BIO

Laura Werlin is recognized as one of the country's foremost authorities on American cheese. She has written two award-winning books on the subject, a book on everybody's favorite cheese sandwich called Great Grilled Cheese (Stewart, Tabori & Chang), and she has just released her fourth cheese book, Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007).

In this latest book, Werlin's goal is to take away the intimidation factor that cheese shoppers often feel when they are faced with the dizzying array of cheeses now available. In Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials, Werlin takes readers step by step through her easy-to-follow explanations of the eight styles of cheese. Understanding these, Werlin believes, is the key to being able to buy, order, and use cheese with confidence.

Werlin's other books have all been recognized with prestigious awards including the James Beard award for The All American Cheese and Wine Book, (Stewart, Tabori & Chang), the IACP Best American Cookbook award for The New American Cheese, (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) and the World Gourmand Award for Best Cheese Book for her classic, Great Grilled Cheese.

Werlin has appeared on several television shows including The CBS Early Show, Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" and "Fox News Magazine," NBC11's "In Wine Country," (San Jose, California) "Joey Altman's Bay Café;" (San Francisco) Sara's Secrets and Cooking Live! with Sara Moulton on the Television Food Network, Martha Stewart Living Television, Plum TV in Aspen, Colorado, California Country, and numerous other television and radio segments from coast to coast. She writes for national magazines including Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, Saveur, Cooking Pleasures, Country Living, Cooking Light, and Every Day With Rachael Ray.

Laura considers herself an ambassador for American cheese and hopes that by spreading the word about the cheeses made in this country that cheese lovers here and everywhere will develop a deeper appreciation for these cheeses as well as for the cheesemakers who work so hard to make them.