cover image The Whole Fromage: Adventures in the Delectable World of French Cheese

The Whole Fromage: Adventures in the Delectable World of French Cheese

Kathe Lison. Broadway, $15 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-0-307-45206-1

While waiting for a flight at Paris' Charles De Gaulle Airport, essayist Kathe Lison picked up a book that would forever change her life%E2%80%94or at least her palate. That book, a visual guide to more than 350 cheeses, inspired her on an immersive tour over 6,800 miles of France in the name of French cheese. Lison's own book is an account of this journey as she takes the reader from the very origin of cheese itself to the modern day, smartly focusing on trip highlights rather than a day-by-day approach which enables her to recount small stories%E2%80%94the science of cheese addiction , the creation of Camembert, the drama behind Roquefort and its many pretenders%E2%80%94in addition to broader themes such as the impact of terroir on cheese's flavor and the great raw-milk debate. Though she probably spends more time than necessary on Camembert, Lisbon seamlessly conveys the experience of tasting the creamy, luscious cheese and its many cousins. Part travelogue, part homage to fromage, Lisbon's book is informative and endearing and will appeal to foodies, Francophiles, and hungry readers. (June)