I thought it was impossible that I could be more impressed by cheese, but this book proved me wrong. Between starting and finishing this book, I signed up for a Cheese of the Month subscription. You may say, no way is it that good! Yes, whey. I am more excited by cheese than I have ever been." - Alexandra Petri, author of Nothing is Wrong and Here is Why
"Smart and funny...Joe Berkowitz makes a brilliant guide to the strange corners of the cheese world you'd never otherwise know about." - Dana Schwartz, author of The White Man's Guide to White Male Writers of the Western Canon
"Ripe with fresh perspectives, this well-molded collection is a delight." - Publishers Weekly
"Berkowitz writes with unbridled glee...The result is a thorough, fascinating and hunger-inducing (but never cheesy) examination of the culture of cheesemaking." - BookPage
"An entertaining book for cheese lovers, food enthusiasts, and those looking for a fun read. Much like a good ricotta, it is light and airy with a hint of sweetness." - Library Journal, starred review