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American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World
A deep-dive into a cultural and culinary phenomenon: cheese.
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 impact of one delicious dairy product.
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 impact of one delicious dairy product.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
94 people are currently reading
2352 people want to read
About the author
Joe Berkowitz
3 books11 followersJoe Berkowitz is a staff writer at Fast Company and an author. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two amazing cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
November 30, 2020
Squeezing this in for Nonfiction November - this book looks at American cheese (all cheese, not just the bright orange variety I always called "plastic cheese.") The author examines the industry, visits cheese conventions, cheese competitions, and follows people who are training to be cheesemongers. He visits small producers trying to make names for themselves, including Rogue River Creamery before they won the award for best cheese in the world...I blame this book for the taste of it that I felt compelled to order! But the author is hitting the American Cheese stride right as the world is starting to pay attention, so that's good timing, or it would have been, if only tariffs hadn't gone up that negatively impacted the export of cheese, the import of the manufacturing equipment required to make it, and more people are forgoing travel at all much less culinary travel to obscure cheese producing locations. (We have traveled some of the WNC Cheese Trail so we know obscure mountain cheese locations!)
This book is more about the people surrounding cheese and the obscure culture of the beliefs and practices of those people. It's like an ethnography of a separate culture living amidst the rest of us. And while you will learn about some of the cheeses of America at the same time, it's not really the focus. The author was funded to travel to write this book so he threw in a trip to France as well (smart although his description of the French cheese made me more curious about their cheese than ours, particularly some of those Alpine cheeses. Sign me up!)
I still enjoyed most of the book aside from a few strange word choices (kibbutz for a not even obscure use but unknown and I don't think it works; yeet in a way that should not be used unless you are a tiktok teenager- how will the old people who buy this book at Costco know what he means? I had a review copy so perhaps they fixed it.)
A similar book to this, about French cheese and really focuses on the cheese that I would recommend, perhaps as a companion book to this one, is The Whole Fromage: Adventures in the Delectable World of French Cheese by Kathe Lison, which remains my favorite single ingredient book I've read.
I had a review copy of this from the publisher through Edelweiss. It came out October 6, 2020. You will be amazed how much cheese you can order off the internet to have delivered to your house because this book will make you hungry.
This book is more about the people surrounding cheese and the obscure culture of the beliefs and practices of those people. It's like an ethnography of a separate culture living amidst the rest of us. And while you will learn about some of the cheeses of America at the same time, it's not really the focus. The author was funded to travel to write this book so he threw in a trip to France as well (smart although his description of the French cheese made me more curious about their cheese than ours, particularly some of those Alpine cheeses. Sign me up!)
I still enjoyed most of the book aside from a few strange word choices (kibbutz for a not even obscure use but unknown and I don't think it works; yeet in a way that should not be used unless you are a tiktok teenager- how will the old people who buy this book at Costco know what he means? I had a review copy so perhaps they fixed it.)
A similar book to this, about French cheese and really focuses on the cheese that I would recommend, perhaps as a companion book to this one, is The Whole Fromage: Adventures in the Delectable World of French Cheese by Kathe Lison, which remains my favorite single ingredient book I've read.
I had a review copy of this from the publisher through Edelweiss. It came out October 6, 2020. You will be amazed how much cheese you can order off the internet to have delivered to your house because this book will make you hungry.
September 24, 2020
I received an advance galley through NetGalley.
American Cheese is my kind of book. Author Joe Berkowitz had a near-religious experience with artisan cheese that awoke him to the diverse flavors and textures of the world's cheese, resulting in a country and world-spanning odyssey to understand the joys of modern cheese and the industry as a whole. It's enlightening. It's laugh-out-loud funny throughout. Perhaps most of all, I felt as if I had connected with a friend who gets it.
I love cheese. I chronicle every cheese that I try and constantly seek out new experiences. It has become one of my prime (and most expensive) hobbies. I've had many of the cheeses he viscerally describes in this book, and discovered many more to add to my wish list (and yes, there is an actual wish list). Even more, he gets to experience and describe incredible things I never will, like volunteering at Murray's Cheese in NYC, attending and eating his way through the Cheesemonger Invitational, hanging out with cheese influencers like Cheese Sex Death (one of my favorites online), traveling the California Cheese Trail (totally a goal of mine, though as a native Californian, I was appalled that the author didn't know California made cheese), and attending world-class cheese events in France and Italy. Through his words, I was vicariously there, and left desperately craving the cheeses he describes.
Throughout everything, he is easy to relate to, modest, and hilarious. Some choice quotes include:
"I wanted to run outside doing full Kermit-arms and scream for everybody to try this cheese right now, which probably wouldn't be the weirdest thing anyone overheard on Bleecker Street that day."
