Blame it on my heritage. I’m the granddaughter of a Wisconsin dairy farmer, and my great-great-great-grandparents were the first settlers in Pine Creek, Wisconsin, moving their family’s farming operation from Poland to the United States before the Civil War. And I just recently learned that my great uncle Raymond G. Rudnik patented cellophane-wrapped-single-slicing operation for cheese.

I am, in a word, a cheesehead, but I consider myself an artisan cheesehead, first and foremost. Bring on the good stuff. Bring me Goudas, Gorgonzolas and even golden-hued rounds of Pleasant Ridge Reserve. I love ‘em all, just as long as they’re finely crafted and delectable.

Because I have a passion for cheese – and because I am a writer and enjoy writing about cheese almost as much as I enjoy eating it – I had to go and write a book about it. But because I never do things half-way, I had to go and write two books on cheese: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Cheeses of the World, just published by Alpha Books, and The Cheeses of Wisconsin: A Culinary Travel Guide, will be published June 2, 2008. And since I just can’t quite get enough of cheese, I’ll be working on my third cheese book later this year.

Whether you are just stepping beyond cheddar or are a certified connoisseur, these books are for you. Happy reading – and eating!


About the Author: Jeanette Hurt is an award-winning writer and author who writes for numerous food, wine and travel publications including: Saveur, Gourmet, Relish, Budget Travel, and Wine Enthusiast. She also regular contributes to several in-flight magazines so whenever you’re in the air, check for her byline. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband Kyle, who’s first job was as a cheese boy at the Highlands Cheese Basket in Racine, her grandfather was a dairy farmer, and she knows her cheese.

© 2008

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