The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide: Over 150 Recipes with Instructions on How to Buy, Store, and Serve All Your Favorite Cheeses

Twenty years ago, Paula Lambert was just your average Texas housewife. But when she became addicted to fresh mozzarella while traveling in Italy only to return home and find there was no fresh mozzarella in Texas, both an entrepreneur and a cheese factory were born. In The Cheese Lover's Cookbook, Lambert shares the vast knowledge she's garnered in two decades at the helm of the successful Mozzarella Company, which now boasts 35 types of cheese and twice as many awards.

Lambert's passion for cheese shines in enticing recipes that draw on her Southwestern, Italian, and Southern influences. The book flows effortlessly between such down-home favorites as Cowboy Cheese Dip (made with Velveeta!) and more adventurous treats such as Baked Gnocchi with Sage-Parmigiano Crust or Blue Cheese Quesadillas with Mango Salsa. Chapters cover brunch through dessert, including appetizers, salads, soups, pastas, vegetables, meats, and breads. For brunch, Ricotta Pancakes with Banana-Pecan Syrup--a moist, fluffy, invitingly rich concoction reminiscent of the famous New Orleans dessert Bananas Foster--fits the bill. Crustless Cheddar Quiche with Onion and Bacon Topping (more like a savory flan than a classic quiche) would be equally satisfying for brunch or lunch. Entr es range from the vegetarian Layered Vegetable Gratin Provencal bound by strongly flavored Gruy re, to tangy Poached Salmon with Feta Mayonnaise, to succulent Rack of Lamb with Goat Cheese Crust. An array of inviting desserts, from the intensely chocolatey Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies to the wonderfully refreshing Cinnamon-Ricotta Sorbet, rounds out the recipe section.

But this is much more than just a cookbook: it's an informative guide that details the history of cheese, provides nutritional information, and offers tips on how to buy, store, and serve cheese. For the truly ambitious, Lambert includes step-by-step instructions for making both fresh and aged cheese at home. A chapter on pairing wine with cheese takes the mystery out of finding just the right match, and indispensable charts expertly guide those interested in substituting or experimenting with more unusual cheeses. For any cheese lover, this practical and wonderfully entertaining guide is a truly comprehensive resource. --Robin Donovan