"Cheese is literally heaven. It's what happens after milk sheds this mortal coil and ascends to a higher plain of existence."
Seriously, if you love cheese, get this book.
American Cheese is my kind of book. Author Joe Berkowitz had a near-religious experience with artisan cheese that awoke him to the diverse flavors and textures of the world's cheese, resulting in a country and world-spanning odyssey to understand the joys of modern cheese and the industry as a whole. It's enlightening. It's laugh-out-loud funny throughout. Perhaps most of all, I felt as if I had connected with a friend who gets it.
I love cheese. I chronicle every cheese that I try and constantly seek out new experiences. It has become one of my prime (and most expensive) hobbies. I've had many of the cheeses he viscerally describes in this book, and discovered many more to add to my wish list (and yes, there is an actual wish list). Even more, he gets to experience and describe incredible things I never will, like volunteering at Murray's Cheese in NYC, attending and eating his way through the Cheesemonger Invitational, hanging out with cheese influencers like Cheese Sex Death (one of my favorites online), traveling the California Cheese Trail (totally a goal of mine, though as a native Californian, I was appalled that the author didn't know California made cheese), and attending world-class cheese events in France and Italy. Through his words, I was vicariously there, and left desperately craving the cheeses he describes.
Throughout everything, he is easy to relate to, modest, and hilarious. Some choice quotes include:
"I wanted to run outside doing full Kermit-arms and scream for everybody to try this cheese right now, which probably wouldn't be the weirdest thing anyone overheard on Bleecker Street that day."
"Cheese is literally heaven. It's what happens after milk sheds this mortal coil and ascends to a higher plain of existence."
Seriously, if you love cheese, get this book.
February 4, 2024
3.5
this was fun! quite whimsical, and i enjoyed the documentary-esque format of this book. this really made me want to eat a ton of cheese and immerse myself in the cheese world. however, i didn't learn as much about cheese as i was hoping, and i feel like the book dragged a little bit, so 3.5. still, an enjoyable experience!
this was fun! quite whimsical, and i enjoyed the documentary-esque format of this book. this really made me want to eat a ton of cheese and immerse myself in the cheese world. however, i didn't learn as much about cheese as i was hoping, and i feel like the book dragged a little bit, so 3.5. still, an enjoyable experience!
October 16, 2020
I went into this book thinking it would be fun to learn about American cheeses. Instead what I got is one man’s random journey through cheese in the US.
The pros: I have a list of American cheese I want to try.
The cons: I know maybe 1% more about cheese than I did going into this book.
The writing is not my cup of tea. Beyond the random name dropping of producers and cheeses, the author spends a weird amount of time describing what people are wearing at a given moment (mostly without a reason). There are also some off-color jokes. At one point, while in France, the author comments that their fridge looks like a Make-a-Wish kid’s wish for cheese (I’m paraphrasing but you get the gist). That was enough for me to almost put the book down and walk away.
So if you’ve ever wanted to read Joe’s thoughts on cheeses and his hobnobbing at creameries and cheese events, this book is for you. If you actually want to learn about these cheeses, skip this one.
The pros: I have a list of American cheese I want to try.
The cons: I know maybe 1% more about cheese than I did going into this book.
The writing is not my cup of tea. Beyond the random name dropping of producers and cheeses, the author spends a weird amount of time describing what people are wearing at a given moment (mostly without a reason). There are also some off-color jokes. At one point, while in France, the author comments that their fridge looks like a Make-a-Wish kid’s wish for cheese (I’m paraphrasing but you get the gist). That was enough for me to almost put the book down and walk away.
So if you’ve ever wanted to read Joe’s thoughts on cheeses and his hobnobbing at creameries and cheese events, this book is for you. If you actually want to learn about these cheeses, skip this one.
January 22, 2021
Interesting only when he’s discussing the actual process of making and cultivating batches of cheese; his anecdotes are self-consciously hip and deeply, deeply boring. Also, he switches from past- to present-tense mid-anecdote which, even if it’s his editor’s fault in the end, is inexcusable. I’m an amateur cheese enthusiast and really should have loved this, but Berkowitz somehow manages to make cheese annoying.
July 13, 2021
A pretty vapid exploration of the cheese-y goodness primarily going on in the United States (though of course, France HAD be visited). It was mostly storytelling (so many cheese contests(?) attended and reported) so I didn't actually learn all that much. But it was all conveyed in a light tone, so it was a good enough summer read.
