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Cover of The Telling Room: A Tale Of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, And The World's Greatest Piece Of Cheese

The Telling Room: A Tale Of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, And The World's Greatest Piece Of Cheese

by Michael Paterniti

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In the picturesque village of Guzma n, Spain, in a cave on the edge of town, there is a cramped limestone chamber known as "the telling room." This is where villagers have gathered for centuries to share their stories and secrets--usually accompanied by copious amounts of wine. It was here, in the summer of 2000, that Michael Paterniti found himself listening to a Spanish cheesemaker as he spun an odd and compelling tale about a piece of cheese. Made from an old family recipe, Ambrosio's cheese was reputed to be among the finest in the world, and was said to hold mystical qualities. But then, Ambrosio said, things had gone horribly wrong. Paterniti was hooked. Soon he was fully embroiled, relocating his young family to Guzma n in order to chase the truth about this fairy tale-like place.…

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NPR Books We Love
"In the tiny Spanish village of Guzman, there are hill caves dating back to Roman times. And in these caves, the locals built “telling rooms,” places to count the stored casks of wine and the cheeses — and to tell tall tales and family stories. The Telling Room is Michael Paterniti’s deeply personal, deliciously idiosyncratic account of his search for the legendary Paramo de Guzman cheese and the man who created it, Ambrosio Molinos. Molinos had a marvelous story: He had created the cheese, made it a success, and then been betrayed by his best friend and business partner — or was he? It’s a story of love, betrayal and revenge, yes — but also a story about the power of stories to reshape reality. And, of course, really great cheese."
NPR Books We Love — 2013 · apps.npr.org