This past year was a good one for cheese literacy. Publishers released a terrific new lineup of books for us enquiring cheese minds, each one an engaging way to tap into the wonders of the dairy world.

They range from easy guides for the novice who wants to advance their basic cheese understanding, to page-turners that bring the reader behind the scenes at creameries and farmsteads around the world. Other new publications serve as a virtual cheese school, detailing how to make a wide variety of simple or sophisticated styles of cheese at home. We all had our favorites among these literary debutants of 2012, including:

Cheese For Dummies
by Laurel Miller and Thalassa Skinner
Cheese For Dummies is an ideal reference for the cheese newbie. Demystifying the science and selection of cheeses worldwide, it also has a generous sprinkling of recipes and pairing tips.

It’s Not You, It’s Brie
by Kirsten Jackson
For a jaunty tour of 48 American cheesemakers, check out the collection of profiles in It’s Not You, It’s Brie by veteran blogger and cheese expert, Kirsten Jackson.

The Cheesemaker’s Apprentice
by Sasha Davies and David Bleckmann
DIYers have two outstanding new cheesemaking guides to choose from, including the wonderfully graphic, The Cheesemaker’s Apprentice by Sasha Davies and David Bleckmann. The authors treat us to Q & A’s with some of the world’s best cheese artisans and also detail the step-by-step instructions for creating some of our favorite cheeses at home.

Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking
by Gianaclis Caldwell
The second new volume for DIYers is Gianaclis Caldwell’s comprehensive Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking. An award-winning cheesemaker herself, Caldwell is the perfect tutor for those who not only want to produce cheese, but also understand the science that makes it so.

The Art of Fermentation
by Sandor Ellix Katz
Finally, a round up of great books for cheese lovers wouldn’t be complete without an enthusiastic nod to Sandor Katz’s epic volume, The Art of Fermentation. Although not specifically about cheese, this exaltation of microcosmic cookery affirms the magic and importance of using bacteria to transform simple ingredients to create healthy foods we love. And that, after all, is what cheese is all about.