What really got me through the end was reading about squeaky cheese curds ("...curds haven't yet been through proteolysis, the breakdown of proteins over time... That's why fresh curds squeak. It's the proteins at their strongest pushing against your teeth as you bite into them" [p. 183].) the day before I happened to find myself in Wisconsin. And, heck yeah, you bet your bippy that I was inspired to track down the freshest possible cheese curds. Success was mine (they must have only been an hour or two old)! I marveled at the squeak (marveled, yes. Appreciated, less so). Yay for summer fun!
What really got me through the end was reading about squeaky cheese curds ("...curds haven't yet been through proteolysis, the breakdown of proteins over time... That's why fresh curds squeak. It's the proteins at their strongest pushing against your teeth as you bite into them" [p. 183].) the day before I happened to find myself in Wisconsin. And, heck yeah, you bet your bippy that I was inspired to track down the freshest possible cheese curds. Success was mine (they must have only been an hour or two old)! I marveled at the squeak (marveled, yes. Appreciated, less so). Yay for summer fun!
Read
February 5, 2021Because i liked cheese, i thought reading about it would be fun.
But i think i am not very passionate about cheese as i thought i was.
i got bored. i wasn't invested in the book.
But i think i am not very passionate about cheese as i thought i was.
i got bored. i wasn't invested in the book.
December 2, 2020
Every year, I try to learn a new thing. Usually it’s something with multiple facets: in 2007, when I learned about Disney, there were the movies, the parks, the man, and more. This year has been all about tiki, and from that locus I can move to architecture, exotic drinks, music, and the history of the South Pacific.
I think I got into cheese in 2010 or 2011. The inflection point was when I was eating a cheese plate with a friend and he told me to stop gobbling it like it was Rice Krispies Treats. Slow down. Savor. This piqued my interest enough to read some books on cheese, and start going to cheese shops and listening to what the mongers recommended. The epiphany moment came in Los Angeles where, while at a quiet cheese shop on the edge of the city, I had my first taste of Challerhocker. And I fell in love.
As it turns out, I’m not alone in my cheese epiphany moment. Joe Berkowitz describes his in American Cheese like a bright light in the night, a moment of revelation with Rogue River Blue. I love that this happens to other people, and that it affects them in profound ways.
Berkowitz’s cheese journey is more ambitious than mine. I’ve found a tasty niche in putting together some pretty good cheese plates with delicious pairings. Berkowitz travels to cheese competitions, works in a cheese shop, crashes the world’s most sumptuous cheese party. It’s a rush to follow along, and if you’re at all interested in cheese making and production, it’ll be even more thrilling.
One of my favorite sorts of books is one from the point of view of an outsider coming into a whole subculture (ha!), one with its own rules and language and history, and gets extremely involved. Berkowitz delivers on everything I want from this kind of book, and then some.
Is it disappointing that when he finally tastes Challerhocker, he merely likes it? Kind of. But one of the best things about cheese is that it’s different for everyone, and that the world of it is nearly endless. Now it’s time for me to try some Rogue River Blue. I’m whey overdue.
I think I got into cheese in 2010 or 2011. The inflection point was when I was eating a cheese plate with a friend and he told me to stop gobbling it like it was Rice Krispies Treats. Slow down. Savor. This piqued my interest enough to read some books on cheese, and start going to cheese shops and listening to what the mongers recommended. The epiphany moment came in Los Angeles where, while at a quiet cheese shop on the edge of the city, I had my first taste of Challerhocker. And I fell in love.
As it turns out, I’m not alone in my cheese epiphany moment. Joe Berkowitz describes his in American Cheese like a bright light in the night, a moment of revelation with Rogue River Blue. I love that this happens to other people, and that it affects them in profound ways.
Berkowitz’s cheese journey is more ambitious than mine. I’ve found a tasty niche in putting together some pretty good cheese plates with delicious pairings. Berkowitz travels to cheese competitions, works in a cheese shop, crashes the world’s most sumptuous cheese party. It’s a rush to follow along, and if you’re at all interested in cheese making and production, it’ll be even more thrilling.
One of my favorite sorts of books is one from the point of view of an outsider coming into a whole subculture (ha!), one with its own rules and language and history, and gets extremely involved. Berkowitz delivers on everything I want from this kind of book, and then some.
Is it disappointing that when he finally tastes Challerhocker, he merely likes it? Kind of. But one of the best things about cheese is that it’s different for everyone, and that the world of it is nearly endless. Now it’s time for me to try some Rogue River Blue. I’m whey overdue.
September 11, 2020
Joe Berkowitz writes about a transcending experience with an American artisanal cheese during a date night with his wife that changed both of their lives for the better. After his eye-opening date night, Berkowitz writes of his travels across the world to discover the unique life of cheesemongers and cheesemakers. He introduces wonderful characters who welcomed him into the American cheese world without question. He is witty and fun and his eagerness to learn and taste as many cheeses as he can is a joy to read.
