Working on my Book

[Alpkäserei]

I have said for some time now that I intend to write a book containing things along the lines of what I have written here on these forums, as well as a considerable deal of additional information.

I've been at work on this project for some time actually, compiling information, photos, and experience as well as carefully observing the reported results of some of my advice and recipes here on the forums. The biggest point of research has been, what is difficult to understand, and what is unknown -that is, what of the information that I have is of the most value, because it's uncommon? That's what I want to focus on.

So I've started writing, and the focus of this work is not a basic introduction to Alpine cheeses, but rather a detailed look at the specifics, why things work the way they do, and how you can adjust a recipe to create a custom cheese.

Then, of course, I'll also include a few recipes for common cheeses (Mutschli, Raclette, Schwyzer Bergkäse, Berner Alpkäse, and Emmentaler are on the list, and possibly Gruyere and an Appenzeller approximation)

I'd love to here if yall have any other suggestions or requests.

[shaneb]

I don't have any suggestions, but just letting you know I'll buy it in a heartbeat. Please keep us posted on the progress and when it's ready for us to hand over money. 

Shane

[awakephd]

Put me down for a copy!

By the way, I just came back, a week or two ago, from a trip that included passing through Geneva and the Mt. Blanc tunnel into Italy, and back through the mountains again, a bit more southerly, travelling from Florence to Lyon. To my great regret, though I was able to explore a few Italian and French cheeses, I did not have a chance to go exploring for cheese while in Switzerland, and I don't know that we were even in the right region, but I certainly was thinking about it!

[Alpkäserei]

Thanks for the support guys!

I am working on the premise of having a series of short informative chapters, similar in length to the various write ups I have put up here on the forums. I don't like to spend a lot of time getting sidetracked with stories and anecdotes, at least not when writing. So the material is fairly direct and straightforward.

I'll try to have some material available as soon as possible. I could possibly release an early version for folks on the cheese forum if yall would be interested, and then give everyone the complete nicely formatted version when it's ready for no additional cost (and maybe even give discounts/refunds to anyone who makes a suggestion that I implement in the public edition)

I had considering offering pre sales at a discounted rate, but right now I'm leaning toward not doing that.

As of right now, I have a meager 6 pages (word document, so it would be more pages in a book) of content written, without pictures.

[awakephd]

I personally would enjoy seeing pictures relevant to the cheeses -- pictures of the region, of cheese making enterprises, etc.

[shaneb]

I'm interested either way. I'm not quite sure how it works in Switzerland, but maybe you could divide the book and recipes up into regions of the country?

I do like Caldwell's book, but I don't like how it's laid out. The recipes are mixed in amongst the text. I prefer a recipe to start on a new page and any further text to start on the page after if that makes sense. It makes for a much better experience when actually using the recipe for a make.

I love lots of photos of cheese and especially caves.....

Good luck on the writing.

Shane

[Alpkäserei]

I'm dispersing recipes throughout the book, but each has its own 'chapter' so it's set off to itself and easy to find.
The reason for this is so that the recipes follow with themes that are clarified as the text goes on, starting with simple recipes and working up to difficult cheeses as I introduce more complicated subjects, using the recipes as springboards to launch into details about the processes, so that the recipe itself leads you into what's coming after it.

I do plan to have pictures, my comment above was just meant to say that's how much blank text I have, so once you start adding pictures you get to having a lot of material.

[shaneb]

Thanks. makes sense.

Shane