Its Not You, Its Brie: Unwrapping Americas Unique Culture of Cheese

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Feb 04, Mary rated it liked it. The many, many metaphors ranging from twee to painful make this a tougher read than it needed to be. View all 3 comments. Apr 28, Alison rated it it was ok. Maybe I just came in with the wrong expectations for this book, but I found it to be unfocused and inconsistent.

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I must confess that I have only read the first couple chapters; maybe someday I'll come back and read the whole thing, but for now I cannot push myself to get through it. The first thing that threw me off was the inconsistency of the author's voice. Varying between dry historical notes and personal tongue-in-cheek comments, it is nigh impossible to get into a good rhythm and actually digest what Kirstin Jackson is actually trying to say - anytime I thought I might actually be picking up speed, I realized that my eyes had glazed over at least a paragraph and I'd end up rereading whole pages to try and figure out what I'd missed.

Rather than a comprehensive history of cheese trends and food culture throughout America's history, this book walks you through 48 specific cheeses -- so specific, in fact, that it almost reads as advertisements for specific cheesemakers.

This would be fine if the focus of the book was wholly on profiling the individual histories and wares of 48 artisanal cheesemakers, but this is not the case. Instead, there are a few sentences about an individual cheesemaker perhaps their motivation for starting their business , a few oblique comments on the history of that specific cheese, and a brief description as to the process of producing this cheese.

Some profiles are better than others, fully developing each idea, with natural transitions between these various topics. The other thing that threw me off while reading this book was the reference to other cheeses in a given section.

IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S BRIE by Kirstin Jackson , Summer Pierre | Kirkus Reviews

Part of why I picked up this book in the first place was to learn about the different types of cheeses, but if the description of one type depends on knowledge of another, then I am simply at a loss. I did find the taste profiles and usage suggestions to be helpful and interesting and I'm a sucker for books with embedded recipes!

Oct 19, Josh Reisner rated it really liked it Recommends it for: People interested in agricultural science Specifically Cheese. I liked this book a lot. This was because of how it conveyed it's topic, along with how each cheese from each part of America or each cheese group was described. Especially in the chapter Pasta Filata, where it explains young, soft, and flexible cheeses like Mozzarella and Burrata, I like how she explains the scientific process, including ingredients like rennet to create these cheeses.

I also like how she explains what the cheeses should and could be paired with, and why, how, when, and where t I liked this book a lot. I also like how she explains what the cheeses should and could be paired with, and why, how, when, and where they were first created. However, I would have liked this book more if it had a few specific paragraphs of sentences throughout the story explaining the specific science of cheese making. For instance, I would have liked it more if she answered: I think it would also be a better book to read if she put just a few paragraphs about cheese itself, with where it started, how and why.

Overall it was an amazing book, but I would have given it a better rating if the sciences were explained more specifically. Jan 17, Rudi Riet marked it as to-read Shelves: A fine tome about the state of artisan cheese in the United States. The author shows her biases toward cheeses that are close to her hub of operation i. California , and she seems to miss some of the greats in the east.

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But she covers the wealth of great cheeses that are increasingly common these days. Nov 08, Canice rated it really liked it. This is a great book for a person interested in exploring and learning about American artisanal cheeses, or someone who loves cheese in general but is stymied at the cheese counter, not sure where to start. Each category is a chapter, and the author uses a couple of examples of greats in that category including farm visits and meetings with th This is a great book for a person interested in exploring and learning about American artisanal cheeses, or someone who loves cheese in general but is stymied at the cheese counter, not sure where to start.

Each category is a chapter, and the author uses a couple of examples of greats in that category including farm visits and meetings with the cheese makers. Since many of the cheeses have limited distribution, she ends with additional good examples of the category, and selects cheese from various geographies, to increase the likelihood of the reader finding one.

She also gives a good history of the cheese and its heritage, how it relates to its European forebears. This lends context for those who might be more familiar with European cheeses and also widens the context and options for the "explorer". Very informative and accessible read, and a good reference tool. As the book's title taken from the author's blog of the same name might indicate, though, you need to be willing to accept a long and relentless parade of cute similes throughout.

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Fortunately, it's a pleasant and light-hearted romp, packed with great cheese profile and cheese-making information. Dec 19, Dan Polley rated it really liked it Shelves: The author breaks the book into chapters concerning like cheeses. In each chapter, she profiles three cheeses, with recommendations for wine and beverage pairings as well as other cheeses for those regionally disqualified to buy those that are profiled.

It's breezy and quick, and reading about a lot of different types of cheeses -- especially those made in Wisconsin -- was a great learning experience. Jun 08, Karen rated it it was ok. Very specific, not for the average cheese consumer. Although the author gives information about where to buy each type, the stories were more matter-of-fact and segmented How to Turn Apples into Alcohol. The Book of Cheese. The Everything Cheese Book. Secrets of the Southern Table.

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