Before reading American Cheese, I would have thought I knew a little something about cheese – I was sorely mistaken. I left this book with a list of cheeses to find and eat and an appreciation for the world of American cheese which for many years seems to have been ignored and has now finally proved itself to be in the big leagues.
Before reading American Cheese, I would have thought I knew a little something about cheese – I was sorely mistaken. I left this book with a list of cheeses to find and eat and an appreciation for the world of American cheese which for many years seems to have been ignored and has now finally proved itself to be in the big leagues.
July 10, 2020
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
After an unexpectedly near-divine culinary encounter one evening, author Josh Berkowitz finds himself transformed into an enthusiast for artisanal cheese. Inflamed with a newfound and fast-growing passion, he eagerly delves into a world that takes him from local cheese shops, to California dairy farms, and to cheesemonger competitions. His travels make for not only entertaining reading, but they also make for a solid introductory education on the ends and outs of mainly American artisanal cheese. And although at times things started to feel a little too niche to the point where even as just a reader I actually felt a little out of place as Berkowitz describes his experiences among cheese aficionados and experts, his wit and self-aware humor keeps things grounded.
Even if you’re someone like me who prefers to stick to their usual cheddar and mozzarella, there’s much to enjoy in this infectiously enthusiastic love letter to quality cheese.
After an unexpectedly near-divine culinary encounter one evening, author Josh Berkowitz finds himself transformed into an enthusiast for artisanal cheese. Inflamed with a newfound and fast-growing passion, he eagerly delves into a world that takes him from local cheese shops, to California dairy farms, and to cheesemonger competitions. His travels make for not only entertaining reading, but they also make for a solid introductory education on the ends and outs of mainly American artisanal cheese. And although at times things started to feel a little too niche to the point where even as just a reader I actually felt a little out of place as Berkowitz describes his experiences among cheese aficionados and experts, his wit and self-aware humor keeps things grounded.
Even if you’re someone like me who prefers to stick to their usual cheddar and mozzarella, there’s much to enjoy in this infectiously enthusiastic love letter to quality cheese.
February 23, 2021
I absolutely love cheese, so I was destined to read this book no matter what. At first, I was worried that the author’s quirky banter was going to put me off ... but when he referenced Fraggle Rock a few pages into the book, I knew we’d be fine. And I ended up absolutely loving this! The educational history parts were great, the humor was delightful, and there was genuine emotion in this. The one drawback was reading this during COVID - I kept putting the book down to look up the shops and restaurants mentioned, with the intention of adding them to my never-ending list of Places to Go, but of course that’s not likely to happen anytime soon. During the last year or so I’ve been reading all kinds of books about all kinds of places, real and fictional, but this was the first book that hit me right in the “this pandemic will never end” feels. It will, of course ... I just hope the places mentioned make it through!
December 7, 2020
The author's last book was about the world of competitive punning. If he remains as obsessed with his current subject as he has with his last, Berkowitz will have major arterial sclerosis and weight issues in short order. American Cheese is as loaded with wordplay as it is with cheese lore, neither of which is a bad thing. But be forewarned, Berkowitz doesn't resist many opportunities for linguistic goofery and some readers (Serious Cheesefolk) might prefer a more sober approach. But, if you like cheesy humor as much as you like cheese, you'll have a great time with this deep-dive into the contemporary artisan dairy landscape.
October 22, 2021
This was so much fun! I loved learning about obsessive cheesemakers and mongers, and bits and pieces about the art of making cheese as well. Audiobook's narrator was lovely.
February 6, 2021
Brandon's Review:
After the experience of existing last year, compounded with the incredibly heavy themes of some of the books I’ve read recently, I felt it was time for a bit of a break. American Cheese was a light and fun read that fit into this mold perfectly.
The tone of this book is incredibly light hearted, with the author often taking jabs at himself and his cheese based journey. While it may seem like a forced joke itself, this book is very cheesy, in more ways than one. The jokes were often entirely unfunny or shoehorned in, but by the end of the book it became a bit endearing.
I was slightly disappointed by the fact that this book was more focused on a man’s journey through cheese than on the rise of American Cheese, but it gave enough information to give a decent level of general knowledge on the subject. It most definitely inspired a curiosity in me to explore local cheese producers, and may have also caused an addiction to cheese.
My puppy also seemed to enjoy the book quite a lot, taking multiple opportunities to grab the book and take a few bites out, possibly due to her love of cheese. She hasn’t done this with any book before or since, so it must be something special!
