Cheese Magic: Seasonal Recipes, Plates, and Pairings

“Cheese is magic,” asserts cheese monger and practicing witch Kubick (Cheese Sex Death) in this enchanting combination of cheese-forward recipes, stylish charcuterie boards, and spirituality. She breaks down best practices for selecting cheeses, slicing, serving, and spell-casting, before offering up seasonal recipes organized around the Wheel of the Year, a pagan calendar. Wintertime includes a wreath-inspired plate of alpine cheeses, rosemary flatbreads, and pomegranate seeds; a Valentine’s Day cheese plate promises to cast a (consensual) love spell with triple-cream brie and honey, served with a “love potion” cocktail made with gin, cardamom, and lime; and a platter for the vernal equinox pairs every zodiac sign with a specific cheese. Throughout, Kubick breaks down the meanings of individual ingredients: blackberries offer protection; rose water appeases fairies. Skeptical readers will roll their eyes at the invocation of various folklores and Kubick’s conception of cheese boards as spiritual offerings or sacred altars, but there’s no denying the appeal of the elegant photography and rich flavors. Hardier recipes for appetizers, mains, and desserts round things out, including panzanella made with Finnish bread cheese; a cheese-stuffed pumpkin; a blue cheese riff on a yule log with bacon, pecans and horseradish; and goat cheese cheesecake. Witchy entertainers will find bountiful inspiration for their next party. (Sept.)