Food Lover’s Book Club Wednesday, February 10

Food Lover’s Book Club is a bimonthly discussion of a cookbook or food-related book led by 5280‘s food editor Amanda M. Faison. The free gathering takes place at the Ross-Cherry Creek Library.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching but rather than dig into the topic of chocolate (how cliché), February 10’s Food Lover’s Book Club will explore cheese. Karin Lawler of the Truffle Cheese Shop will join me in digging into this expansive—and delicious—world. The chosen book is The Cheesemonger’s Kitchen by Chester Hastings, and the book demonstrates that the appeal of artisan fromage extends far beyond the cheese plate. (Of course, the book dedicates many pages to the cheese plate, too.)

Cheese tells stories and if you’re willing to listen, you’ll discover that it embodies culture and history: The Parmigiano-Reggiano we eat today is reminiscent of the cheese Benedictine and Cistercian monks first created in the 13th century; the well known Humboldt Fog chèvre came about when a California mom started raising and breeding goats on a whim. When we eat cheese, we taste the past, as well as the present and the future. Lawler, from the Truffle, and I will detail current trends, dietary preferences, proper storage, and more.

Check out the cookbook from the library, buy it at the Tattered Cover, cook from it, and come ready to discuss. Bonus: Cheese for all!

Next up: On Wednesday, April 13, which just happens to be National Peach Cobbler Day, Adrian Miller, author of the James Beard–winning book Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine One Plate at a Time, will join me to explore Southern cuisine. Yes, we’ll talk fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet tea—but we’ll also look the Southern bounty and the necessity of celebrating and understanding the intersection of history and food pathways. Pick up a copy of Miller’s book from the library, buy it at the Tattered Cover, cook from it, and come ready to discuss.

Free, 6 p.m., Ross-Cherry Creek Branch Library, 305 Milwaukee St., 720-865-0120

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—Photo via Shutterstock