Overall, this book was a light read that was informative and entertaining. Not the best book I’ve ever read, but it served its purpose quite well, and could start a few people on the path of artisan cheese.
After the experience of existing last year, compounded with the incredibly heavy themes of some of the books I’ve read recently, I felt it was time for a bit of a break. American Cheese was a light and fun read that fit into this mold perfectly.
The tone of this book is incredibly light hearted, with the author often taking jabs at himself and his cheese based journey. While it may seem like a forced joke itself, this book is very cheesy, in more ways than one. The jokes were often entirely unfunny or shoehorned in, but by the end of the book it became a bit endearing.
I was slightly disappointed by the fact that this book was more focused on a man’s journey through cheese than on the rise of American Cheese, but it gave enough information to give a decent level of general knowledge on the subject. It most definitely inspired a curiosity in me to explore local cheese producers, and may have also caused an addiction to cheese.
My puppy also seemed to enjoy the book quite a lot, taking multiple opportunities to grab the book and take a few bites out, possibly due to her love of cheese. She hasn’t done this with any book before or since, so it must be something special!
Overall, this book was a light read that was informative and entertaining. Not the best book I’ve ever read, but it served its purpose quite well, and could start a few people on the path of artisan cheese.
February 23, 2021
I'm the unreliable narrator of my own cheese story.
I always love a deep dive into a little known world and I love all the fascinating knowledge that comes with learning about the passions of people. I found Joe Berkowitz just laugh out loud funny. I wish I could remember what he writes about comparing a pumpkin spice latte to a Taylor Swift song! I was definitely along for the ride for all the travel research, but one thing is for sure. I really need to try that Rogue River Blue Cheese!
My time within that community had also taught me, I now recognized, what it means to truly savor. The best cheeses are reflections of the time that went into making them, and they taste best when you take the time to truly enjoy them.
I always love a deep dive into a little known world and I love all the fascinating knowledge that comes with learning about the passions of people. I found Joe Berkowitz just laugh out loud funny. I wish I could remember what he writes about comparing a pumpkin spice latte to a Taylor Swift song! I was definitely along for the ride for all the travel research, but one thing is for sure. I really need to try that Rogue River Blue Cheese!
My time within that community had also taught me, I now recognized, what it means to truly savor. The best cheeses are reflections of the time that went into making them, and they taste best when you take the time to truly enjoy them.
January 11, 2021
Even though I was hungry the entire time I read this, it was still a really enjoyable book!
September 15, 2022
*cheese sweats intensify*
Read
November 6, 2023Fun breezy read, chock full of information.
Also, it amused me to read it on vacation in France…with cheese at every turn.
Also, it amused me to read it on vacation in France…with cheese at every turn.
February 16, 2023
It was good, interesting, but by the 75% mark, I was getting hipster cheese fatigue.
March 25, 2024
Well done. A vocabulary challenger, but cultural reference puns to describe unknown experiences to me were, not only entertaining, helpful and strategic. There’s a whole underworld to cheese I didn’t know. It’s fascinating and I learned a lot to begin my personal cheese quest! BRAVOS!
Read
December 26, 2022I bought this for my milk quality judging team member child. I dipped in and found it interesting.
October 18, 2020
Thanks to Harper Perennial for an advance copy for honest review.
I'm not just from Wisconsin, I have a love of cheese that proves it. I learned so, so much though from Joe Berkowitz's book, deep dive on the making, marketing, and reputation of US cheeses. This was written in a very humorous style, which kept it from getting bogged down with the many details. I thought the chapter set in Wisconsin would be the most interesting to me (definitely was waiting for the mention of fresh curds squeaking- if you know, you know), but it was actually the sections on various cheese competitions and festivals that really entertained.
I'm not just from Wisconsin, I have a love of cheese that proves it. I learned so, so much though from Joe Berkowitz's book, deep dive on the making, marketing, and reputation of US cheeses. This was written in a very humorous style, which kept it from getting bogged down with the many details. I thought the chapter set in Wisconsin would be the most interesting to me (definitely was waiting for the mention of fresh curds squeaking- if you know, you know), but it was actually the sections on various cheese competitions and festivals that really entertained.
September 26, 2020
Fans of cheese and or food writing will enjoy this for the comprehensive look at what I hesitate to call the industry. This is a tour through the world of cheese- through the makers, the sellers, the eaters, and all that goes with it. You, like me, will probably learn something (I learned a lot) and you'll do it with a laugh and a smile. Berkowitz has a great journalistic style but more importantly, he really does love his subject and that elevates the essays. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. A great fun read that reminded me how much I miss going to the cheese counter.
