The Telling Room

In picturesque Guzman, Spain, in a cave dug into a hillside on the edge of town, villagers have gathered for centuries to share stories and secrets - usually accompanied by copious amounts of wine. Here, in the summer of 2000, Michael Paterniti found himself listening to larger-than-life Spanish cheesemaker Ambrosio Molinos de las Heras spin a tale about an unusual piece of cheese. Reputed to be among the world's finest, the mystical cheese was said to conjure long-lost memories. Then, Ambrosio said, things had gone horribly wrong. Book jacket.