Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese: A Guide to Wedges, Recipes, and Pairings

by Tenaya Darlington

Overview

Consider this your invitation to world's greatest cheese party!

Peek behind Philadelphia's largest and oldest cheese counter for a lively guide to pairing cheese with everything from beer and cocktails to olives and charcuterie. The store's resident cheese blogger, Madame Fromage, brings to life 170 of the world's greatest artisan cheeses, drawing on stories and knowledge from the store's third-generation owners.

Accessible for cheese newcomers and connoisseurs alike, this guidebook breaks down the mysterious world of cheese into personality profiles like "Baby faces," "Vixens," "Mountain Men," "Stinkers," and "Pierced Punks," sliding along a scale of texture, age, and pungency. These cheeses are then paired off for occasions like Cocktails & Nosh, Cheese for One, Book Club Cheese Night, and Craft Beers & Artistan All-Stars. Also included are 30 recipes, from Zeke's Bacon Maple Grilled Cheese to Cheddar Ale Soup; an extensive dairy lexicon; and notes on how to taste cheese like a cheesemonger.

Part recipe book, part family history, part cheese encyclopedia, Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese is a fresh, new take on a favorite food group.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762448333
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	05/07/2013
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Tenaya Darlington is a food writer and educator in Philadelphia. By day, she teaches writing at Saint Joseph's University; by night, she pens the cheese blog Madame Fromage and loves to sip cocktails. Her writing has appeared in Cooking Light, Edible Philly, Global Traveler, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Culture magazine.

Table of Contents

Introduction: How to Pick a Hunk
I. Baby Faces
II. Quiet Types
III. Free Spirits
IV. Vixens
V. Mountain Men
VI. Stinkers
VII. Rockstars
VII. Wise Guys
IX. Sugar Mamas
X. Pierced Punks
Appendix: Useful Books, Websites, and Organizations
Cheese Glossary

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Chef and restaurateur Marc Vetri
“Ever since I was a child I've always been obsessed with cheese. I remember going down to South Philadelphia to Di Bruno Bros. and picking out provolone with my grandfather. These days, there's a lot more than provolone out there, and it’s great to see that it's still Di Bruno Bros. forging ahead, helping people understand cheese.  Whether it's variety, history, technique, or flavor combinations. . . this book has it all.  I've relied on these guys for my whole life. . . and it just got easier for the rest of the world!"

Editorial Reviews

Darlington (madamefromageblog.com) here draws on the offerings at long-established Philadelphia cheese monger Di Bruno Bros. and the expertise of its staff to highlight a range of cheeses according to such personalities as "mountain men," "vixens," "quiet types," and "pierced punks." While this conceit is sometimes strained, it proves to be a smart way to hook readers who may not immediately grasp other descriptors such as "grassy" or "goaty" or understand differences among types of rinds, milks, or degrees of firmness. The description of each cheese briefly captures its history and its flavor, complemented with suggestions for beverage pairings and accompaniments. The author takes care not to overwhelm readers with too much detail about the science behind cheese making. Darlington also provides guidance for building appealing cheese plates and includes a small selection of enticing recipes. The result is a delightfully approachable book that can be read cover to cover or by section according to which cheese personalities are most likely to appeal to the reader. VERDICT This terrific guide to cheeses is cleverly designed for a broad audience. Highly recommended for public library collections.—Peter Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA

Library Journal

"Ever since I was a child I've always been obsessed with cheese. I remember going down to South Philadelphia to Di Bruno Bros. and picking out provolone with my grandfather. These days, there's a lot more than provolone out there, and it's great to see that it's still Di Bruno Bros. forging ahead, helping people understand cheese. Whether it's variety, history, technique, or flavor combinations...this book has it all. I've relied on these guys for my whole life...and it just got easier for the rest of the world!"
—Chef and restaurateur Marc Vetri

"Full of authoritative and engaging advice on how to use cheese that should appeal to all levels of knowledge...portraits so luscious, you can practically feel the creaminess of each blue wedge melt on your tongue. I can smell the piquant perspiration of that well-aged Testun al Barolo. More important, Darlington's prose brings it all to life."
—Philly.com

"This book has it all—history, family, and a working encyclopedia of cheese."
—Country Lines Magazine

"A must-have for anyone aiming to craft the ideal cheese plate, find the perfect drink pairing, or bring the atmosphere of the Italian Market Di Bruno Bros. to his or her kitchen."
—South Philly Review

From the Publisher