November 7, 2020
American Cheese.... a literary journey through the culture surrounding and process of creating, selling, tasting cheeses made in America compared to other countries. Well explored and thoughtfully detailed, the author imaginatively describes each taste experience and learning opportunity with a humor bent. Enjoyed learning about cheese and pairings.
October 23, 2020
I think I expected more history and cultural analysis, and American Cheese ended up being more like a journal recording the many, many cheese parties and competitions the author attended, which is fine. I found his writing mostly funny and engaging, but at times felt a bit exhausted by the endless parade of one-liners.
I appreciated that Berkowitz (briefly) discussed some of the more troubling aspects of cheese production — like him, I am a vegetarian with conflicted feelings about cheese. However, I was very disappointed that he didn't even mention the existence of vegetarian and vegan cheese once in the space of 275 pages. Cheese made from *human breast milk* makes an appearance, but a self-professed vegetarian couldn't find a way to even hint at the possibility of a cheese made with vegetable rennet. :(
The real reason to read this book: you'll walk away with a massive list of cheeses you want to try.
I appreciated that Berkowitz (briefly) discussed some of the more troubling aspects of cheese production — like him, I am a vegetarian with conflicted feelings about cheese. However, I was very disappointed that he didn't even mention the existence of vegetarian and vegan cheese once in the space of 275 pages. Cheese made from *human breast milk* makes an appearance, but a self-professed vegetarian couldn't find a way to even hint at the possibility of a cheese made with vegetable rennet. :(
The real reason to read this book: you'll walk away with a massive list of cheeses you want to try.
December 29, 2020
What a fun book this was from one curd nerd to another!
I learned lots of fun facts for one of my favorite food groups and laughed along the way at some of the author's references such as curd nerd which I fully embrace.
Great micro history for anyone who loves cheese!
I learned lots of fun facts for one of my favorite food groups and laughed along the way at some of the author's references such as curd nerd which I fully embrace.
Great micro history for anyone who loves cheese!
November 23, 2020
Really fun! Simultaneously breezily written and serious about cheese. Mmmmm, cheese.
January 12, 2021
Joe Berkowitz is a nerd. He’s the kind of nerd who will get interested in a subject, say artisan cheese, and he will do what he can to learn about from every angle. He will meet cheesemongers, cheese influencers, cheesemakers, cheese scientists, and cheese award winners. He will travel across the country to attend cheese festivals, cheese awards, cheese parties, and even a cheese burlesque show. And then he will take all those cheese adventures and write about them, creating a goofy love letter to American artisan cheeses, cheese producers, and cheese lovers.
Berkowitz starts out a complete novice in the world of cheese, but he comes at the cheese world with an open mind and empty stomach. And the more he learns, the more he understands how little he knows. He starts where most of us would probably start, at the local cheese shop. He’s in New York, so he’s not too far from the mecca of cheese in America, Murray’s. He got reservations for his wife and himself for a Valentine’s Day tasting, and he learned of a world of artisan cheese that went far beyond plastic-covered slices and boxed macaroni and cheese.
From there, it’s a series of tasty adventures as Berkowitz visits farms and meets the people (and cows, sheep, and goats) responsible for creating cheese. He meets Mr. Moo, Adam Moskowitz, who throws the Cheesemonger International every year, a giant cheese rave that Berkowitz calls “Wrestlemania for curd nerds.” He gets himself invited to one of the monthly Cheese Day lunches for a group of cheese-loving scientists at the Natural History Museum. He meets the Instagram influencers Madame Fromage and Cheese Sex Death, and he and his wife get confused and show up at a huge cheese party dressed in lederhosen and dirndl.
HIs expedition continues, to more farms, more cheese festivals, more competitions, and to meet more cheese lovers whose craft is celebrated and devoured all over the world. The more people he meets, the more he learns, and the more he learns, the more he teaches us. Be prepared before you read this book. Before you’re even halfway through, you’ll be following at least a dozen cheese lovers and/or makers on social media and have a list of cheese you want to look for the next time you wander into your local cheese shop. You’ll think about starting a monthly tasting club for your friends, or you daydream about possible pairings. Which cheese will go with your favorite wine? Your favorite pasta? Your favorite M&Ms? (Berkowitz says he likes Gruyere with his).
American Cheese is an odyssey, a fun and fascinating, emotional and enticing, punny and pop-culture filled extravaganza of cheese knowledge and celebration. If you want to know a little more about cheese, this will take you down a rabbit hole into a whole different world, and you will never want to return to the same old cheese you were eating before.
