Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese

Gary Tooth of Empire Design Studio is a highly-sought after cookbook designer who has worked with numerous famed chefs on lauded cookbooks. We were lucky to land Gary as the designer for Melt, and he has crafted a cookbook that is not only refined, but creates organic flow that invites the reader to sit down and engage with our recipes. Who knew layout, typography, and white space could have such a dramatic effect?

We sat down with Gary to ask him a few questions about cookbook design and his process with Melt. (more…)

Behind every author is an editor who knows how to quell comma craziness, silence your semicolons, and fact check like a first-rate pro. For us, that person was Tracy Roe. She has a keen eye for catching grammar quirks that even the most ardent grammar nazi might not catch, a sixth-sense for every little detail, and an acute ability to discern true meaning out of an author’s sometimes senseless prattle. She has been an invaluable asset to the publication of Melt.

We decided to ask Tracy what she thinks makes for a good cookbook copyeditor, and what her impressions of this particular cookbook were…
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Whenever I go to my local cheese shop, I notice a small, plastic-wrapped crock hidden among the blocks and wedges. I’ve asked about this little guy before, but then proceed to quickly forget the details and continue on with my shopping. But the little pot has stuck with me, despite the fact that it was never the object of my attention for longer than a few seconds.

Then, one day, the cheese gods poked me in the ribs and whispered in my ear, “Buy this cheese, for cripes’ sake!”

Produced in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, St. Marcellin is a delicate little cheese that requires protection from the world—so much so that it arrives at your home in a tiny terra cotta crock, sheltered from the bumps and bruises of commercial life. And for good reason, too. The rind of this cheese is almost non-existent at room temperature, and once warmed, even the gentlest prod of a cracker causes it to burst forth a fountain of sensuously unctuous cream.

While St. Marcellin is satiny-smooth upon first taste, its personality is more complex than its feather-like texture might first let on. Aged for a month, this cheese’s thick creaminess and mushroomy flavor is best enjoyed relatively young while its silken texture is still intact (though I’ll bet some lovers of moldy, further-aged St. Marcellin will argue me on this point).

To celebrate this cheese in all its glory, it can be lightly warmed in the oven, a task for which its little crock is perfectly suited. Just slide it into a moderately hot oven for a few minutes and serve it with a crusty french bread or your favorite crackers. I personally love this little cheese paired with crisp, fresh fruit, such as apples, persimmons, or cantaloupe. It loves a tart or gently astringent flavor partnership, which highlights the earthiness of the cheese along with its sublime texture.

There’s really only so much cheese you can discover on your own, unless you spend the bulk of your days with your nose buried in cheese magazines or you’re one of the lucky few who travel throughout the world on a regular basis. For the rest of us, we rely on one primary source for our new cheese adventures: our local cheesemonger.

The term cheesemonger refers to the person who orders, stocks, and sells the selection at your local cheese shop. Usually these people are so steeped in the cheese world that they become founts of information, and more often than not, they’re excited to share it with you. Experienced cheesemongers have an intimate knowledge of the cheeses they carry, who the cheesemaker is, the animal milks involved, and how the cheese was aged. They taste hundreds of varieties a year and know what’s available at any given moment. They’re like the cheese 5 o’clock news.

Don’t be too intimidated to talk to your neighborhood cheesemongers. The person behind the counter is most likely friendly, and should be your new best friend. Ask them about the cheeses you like and they should be able to steer you towards others you might also enjoy.
In doing so, you’ll learn new terms, discover gossip on the cheesemaking circuit, and may even find a wedge or two of “sample” cheese in your bag on your way out.

So your homework is this: go to your local cheese shop and introduce yourself to the man or woman behind the counter. Explain that they’ll be seeing more of you because you are such a passionate cheese lover. Tell them the kinds of cheese you enjoy, ask them for a few recommendations, then sit back and enjoy the ride.

Tell us about your favorite cheesemongers out there!

Since we’re in the final stretch of book edits–Melt is looking amazing!–we thought this might be a good time to sneak in another behind-the-scenes post to give you an idea of what goes into producing a cookbook. As a treat for our readers, we decided to interview Michael Sand, our editor at Little, Brown, & Company.

Here Michael answers a few questions about what he looks for in a hearty cookbook, what he saw in Melt, and his own personal thoughts on what makes comfort food so alluring. (more…)

We just got the first pages in. First pages are, essentially, a print copy of the entire book on large sheet paper for any final edits in design, layout, and text. At this point, all changes are minimal and this is just clean up. After this it goes off to the printers and out of our hot little hands. It’s actually a really huge moment because this is the first, tangible look at what the physical book with all of it’s components will look like. And, allow me to say, it looks amazing.

We made a little video to give you all a sneak peak, yourselves. Hope you enjoy!

In addition, the book is now available for pre-order! Huzzah!

Polenta, we admit, is not pasta; but you will find polenta in the pasta section of many menus. And besides, polenta is awesome. We figured that was enough reason to include this fabulous recipe here, just in time for holiday menu planning. If you’re looking for a warm, cheesy, comforting bowl of love, this is your dish.

Polenta is always made better by the addition of cheese, and one of the best cheeses to add is Sottocenere al Tartufo (an Italian cheese that translates as “under ash, with truffles”). Sottocenere is a raw cow’s milk cheese laced with bits of black truffles. The outside is rubbed with an intriguing mix of ash, cinnamon, fennel, licorice, nutmeg, and other aromatic spices. The result is a creamy cheese with subtle hints of truffle that melts beautifully into hot bowls of polenta; try not to lose yourself in its intoxicating scent. (more…)

To make a good piece of cheese, curds must be made to love each other. Without a helping hand  from a cheesemaker-slash-curdy-matchmaker, curds can remain aloof and choose to stay single, eventually living in a house with a zebra print rug, a bar built into the bedroom, and window blinds that can be moved with a remote control. To make cheese, we need closeness. Intimacy. We need to get those curds on the same wavelength. (more…)

Little Miss Muffet,
Sat on her tuffet,
Eating her curds & whey;
When along came a spider,
That sat down beside her,
And scared Miss Muffet away.

Most children understand the basics of the poem without ever questioning the details. Spider scares girl. Easy, right? In the long run I suppose we don’t really need to know who Miss Muffet is. I mean, come on, it’s a spider. Squoosh the punk and get on with the eatin’. What kid doesn’t understand all of that?

No, the most perplexing thing about this for most children – and, indeed, many adults – is the curds and whey part. What are curds and whey? The terms themselves certainly don’t sound appealing, but surely they must be something grand if little misses are gobbling the stuff down left and right. (more…)

The last week of September Garrett and I set off for a four day macaroni and cheese photo shoot with food photographer Matt Armendariz and food stylist Adam Pearson. You might know Matt and Adam from Matt’s blog, or from around the food blogging community. Or, you’ve probably seen their work in some pretty impressive outlets, like Martha Stewart, the Food Network, Target, or one of the many cookbooks they’ve done the photos for. (more…)