Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Florence Review: One Hour Cheese by Claudia Lucero

Having a few cooking reviews that I thought I'd never have... I thought I better make a cooking graphic. Who would have thought? Not me. :D

This is a review from my mom. I keep trying to get her to do one, but to no avail... until now. Got her with a book that she was just too curious to not at least look at. Yea, she cooks and apparently it skips a generation... So, deal was that I would get it if she reviewed it. Here are the results of her labor:

cookbook
250p.
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Available Now
Source: From NetGalley for review
It's a DIY cook's dream come true: It's pizza night, and you've made not only the crust and sauce but the mozzarella, too. Or you're whipping up quesadillas for a snack, using your homemade Triple Pepper Hack. Or the dinner party's in high gear and out comes the cheese plate-and yes, you've made all the cheeses on it. Even better-you made them all earlier that day. In a cookbook whose results seem like magic but whose recipes and instructions are specific, easy-to-follow, and foolproof, Claudia Lucero shows step by step-with every step photographed-exactly how to make sixteen fresh cheeses at home, using easily available ingredients and tools, in an hour or less. The approach is basic and based on thousands of years of cheesemaking wisdom: Heat milk, add coagulant, drain, salt, and press. Simple variations produce delicious results across three categories-Creamy and Spreadable, Firm and Chewy, and Melty and Gooey. And just as delicious, the author shows the best ways to serve them, recipes included: Squeaky "Pasta" Primavera, Mozzarella Kebab Party, and Curry in a Hurry Lettuce Wraps.
Florence's Thoughts:

One Hour Cheese makes you want to jump in and start making cheese. Getting everything you will need to make the cheese may not be so easy or fast, depending where you live. I could not find rennet a needed ingredient locally. The nearest place I could get it was 45 miles away. Even so the recipes are simple and easy to follow. The step by step pictures shows what your cheese should look like during the process. You don't have to second guess if what it should look like and if you are doing it right. The pluses in the book are all the recipes, making crackers from vegetables for your homemade cheese spreads, and making butter and yogurt. If you only make cheese only one time, this book would be worth the money.

19 comments:

  1. Hello Florence, So glad you decided to do this post.This sounds like a great book but alas, a disaster in the kitchen, I don't think even step-by-step instructions could persuade me to give cheese making a go.

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  2. Great post, and what a curious book! :) I have friends who make cheese at home, but I've never ventured into that territory myself... but maybe it's not so hard after all? :)

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  3. YAY MOM! *waves furiously* Love that you decided to partake of Melissa's fantastic blog, she's one of my very favorite bloggers and I so enjoy visiting every day. I'm not great in the kitchen so I don't think anyone, especially my husband, wants me to attempt to make cheese, but I'm glad the recipes are easy to follow!

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  4. Thanks mom!! See, it didn't kill ya... ;) Thanks so much for reviewing the book. Now I have to see if I can find you another.

    Btw, she probably won't answer, but she will see all the comments. :)

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  5. Hi, Melissa's Mom! Yeah, cooking and kitchen-related skills bypassed me, too. But this sounds like it makes cheese-making relatively simple, even for the kitchen-phobes like me. Nice review! :)

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  6. I'm excited about this review. I read a book about living off the land and making your own cheese a few years ago but it didn't give enough information for me.

    I would love to try making ricotta and mozzarella.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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  7. Thanks for sharing! I don't really eat a lot of cheese, but this sounds like something my mom and sister would really enjoy. I'm glad it worked well for you and I like that there are pictures for the various steps.

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  8. I love cheese, so this appeals to me and thankfully I can get any cheese locally. Thanks for sharing this!

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  9. Awesome review, thanks for sharing! I am trying to steer clear of cheese these days but I do LOVE it so maybe I should try making it sometime. :-)

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  10. I love the image! I'm not the biggest fan of cheese, and I'm really picky when it comes to it. This sounds like a great book though.

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  11. I never tried a lot of things with cheese but it can be reallt good I'm sure!

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  12. Haha this is awesome and i'm a huge cheese lover so THANK YOU :)
    Lily

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  13. Great review! I love cheese, but maybe that's because i'm from the Netherlands. We dutchies are huge cheeselovers. :)

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  14. Love cheese I've not tried to make it before though. I do make my own butter every now and again. So good! Glad to see you enjoyed this one!

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  15. This sounds like it helps with making some difficult things! Things I would probably never try to make, but you never know!

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  16. Ooo, I've never thought about making cheese, but I'm always looking for store-bought items that we can make from home. This sounds fantabulous!

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  17. I had no idea you could make cheese in an hour! The recipes sound great. Might be worth it. I love reading cook books!

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  18. Wow I do love my cheese, but I thought it takes weeks and months to ripe, and dry and whatever. I would like to buy this one if it is available here in Holland. But strange ingredients that are for Americans difficult to find, are even more impossible to find in Holland.

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