For me, I am so thrilled to have gone on this pilgrimage with Berkowitz. I had so much fun, and I learned far more than I expected. I feel like I can talk cheese like a journeyman, and I can definitely up my cheese board game from this. But more than learning a bunch of facts about bacteria or farming or what it takes to pass a CCP exam (that’s Certified Cheese Professional), I feel like I was brought into the American artisan cheese family, and that feels like a very special place to be. I recommend American Cheese to anyone who loves to read about food, or really, to anyone who loves to eat cheese. You will love it even more story by story.
A copy of American Cheese was provided by Harper Perennial, with many thanks.
Berkowitz starts out a complete novice in the world of cheese, but he comes at the cheese world with an open mind and empty stomach. And the more he learns, the more he understands how little he knows. He starts where most of us would probably start, at the local cheese shop. He’s in New York, so he’s not too far from the mecca of cheese in America, Murray’s. He got reservations for his wife and himself for a Valentine’s Day tasting, and he learned of a world of artisan cheese that went far beyond plastic-covered slices and boxed macaroni and cheese.
From there, it’s a series of tasty adventures as Berkowitz visits farms and meets the people (and cows, sheep, and goats) responsible for creating cheese. He meets Mr. Moo, Adam Moskowitz, who throws the Cheesemonger International every year, a giant cheese rave that Berkowitz calls “Wrestlemania for curd nerds.” He gets himself invited to one of the monthly Cheese Day lunches for a group of cheese-loving scientists at the Natural History Museum. He meets the Instagram influencers Madame Fromage and Cheese Sex Death, and he and his wife get confused and show up at a huge cheese party dressed in lederhosen and dirndl.
HIs expedition continues, to more farms, more cheese festivals, more competitions, and to meet more cheese lovers whose craft is celebrated and devoured all over the world. The more people he meets, the more he learns, and the more he learns, the more he teaches us. Be prepared before you read this book. Before you’re even halfway through, you’ll be following at least a dozen cheese lovers and/or makers on social media and have a list of cheese you want to look for the next time you wander into your local cheese shop. You’ll think about starting a monthly tasting club for your friends, or you daydream about possible pairings. Which cheese will go with your favorite wine? Your favorite pasta? Your favorite M&Ms? (Berkowitz says he likes Gruyere with his).
American Cheese is an odyssey, a fun and fascinating, emotional and enticing, punny and pop-culture filled extravaganza of cheese knowledge and celebration. If you want to know a little more about cheese, this will take you down a rabbit hole into a whole different world, and you will never want to return to the same old cheese you were eating before.
For me, I am so thrilled to have gone on this pilgrimage with Berkowitz. I had so much fun, and I learned far more than I expected. I feel like I can talk cheese like a journeyman, and I can definitely up my cheese board game from this. But more than learning a bunch of facts about bacteria or farming or what it takes to pass a CCP exam (that’s Certified Cheese Professional), I feel like I was brought into the American artisan cheese family, and that feels like a very special place to be. I recommend American Cheese to anyone who loves to read about food, or really, to anyone who loves to eat cheese. You will love it even more story by story.
A copy of American Cheese was provided by Harper Perennial, with many thanks.
November 10, 2022
I like the idea of the nonfiction books where "author has zero ideas about X, starts exploring X, dives deep into X world and takes the reader along for the journey". Some of the best titles in the genre are Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything. Joe Berkowitz describes an interesting dive into the world of cheese, and the reader is welcomed to follow along.
The first few chapters are delectable and easy to read. At some point I started a brand new doc and copied down some of the mentioned cheeses, creameries and Berkowitz' recommendations about them (e.g. Raclette described an unshowered Remi Malek). The idea behind the book seems familiar - America, the land of Velveeta, Kraft Parmesan in a can (may contain celluloid) and giant logs of cheddar, slowly developed an artisanal cheese culture.
Unencumbered by DOP, DOCG or whatever those crazy Europeans call the trademark laws, American cheesemakers experiment and are not afraid to veer off the beaten path, especially when the beaten path is a bag of shredded mozzarella mixed with cardboard to prevent caking. It was the Bottle Shock moment for cheesemakers when they started winning the medals in Old World cheese competitions.
However, a few chapters down the road the book gets monotonous. Here we have yet another competition, yet another of Joe's acquaintance shows up, more familiar faces greet the author, and more ribbons are distributed with a subsequent cheese bacchanalia.
Probably my bad, but midway through the book I have also lost track of the many characters, who all have somewhat similar-sounding names and represent somewhat similar-sounding creameries. The personalities are just not developed enough, and the chapters turn into opportunities for name dropping and recounting the author's notes on who said what and who got what award. The cheese recommendations, however, are quite good. This book should come with a companion gift basket.
