This week on a brand new Cutting the Curd, host Diane Stemple is kicking off the show’s monthly book review, welcoming chef and cheesemonger Chester Hastings, author of The Cheesemonger’s Seasons to talk about his beautifully photographed volume. Complete with his favorite cheese recipes, Chester shares with Diane how to match peak-season produce with fine cheeses. Also chatting with Diane about how a recipe truly becomes one’s own and the differences between what you might see used in his professional kitchen versus what he composed for the home cook, it’s clear that Chester knows how to make cheese accessible for anyone interested. If you’re on the look out for a new recipe book, tune in for an in-depth discussion on The Cheesemonger’s Seasons. This program was brought to you by The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

“The ego gets out of the way and you just focus on really great ingredients and doing them really well, and that’s all it takes.” [5:52]

—Chester Hastings on Cutting the Curd