For the Love of Cheese
Recipes and Wisdom from the Cheese Boutique: A Cookbook
- Publisher
- Random House Canada
- Initial publish date
- Oct 2018
- Category
- Dairy, Individual Chefs & Restaurants, Reference
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780147530462
- Publish Date
- Oct 2018
- List Price
- $29.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
From Afrim Pristine, the internationally-renowned maître fromager and host of Food Network Canada's Cheese: A Love Story, comes a cookbook and all-encompassing cheese guide featuring everyone's favorite ingredient.
Afrim Pristine may possess the most distinguished professional title a cheesemonger could ask for--maître fromager--but if you ask him what business he's in, he'll tell you he sells happiness. That's because cheese is inextricably linked to wonderful memories and celebrations for so many of us. No matter the occasion, cheese and cheesy dishes are always greeted with a smile.
In his first cookbook, Afrim is here to teach you the basics of more than 55 cheeses. You'll learn about the best ways to buy and store cheese, how to pair different cheeses with different beverages and how to create the cheese board of your dreams. And with his signature sense of humor and warmth, Afrim offers 60 easy and enticing recipes for every mealtime, including a bonus chapter called Low Risk, High Reward, for those moments when you're looking to simply eat cheese with the perfect accompaniment. Alongside Afrim's best dishes are 20 masterpieces from the world's top chefs--everyone from Daniel Boulud, Claudio Aprile, Anthony Walsh, and Rob Gentile to Chuck Hughes, Anna and Michael Olson, Bob Blumer and more.
With personal anecdotes and helpful information, creative and delicious recipes, and beautiful photography, For the Love of Cheese is sure to bring joy to your kitchen and your heart.
About the author
Contributor Notes
AFRIM PRISTINE is the world's youngest maître fromager, practicing affinage, or the art of aging cheese. He is the host of Food Network Canada's Cheese: A Love Story and is the owner of Cheese Boutique in Toronto, a 4-generation, almost-50-year-old cheese store that houses 500 kinds of cheeses, along with meats, local produce, savory snacks, pastries and desserts, and much more. This is his first book.
Excerpt: For the Love of Cheese: Recipes and Wisdom from the Cheese Boutique: A Cookbook (by (author) Afrim Pristine)
From "Cheese 101"
BUYING, STORING, AND AGING
The first thing I will tell you about this subject is simply: buy what you need. I’ve seen it too many times in my shop. Cheese lovers come in, andthey get really excited by the aromas, textures and flavors of all the beautiful cheeses we carry. They eat with their eyes, and as much as the businessman inside me says “sell, sell, sell!” I try to refrain from letting my customers overbuy. The last thing I want is for the client to have a bad cheese experience. What’s a bad cheese experience, you ask? I will explain.
Imagine that you go to your trusty cheesemonger, and you end up with much more cheese than you need. You just can’t help it—you wanted it all! You arrive home overloaded with this goodness and put it away for when you’re ready.
As I’ve said previously, many cheeses get better with age, but I’m not talking about the smaller, cut pieces that are wrapped up in your fridge. An amazing glass of wine, no matter how prized and rare, is meant to be drunk and enjoyed—you’d never think of saving a solitary glass of wine for later. And the same is true for cheese. A cut piece of cheese in your fridge isn’t going to get better; rather, the opposite. And trust me, there is nothing worse than reaching into your fridge for your favorite cheese and discovering that it’s way past its prime.
How should we remedy this? The answer is simple. Buy smaller pieces and visit your cheesemonger more frequently. Ask your cheesemonger questions such as:
• What’s really good today?
• What should I shave into my salad?
• What should I put onto my pasta?
• I’m having this wine with dinner tonight;what cheese would pair well with it?
When you ask these kinds of questions, you’ll get to know your cheesemonger. Develop a relationship with them, get to know their schedule, get to know when the fresh buffalo mozzarella arrives, get to know who their favorite sports team is, and more! Trying to establish a strong relationship with your cheesemonger might seem silly, but if you love great cheese, this connection will become incredibly valuable.
Now that you know how to buy your cheese, let’s turn to storage. For the most part, if you’re buying cheese from a reputable cheesemonger, you should keep the cheese in its original wax paper packaging. This wax paper is specially designed to store cheese. This will work for the first few days after you bring the cheese home. Beyond that point, you should rewrap the cheese in parchment paper and cover it tightly in aluminum foil. The cheese wax paper will only keep the moisture in for a few days; by covering it in fresh parchment paper followed by aluminum foil, you let the cheese breathe, without letting it dry out from being exposed to the air. This also works to keep the cheese from absorbing ambient scents or flavors in your fridge. And if you’re a real cheese fiend like I am, you can dedicate your vegetable crisper as a cheese storage box. Who needs vegetables, anyway? Just remember to let the cheese come to room temperature completely before you serve it—you have to let the flavors open up, in much the same way as you decant a bottle of red wine. Depending on the cheese, this could take one to three hours. Promise me you won’t serve it cold.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Afrim Pristine and For the Love of Cheese
“The world’s most accomplished young cheesemonger spills everything he knows about what’s good, where to find it and how to enjoy it once you’ve got it home. Sure, this is a cookbook about cheese, but more than that, it’s the guide to life every food lover needs.” —Chris Nuttal-Smith, food writer
“Every time I go to Cheese Boutique, it feels like coming home after a long stretch in jail. With open, nonjudgmental arms, Afrim is always there for me, regardless of what kind of cheese I pick. In this amazing book, he takes his brilliance on the road to the benefit of readers everywhere. Afrim is the greatest human I know! BUY THIS BOOK!!!” —Matty Matheson, chef and host of Dead Set on Life and It’s Suppertime!
“If you know Afrim, you know that he is just a big kid in a cheese-loving man’s body. This book is a perfect reflection of his fun and youthful approach to food and entertaining. He is a pillar of Toronto’s culinary scene and there isn’t a better person to learn from if you love cheese as much as he does.” —Grant van Gameren, chef/owner of Bar Isabel and Bar Raval
“A must-have book for any cheese lover! This wonderful cookbook is a celebration of the Pristine family—their commitment, passion, and love for cheese is evident on every page, where cheese is the star ingredient in Afrim’s delicious recipes!” —David Rocco, chef, TV star, and creator of the Dolce Vita series
“Afrim Pristine: the man who convinced me to try (and, later, love!) blue cheese. Afrim is a regular guest on my show and his passion for what he does shines through. He is not only incredibly knowledgeable, but kind, too. I am thrilled that readers will get to spend time with my friend through this amazing book that celebrates all things cheese.” —Marilyn Denis, host of The Marilyn Denis Show
“Afrim Pristine has a global perspective and vast knowledge about the wonderful world of cheese. He shares his amazing stories and family traditions. It is a gem and is the most delicious book on cheese I've ever read.” —Lynn Crawford, author of Farm to Chef
“FINALLY!!! A book on cheese that needs to be every culinary library on the continent . . . including my own. Beautifully written, beautifully designed, and filled with heart.” —Anita Stewart, Food Laureate, founder of Food Day Canada, and member of the Order of Canada
"Every gustatory pleasure seeker I know wants a copy. Part cookbook, part cheese guide, you really can't go wrong tucking this handy little paperback under the tree." —Toronto Star