"The Whole Fromage"

The Whole Fromage by Kathe Lison

Imagine taking a trip around France to discover where true artisanal cheeses are still being made. Imagine seeing how they’re made and learning their histories and then being able to taste the cheeses you’ve discovered. Sounds like a dream doesn’t it? Well, this book is the dream come true, maybe not for you or me, but we are lucky enough to get to read about it.

The book is more about cheese than about France, so if you’re expecting a travel memoir you’ll be disappointed. What it is, is a serious look at French cheese and its history. Living on the other side of the world, a lot of these cheeses were unfamiliar to me and many of them are unavailable here. Still it was interesting to read how they came to exist, and how they were made then and are made today. The author makes it's an interesting journey with personal anecdotes and stories about the cheese-makers she visits.

This book reawakened my interest in local cheeses from my own area, so I’ve been searching online and have managed to find a few local cheese-makers that I'm excited to try. This summer I spent a week in Prince Edward Island where a wonderful Gouda is produced by The Gouda Cheese Lady in North Winsloe. If you ever find yourself there, it’s worth stopping in; it's the best gouda I’ve ever tasted. Be sure to try the onion and red pepper, the smoked gouda and the fenugeek. They are all great, but don't bypass the regular Gouda either; it is so good it's almost a shame to add anything to it.

If you like cheese, you will love this book!