Overview

The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese is the first reference book of its kind and a must-have for every foodie's library. Jeffrey P. Roberts lavishes loving attention on the growing local food and farmstead movement in what is fast becoming a national trend. This fully illustrated atlas of contemporary artisan cheeses and cheese makers will not only be a mainstay in any cookery and cuisine library--guiding consumers, retailers, restaurateurs, and food professionals to the full breadth and unparalleled quality of American artisan foods--it will be the source of many a fabulous food adventure. Organized by region and state, The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese highlights more than 350 of the best small-scale cheese makers in the United States today. It provides the most complete overview of what's to be had nationwide--shippable, attainable, delectable. Each entry describes a cheesemaker; its cheese; whether from cow, sheep, or goat milk; availability; location; and even details on cheese-making processes. The Atlas captures America's local genius for artisan cheese: a capacity for adaptation, experimentation, and innovation, while following old-world artisanship. It is destined to become a classic resource and reference.

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9781933392349

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June 6, 2007Book ReviewA Guide to Americas Cheese TrailBy MARIAN BURROSA FEW years ago, I spent a week traveling the byways of New England in search of the best cheesemakers. As the rest of the world hurries on, remote farms are quietly turning milk into everything from charming little goat pyramids to big bold wheels of aged cows milk cheese. Down many dirt roads there was marvelous cheese to taste from the animals grazing in the nearby fields.It was one of the best road trips I have ever taken, especially since some of the cheese I sampled never makes it out of the neighborhood in which it is produced.Now, thanks to a new book, you can have your own cheese trail adventure virtually anywhere in the United States. According to The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese (Chelsea Green, $35) by Jeffrey P. Roberts, 43 states have artisanal cheesemakers, including Hawaii and Alaska, where you can buy goat cheese at Cranberry Ridge Farm in Wasilla, 45 miles northeast of Anchorage.Mr. Roberts, himself a walking encyclopedia of American cheeses, may have set out to provide restaurateurs, shops and cheese lovers with an indispensable reference, but in the process he created an exciting new kind of travel guide. His book is a perfect companion volume to books about winery visits, especially for California, Oregon and Washington. <br>For those interested in cheese without wine, New England is the place. Of the 84 cheesemakers in New England, 60 welcome visitors, some by appointment only, and most sell their cheeses on the farm.In the northwest corner of Vermont, at Green Mountain Blue Cheese, you can buy Gore-Dawn-Zola, a superb, creamy, rich and sweet Gorgonzola-style cheese created by Dawn Boucher.She and her husband, Daniel, whose family has been farming for 12 generations, own the farm, located in Highgate Center.Mr. Roberts, a founder of the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont, has ferreted out stories of about 350 of the 400 cheesemakers he has found in America so far.Each profile is filled with all the useful information a cheese fiend would want to have. There are lots of photos: the cheeses look delicious and the farmers kindly while the lambs, cows and goats never look posed but always look winsome. <br>Even if you cant take a tour, the atlas provides a useful introductory course on artisanal cheeses and tells how to order many of the cheeses online.

Author Information

Jeff Roberts lives in Montpelier, Vermont, and works in the areas of agriculture and food policy, conservation, and the environment. During his career, Jeff was a meteorologist, historian, and museum curator. At the University of Pennsylvania, he was director of development at the Morris Arboretum and from 1987-1994, Associate Dean for Development and Planning at the School of Veterinary Medicine. In 1995, he became the Vice President for External Affairs at the Vermont Land Trust. As a co-founder and principal consultant to the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese at the University of Vermont, he is responsible for development of international initiatives, public education programs, and marketing. For the US National Park Service, he is researching, photographing, and writing Stewardship Begins with People, a prototype compendium of national parks and their unique products. Jeff is active in Slow Food USA as a director and treasurer of the national board and a Northeast Regional Governor. He co-chaired ""Artisan Cheeses of America"" at Cheese 2001 and 2003 and the US presence at Salone del Gusto 2002 and 2004. He is one of organizers of Slow Food USA's American Raw Milk Cheese Presidium. Jeff is a frequent speaker on artisan cheese, sustainable agriculture, and the working landscape. He serves as a director of the Vermont Arts Council and previously was on the Vermont Fresh Network board.

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