The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide: Over 100 Recipes, with Instructions on How to Buy, Store, and Serve All Your Favorite Cheeses (Hardcover)

You can have cheese as an appetizer, a soup, a salad, a main course, or even as a dessert. If you should have any doubt about my somewhat sweeping declaration, you need only open this book. It contains over a hundred and fifty eclectic, mouth watering, delicious recipes, where cheese is a prime ingredient.

I came upon this book at a school auction, coupled with a lovely cheese board. I placed a silent bid on the set, and to my surprise, I was the successful bidder. I took the items home, and being a bookaholic, began perusing this book.

To my surprise, I discovered it to be much more than a cookbook, as it gives the reader precise instructions on how to buy, store, and serve just about every conceivable variety of cheese. All this information is imparted in a conversational tone, making for easy reading.

The author tells the reader how her love of cheese motivated her to start her own cheese factory, the very successful "Mozzarella Company". She also starts the reader from scratch, telling one what cheese actually is. She also gives the reader a fascinating overview on the history of cheese, as well as a chapter on cheese and nutrition.

The author goes to great lengths to describe the various types of cheese, categorizing it by texture, flavor, and country of origin. She gives tips on buying and serving cheese, as well as tips on what to do with leftover cheese. She also gives suggestions on what wine to pair with certain cheeses. For those who are ambitious and so inclined, the author even has a chapter on making your own cheese at home.

While these extras are all well and good, the recipes alone are worth investing in the book. My own personal favorites are the "Bruschetta Topped with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes", "Green Salad with Apples and Goat Cheese", "Crustless Cheddar Quiche with Onion and Bacon Topping", "Uptown Get-Down Macaroni and Cheese", "Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Ricotta, and Jarlsberg", and "Carrot-Ricotta Pudding".

Of course, the recipes I like are all fairly basic and easy to put together. There are also many, more ambitious and delicious sounding recipes for those with an affinity for cooking. They reflect a variety of diverse influences. Contemporary in feel, ranging from the gastronomically creative to the traditrional, they are international in scope. There is simply something for everyone. It is not just for cheese lovers only.

If you are a border-line Turophile or are just curious about cheese, I recommend this book very highly. This is so much more than a cookbook. It is a love affair with cheese! There is a concise overview of cheesemaking, a collection of over 150 eclectic cheese-based recipes and a comprehensive list of sources for your favorite cheeses.

After working in a specialty store, I decided to try a different cheese as often as I could. I learned to love smoked Gouda, creamy Havarti with dill, Pecorino Romano from sheep's milk, blue-veined Roquefort in salad dressing, Provolone in an Italian salad, Ricotta in lasagna, and lately Mascarpone in Tiramisu. In "The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide," Paula Lambert provides many unique recipes using Mascarpone, but how is Marscarpone made? Believe it or not, there is a recipe on page 73.

Does your mind crave explanations for how cheese is made? Do you wonder about how cheese was invented? Will Paula tell you? Yes, and she will also lead you through your own discovery of cheese making

Finally, you will know the secrets of Crème Fraîche and discover how easy it is to make homemade cottage cheese. Yes, Paula Lambert is ambitious and creative. She has the heart of an artist, the soul of a chef and the spirit of a cheese artisan. "The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide" is truly filled with a passion for cooking with cheese.

Paula Lambert also loves to travel. After spending five years in Perugia, she learned to love fresh mozzarella. Her search to learn how to make fresh mozzarella resulted in the founding of "The Mozzarella Company," a cheese factory in Dallas, Texas. With the guidance of a cheese professor, Paula immersed herself in the cheesemaking process and went on to produce thirty-five different types of cheese. These cheeses are now distributed to restaurants, gourmet stores and directly to individuals throughout the United States.

Paula Lambert has become a renowned cheese maker. Her cheeses have earned over seventy awards for superior cheese flavor and consistency. In order to perfect traditional cheesemaking techniques, Paula traveled to many countries. Her enthusiasm shows how fascinating the art of cheesemaking can be.

I loved her section on Cheese Classification. She divides cheese into over 15 categories and illustrates them with common and exotic cheese varieties. Did you know that Mozzarella is classified as a Pasta Filata Cheese? I didn't either.

Paula also includes a nutritional breakdown for many cheeses, a cheese-buying guide, a list for substituting cheese by type, a list for selecting cheese by flavor and finally a list for selecting cheeses by country of origin. She includes a helpful section on mail order cheese sources, complete with Web site information, which is very thoughtful.

There are also many international cheeses you will want to try. No longer will the cheese section be a daunting place. You will go to the store with a new confidence and walk right past Velveeta Ville. You may find yourself asking for Boursin from France (a cheese flavored with herbs and garlic), Cambozola or maybe even Liederkranz. You will know the difference between a ripened aged cheese and an unripened fresh cheese. You will know how to select the freshest cheese and how to store them. When they are just little piece of leftover cheese, they can start a new life as a wonderful "fromage fort." (Cheese with garlic, cream, herbs and pepper.)

Most cooks agree: If you find one memorable recipe in a new cookbook, it is worth the price. In this cookbook, you will find so many recipes you will love! The picture of the Ricotta Pancakes with Banana-Pecan Syrup may just inspire you enough to make it the first recipe you want to try. I made them and they are delicate and almost cake-like. The heavenly sauce is a combination of pecans and bananas sautéed in butter with maple syrup. I used real maple syrup.

Most of the recipes are influenced by a prominent culture or are influenced by "fusion" cooking. The "Cheddar Cheese Grits with Roasted Garlic" is definitely Southern." The "Risotto with Asparagus and Parmigiano" reminds me of Italy. The "Ultimate Cheese Omelet" is very French. Since Paula lives in Texas, she also has a flair for using local ingredients. "Southwestern Chile-Cheese Corn Bread" is an example. Paula's recipes have a touch of sophistication and are easy-to-make gourmet treats.

Each recipe is presented on its own page, or two. You hardly ever have to turn a page to complete a recipe. The headings are bold, the headnotes are interesting, and the instructions start with a few words in a gold text, which is quite pretty. Paula's writing style is easy-to-read and her precise instructions are very helpful. The hints on decorating are wonderfully unique. I loved the dragonflies made from bell peppers on the "Savory Herbed Cheesecake." These are the types of recipes you will want to add to your kitchen repertoire. The 16 full-color photo illustrations will inspire you to go shopping for cheese.

Some of the recipes are modernized classics. "Bacon, Egg and Cheddar Scones," "Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust" and "Grilled Shrimp and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza" are good examples. Many are perfect for entertaining. "Baked Brie with Mushrooms, Walnuts, and Dried Cranberries," will be spectacular. There are soups for winter and salads for summer. I just made the Bed & Breakfast style "Bacon, Egg and Cheddar Scones." They will have you saying: "More Cheese Please!" This is truly a dreamy cookbook for all cheese lovers. Thank you Paula, you are an inspiration to us all!