The Little Book of Cheese with A Lot to About All the Ethnic Basics

Just when I was wondering  how to store cheese, along comes the book, The Little Book of Cheese!  Debbi Dubbs  turned out to be the perfect answer to my current questions about storing this gem of a food product.  The short guide gives tips not only in purchasing and storing cheese but how to make cheese at home, and use cheese in a variety of ways, how to make cheese at home, basic cheese tasting techniques, how to create seasonal cheese and charcuterie boards, how to cook with cheese.  And, in her words, this goes for soft rind, blooming rind, pressed and aged cheese!  This is the perfect book for the novice cheese lover and makes a practical, pretty party favor or a thoughtful addition to a cheese.   You can find out more about her at: //www.debskitchen.com/

Debbi wrote in answer to my question, “Even if your cheese comes already wrapped in plastic wrap, remove it and rewrap the cheese in cheese paper or parchment and store in an unsealed plastic bag.  These paper is available from any cheese shop or online at Amazon. Label and date the cheese on the wrap or on the bag.  Keep the cheese in the fridge, away from other foods if possible.”

My tall, slim mom had such a love of cheese that she asked to sell it in her brother’s supermarket at one time.  Whether I inherited it from her or not, my favorite snack has always been apples, (cheddar) cheese and coffee.  These days I know that cheese adds the perfect touch to just about any salad I make.

Debbi assembled a cheese board extravaganza to please both the cheese novice and the expert.  She advises to “use a mixture of cow, goat, sheep milk. You want a variety of flavors and an odd number of cheese as it is more pleasing to the eye.”

Catering chef, Roberta Deen always added the name of the cheese to identify it.  Guests could then learn about new favorites and know the name.

Chicken Parmigiana and salads immediately come to mind when thinking about cooking with cheese.   Debbi’s book, What’s In Your Pantry, was created for her cooking school students and offers many suggestions for what to prepare whether the inspiration comes from building on a base of classic seasonings or  favorite, seasonal ingredients.

Two of the popular dishes included delicious Fondue Palmier and Chocolate-Strawberry Yogurt Parfaits.  These dishes offer a subtle cheese influence that are also unique.

Dubbs began with a restaurant background and went on to owning two catering companies, private chef services, managing an upscale gourmet deli for Spaghetti Restaurant. Debbi has taught cooking classes for Williams Sonoma, Bristol Farms, Sur la Table, Smith and Hawken and Bloomingdale’s and she now teaches for Temecula Olive Oil Co. in Seal Beach. Debbi also provided recipe development for Spaghetti’s Chef Victor, and their new book, From Our Family to Yours.  She also hosts a yearly trip to Cambria and Paso Robles to visit with wine makers, farmers, olive oil farms and more. She teaches organic vegetable gardening and manages her 24 x 24 ft. raised bed garden.