Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge

"Punks are nice people who act mean. Hippies are mean people who act nice." If you can handle this kind of fresh, in-your-face attitude you will LOVE 'Gordonzola's' book about his life as a cheesemonger at a Co-op grocery store in San Francisco. Every page of my copy of "Cheesemonger" has one or two things highlighted. A complete delight.

I thought this book was great, I've learned a lot about the cheese making process, and I've gotten some good cheese recommendations from the book. I really enjoy the stories about working in the shop and about learning the ropes of working in the industry. The political side of cheese, dairy and farming are all really interesting. I really have to admit that I read this book because I wanted to know more about cheese and honestly if I knew there was going to be so much talk about Punk culture and politics I probably would have looked elsewhere, but I bought the book without really researching it, and ultimately I'm glad I did read it. I have nothing against the punk movement or anything like that, and I understand its a biography so you get what you get from reading about someone's life, it just got kind of old to me and I found my self skimming sections where he went off about his political days as a punk to get to the more food focused portions of the book. Again, with this being the case, I still really enjoyed the book. If I had to guess I'd say this book dives in to punk culture during the Reagan Era for only 20%-30% of the read, so if I'm really turning you off to the book, understand that the rest of it is really enjoyable if you're like me, and aren't to politically active.

Writes about this amazing food in a genial, big picture way. He has seen the flies, smelled the barnyard, met the full political spectrum of producers and consumers and describes it all in a way you wish your cheesemonger would. The author's observations about the retail world and some of the counselling and humanity they provide to outcasts shows great menschlichkeit, hence the title of this review. Oh and the cheese descriptions are excellent and window-dressing free. I live next door to WI and will be trying the cheeses he describes. Already planning a Vermont vacation as well (beer and cheese). I recommend this book to anyone that loves cheese or finds her.himself smiling after tasting one of these amazing and alive decoctions. This is far and away the most enjoyable food book I've read in years. Next time I get to San Francisco, I know one place I'm headed to.

First, I'll say that I was initially drawn to this book by the title. It's great. I wasn't looking for a cheese review book, knowing that this was mostly about Gordon's life which, of course, is related to cheese. The first half of the book was great. I learned several interesting things about raw cheese and some of the guts behind cheese production that I didn't already know. I felt this was lacking from the second half or so, however, which is much more liberally sprinkled with political references, cheese meetings and conferences (which I was less interested in), and several circumstances where Gordon is pretty snide about customers and others in the cheese industry which contrasted rather markedly with the mental image I'd formed of him from the earlier chapters. I really enjoyed the first half, so I'm glad I read the book, but I wish I had stopped about half way in.

This is a great book for anyone that is a Cheesemonger.....

Sorry--dumb pun. And not funny, which this irreverent book is. Laugh-out-loud funny sometimes. By no means a guidebook, this is more like a series of essays addressing issues related to cheese (and anarchistic politics). One chapter, about raw milk cheeses, is the best summary of the pros and cons, the dangers real and imagined, that I've seen on the topic. As Edgar's customer (I don't know him) I can attest to the fact that, judging by his taste and selection, the man really knows great cheese. Decidedly raw (like the milk used to make some of the best cheese), his opinions and perspective are fresh and a tonic in the face of an incipient snobbery that has afflicted some cheese-related marketing and discourse.

A very enjoyable book for any American cheese enthusiast or any American that wishes to augment their knowledge of the cheese universe. A bit long, but the stories are great.

Great read about the real life and work of a San Francisco cheesemonger who has to negotiate dealing with all sorts of customers - the good, the bad, the indifferent and the delightful. Gordon's passion shines through. I hope I get to visit his store someday ( I live in New Zealand) He is a great advocate for cheese and the people who make this wonderful food.