The Beginner's Guide to Cheese Making

A focused, no-fuss introduction to home cheese making written by a Certified Cheese Professional. Elena Santogade strips the craft down to its essentials and walks you through each step with the clarity of someone who remembers exactly what confused her as a beginner.

Why This One

This book works well as a companion to or substitute for Home Cheese Making if you want something more concise and modern. Santogade organized the recipes by difficulty in a deliberate learning sequence: you start with the simplest acid-set cheeses, move to cultured varieties, then progress to pressed and aged types. Each chapter builds on skills from the previous one.

The equipment lists are practical and budget-conscious. Santogade does not assume you will buy specialized cheese making gear right away. She shows you how to get started with tools you likely already own, then explains what to upgrade as your interest grows.

At 208 pages, the book covers less ground than Carroll’s classic but does so with a tighter focus on the learning path. If you want a structured curriculum rather than a reference encyclopedia, this is the better choice.

What to Expect

A 208-page paperback with a clean, modern layout. The recipes include tasting notes and pairing suggestions that connect the cheese you make to the cheese you eat. Santogade’s background as a cheese professional shows in the way she describes textures, flavors, and what to look for at each stage of the process.