Leonie Glass’s guide to Europe’s hand-crafted cheeses is clearly targeted at the turophile among us, with page upon page of scintillating photographs of glorious looking cheese. However, as a ‘definitive guide’ the book is somewhat lacking.

Although there are good tips to be found regarding the cutting, serving and storage of cheese; the brief history and information concerning its methods of production feel rushed and are far from comprehensive. There is too much white space in a book that feels as if it has been made the wrong size and in places suffers from clumsy design which makes it look far cheaper than its £12.99 cover price.

The real strength of the book lies in its more thoughtfully written individual entries. There is half a page devoted to divulging the appearance, texture and taste of each cheese; as well as where it can be found, its history and how it’s produced. There are even suggestions on what should accompany it on your plate and particularly noteworthy varieties have a full page dedicated to their description.

To make full use of this book you would want to take it on your travels with you so that you might seek out some of its many recommendations and follow its advice on how best to enjoy your finds. However as I have mentioned the book does not feel the correct size. It’s too big to fit snugly in your handbag or backpack but too small to rest as an authoritative encyclopaedic volume on your book shelf. This frustrating fact means the main book’s usefulness in detailing Europe’s cheesy treasures risks being lost altogether.