book review: Cheesy - 50 Boards & Recipes, from Fondue & Poutine to Grilled Cheese & Cheesecake by Farideh Sadeghin

Thank you Chronicle Books for providing an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

This book is an absolute beauty! The warm colors of the photography perfectly evoke the cozy comfort of a cheese-focused meal. I was eager to jump right in. The author, Farideh Sadeghin, brings an impressive culinary background - including seven years as a chef in New Zealand, a tenure as Test Kitchen Director at Saveur Magazine, and her current work as a recipe developer, video host, and frequent contributor to New York Times Cooking. I wholeheartedly agree with her introduction that "the uniting factor, regardless of the season, is that all of these dishes somehow include the same ingredient: cheese."

As a child, I was completely obsessed with cheese -- a passion that hasn't faded. I still vividly remember sitting two feet from the TV, entirely enamored by a PBS episode detailing how cheese was made, utterly gobsmacked that simple milk could transform into something so incredible. While my adult appreciation has shifted from the science of cheesemaking to simply enjoying it in all its global forms, this book is a perfect fit. It delivers fifty recipes dedicated to enjoying cheese both on a board and cooked into a dish.

While classic comfort foods like Mac and Cheese, Fried Mozzarella Balls, and Grilled Cheese are present, most of the selections push far beyond standard "cheesy" fare. Instead, Sadeghin introduces unexpected globally-inspired dishes like Asiago and Kimchi biscuits with Gochujang Butter, Paneer Chopped Salad, Skillet Sabzi, and Crab and Corn Rangoons. The book also features unique dessert creations such as Black Sesame Basque Cheesecake with Brownie Crust and chocolate mint pudding made from cottage cheese.

The book is divided into four seasonal chapters, each anchored by a custom cheese board tailored to the colors and flavors of that time of year -- one of my favorite elements of the book. The introductory sections also feature fantastic recipes for homemade board accouterments. I cannot wait to mix up the Red Onion Jam, Marinated Olives, and Sour Cream and Onion Spiced Nuts!

This book does also include brief discussion on topics such as the history of cheese, how it is made, types of cheese, how to store cheese, and which knives to use depending on the cheese. However, I appreciated that this book knew that it was not primarily a book on these topics. So, it kept it short and sweet and then moved on to the fantastic recipes!

Though I enjoyed the seasonal structure, a few recipes felt a bit forced into their respective quarters. Given how much I loved the unique, worldly variety of the cuisines, I am on the fence about whether a seasonal layout was the most effective choice, or if the book should have just focused entirely on the sheer breadth of the dishes.

I also have two minor critiques regarding presentation:

- The Cover Art: The current cover art suggests the book is strictly about selecting cheeses and crafting cheese boards. A photo showcasing the actual range of cooked recipes might better represent the diverse content inside.

- The Knife Guide: In the "Cheese Knives" section, a labeled visual diagram of the different knives would have been incredibly helpful for easy identification, rather than relying solely on text descriptions.

Overall, I thoroughly loved this cookbook and cannot wait to cook my way through a plethora of these recipes! It is a stellar addition to any seasoned cook's collection. It would also make a spectacular gift -- perhaps tied with a beautiful ribbon and a real cheese knife!