‘L’art del formatge’, the (almost) definitive book on the world of cheeses

The best cheese cart in all of Catalonia is at Castell Peralada Restaurant. And the best driver for this dairy ‘ferrari’ is Tony Gerez, who works there. If it were wearing a helmet, it would be shaped like a cheese. The head waiter and sommelier of this Michelin-starred restaurant has just published a book that all lovers of this elaboration should, at least, leaf through once in their life, since sinking teeth into those pages with photos of Francesc Guillamet is more difficult. And that they make you salivate beautifully.

Gerez is the guardian of a menu of 300 cheeses which he handles with extreme care. In each service, he drives the car up and down with 80 copies that explains with wisdom and humility to each client before cutting and serving the chosen six or seven. A catalog and a ritual that have been lost and that few try to imitate. Too much work, too much haste, too little knowledge.

Hence, the deep knowledge that this expert has been accumulating for decades, pure dairy heritage from here and there, needed a book like ‘The art of format‘ (Ephados), where catalog hundreds of cheeses, breaks down types of rennet and breeds of cow, sheep and goat, reveal infallible pairings, provides tasting and conservation tipsY collect recipes from his cooking friends, like Ferran and Albert Adrià, Paco Pérez, Fermí Puig, Carles Abellan, Paco Torreblanca… and his beloved friend Xavier Sagristà, with whom he worked at Castell Peralada Restaurant and, before that, at Mas Pau and El Bulli from 1983 to 1995. In these last two establishments he also drove the car with finesse, without ever skidding.

It all started when he was little and accompanied his mother to Cerbère (France) from his native Llançà. “Just as those from Barcelona went to Andorra for things that could not be found in Spain, we went to France. And we bought coffee, marbles, butter… and cheeses. I remember the intense smell of brie and camembert” explains Gerez, who he was fortunate that Juli Soler sent him to Perpinyà every week to buy cheese. “That seemed like contraband because at the border they asked us about those two bags overflowing with cheese. We said they were for a party with friends & rdquor ;, he smiles.

On those trips he learned much of what he knows now. “Working with so many elaborations, I began to make sheets of each one, writing down data to explain, curiosities… and without realizing it I saw that I had great material, that it was worth putting it in pretty and making a book & rdquor ;. And that was how, a little over a year ago, he got down to work.

This Thursday has presented ‘The art of format‘ in the Boqueria market surrounded by professional colleagues, before whom he has once again defended his work as champion of dairy crafts. “Restaurants must work with cheeses because the client appreciates being offered them and being told where they come from, how they are made… Also, it is a way to defend the work of many young people, with great enthusiasm, desire and preparation who are doing very interesting things”.

Your book proves you right.