The first few chapters are delectable and easy to read. At some point I started a brand new doc and copied down some of the mentioned cheeses, creameries and Berkowitz' recommendations about them (e.g. Raclette described an unshowered Remi Malek). The idea behind the book seems familiar - America, the land of Velveeta, Kraft Parmesan in a can (may contain celluloid) and giant logs of cheddar, slowly developed an artisanal cheese culture.
Unencumbered by DOP, DOCG or whatever those crazy Europeans call the trademark laws, American cheesemakers experiment and are not afraid to veer off the beaten path, especially when the beaten path is a bag of shredded mozzarella mixed with cardboard to prevent caking. It was the Bottle Shock moment for cheesemakers when they started winning the medals in Old World cheese competitions.
However, a few chapters down the road the book gets monotonous. Here we have yet another competition, yet another of Joe's acquaintance shows up, more familiar faces greet the author, and more ribbons are distributed with a subsequent cheese bacchanalia.
Probably my bad, but midway through the book I have also lost track of the many characters, who all have somewhat similar-sounding names and represent somewhat similar-sounding creameries. The personalities are just not developed enough, and the chapters turn into opportunities for name dropping and recounting the author's notes on who said what and who got what award. The cheese recommendations, however, are quite good. This book should come with a companion gift basket.
December 15, 2020
Thank you Harper Perennial for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
American Cheese doesn't have to be the thin, pasty slices of yellow processed milk stuff that barely belongs on a sandwich. Today in the United States, fine cheese mongers and artisans are crafting delicious cheese that rivals (and sometimes beats) the best in the world. Joe Berkowitz experienced a cheesepiphany one day, and set out on a journey to learn as much about this deliciously melty world as possible. This meant traveling around the United States and parts of the world, all in a bid to find out what made good cheese amazing, and how American-made cheese measured up to the competition. From restaurants to competitions to research centers, Joe leaves no cheese wheel unrolled and no block unsliced in his bid to learn, savor, and discover all that American Cheese has to offer.
I love cheese, and this book was like an amazing plate of nachos, next to a grilled cheese sandwich, next to a charcuterie tray full of brie for me! American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World covers one man's deep dive into the cheesy world of America that enthusiasts and competitors love. I learned about a number of cheeses I have yet to try, and I was able to do so with plenty of Joe Berkowitz's risible humor along the way. Aside his time spent in the United States, Joe also spends some time in cheese caves and on the Alpine mountains to learn just what makes cheese get better with age. On the American side, I really enjoyed Joe's visit to the Dairy Research Center in Wisconsin, because who doesn't like the idea of scientists creating all new ways to make even more delicious cheese?! While this book focuses primarily on Joe's journey into the world of cheese, rather than drilling into the specifics of being a fromager, I think that keeps this a very accessible read for the casual cheese lover looking to dip their bread into a new fondue. For lovers of food and especially dairy, American Cheese is exactly what your heart, and stomach, needs right now, and you'll walk away from it feeling hungry with a list of amazing cheeses to buy. Who could say no to that?
American Cheese doesn't have to be the thin, pasty slices of yellow processed milk stuff that barely belongs on a sandwich. Today in the United States, fine cheese mongers and artisans are crafting delicious cheese that rivals (and sometimes beats) the best in the world. Joe Berkowitz experienced a cheesepiphany one day, and set out on a journey to learn as much about this deliciously melty world as possible. This meant traveling around the United States and parts of the world, all in a bid to find out what made good cheese amazing, and how American-made cheese measured up to the competition. From restaurants to competitions to research centers, Joe leaves no cheese wheel unrolled and no block unsliced in his bid to learn, savor, and discover all that American Cheese has to offer.
I love cheese, and this book was like an amazing plate of nachos, next to a grilled cheese sandwich, next to a charcuterie tray full of brie for me! American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World covers one man's deep dive into the cheesy world of America that enthusiasts and competitors love. I learned about a number of cheeses I have yet to try, and I was able to do so with plenty of Joe Berkowitz's risible humor along the way. Aside his time spent in the United States, Joe also spends some time in cheese caves and on the Alpine mountains to learn just what makes cheese get better with age. On the American side, I really enjoyed Joe's visit to the Dairy Research Center in Wisconsin, because who doesn't like the idea of scientists creating all new ways to make even more delicious cheese?! While this book focuses primarily on Joe's journey into the world of cheese, rather than drilling into the specifics of being a fromager, I think that keeps this a very accessible read for the casual cheese lover looking to dip their bread into a new fondue. For lovers of food and especially dairy, American Cheese is exactly what your heart, and stomach, needs right now, and you'll walk away from it feeling hungry with a list of amazing cheeses to buy. Who could say no to that?
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