Product Description
Collect your favorite wine labels to recall the memory of the wines characteristics, vintage, the occasion, the food served and those who enjoyed the wine. The Wine Journal contains 24 Wine Appeal Label Removers to remove and laminate the label and adhere it to one of 24 Label Collection pages found in the journal. Each label collection page offers a space to write about the wine and a wine rating system on the reverse side of each page. There are tab sections for Reds, Whites and the Cellar Inventory. The Wine Journal also contains a glossary of terms, cellar inventory pages to track your wine purchases and some amusing wine quotes. All featured in a black linen cover with a wine themed illustration on the front cover. This illustration can be removed to add your own illustration of photo from your own wine tasting adventures. Refill Label Remover Kits 24 and refill Wine Label Collector Pages exclusive from Wine Appeal Products are available through Amazon. The Wine Journal is a fantastic gift for the wine lover!
Customer Reviews:
Wines Appeal to me.......2007-09-21
I chose the Wine Appeal wine journal because it had the Wine Appeal brand of label removers included in the journal. I've been using the Wine Appeal label removers for years and love them and thought I can't go wrong. I was thrilled when the journal arrived! It is great quality and you can add more pages to it if you want. The pages are sold on Amazon and I just found the label removers on Amazon too. I loved the front cover picture but have taken it out and put in a picture of my husband and I from our recent trip to Napa. I love this journal! It's what my sister and special wine loving friends will be getting for Christmes.
Not what I expected.......2007-07-03
When the journal arrived, it was smaller than I expected. It's spiral bound on the inside and there aren't many pages. The cover is black linen material. It didn't seem very substantial. If they had designed a slip case/sleeve to house the journal, it would have taken on a more formal feel.
The wine label kit might be a good feature, but I ended up returning the item. I didn't feel it had the quality of a $37 item.
Wine Journal: Label Removal disaster.......2007-03-16
I bought this as a gift for my boyfriend - I thought it would be a great way for him to keep a journal and memory of the wines he tries. The wine journal is very nice. As for the label removal kit - I had seen a couple of reviews on other label removers that were not good (label removers didn't work). I thought this one would. Unless the directions for use are not detailed enough, We did exactly what was asked and had no luck. A tiny piece of one wine label came off but haven't been successful at removing an entire label. Good Luck!
My Cellar Inventory, Top Label Removers........2006-12-06
I used the label removers and journal to make an inventory of my small cellar of premium wine. The label removers worked fine on all but one bottle. The troublesome bottle still removed 90% of the
wine label.(worked far better than Label Off!) The journal's linen cover is top quality and I like
the custom pocket for your own picture.
very appealing wine label collectors book.......2006-11-05
I just ordered my second Wine Jouenrl. My first was a gift from a friend. After filling the journel far too quickly with labels and notes, it's already time to get another one.I showed the journel to my wine tasting group and they all started buying their own. I find them a fantastic gift, as well as being as excellent way of retaining wine labels and recording wines. The label removers have worked on all but a few labels but I think in the begining I wasnt rubbing them enough and tried to remove the label to quickly. I find them a very good product and I would recommend it to anyone!
Customer Reviews:
Wine Journal Review.......2007-07-30
Great book for amateurs to keep track of recent wine experiences. I love it !!!
Wine Journal review.......2007-03-25
Good size to carry; sturdy pages and book covers; basic and to the point guidelines outlined for evaluating wines being tasted; provides 140 "tasting notes" pages. Definitely recommend it.
Handy Little Journal.......2007-02-22
This one is good for carrying with you as you explore new wines in different locales.
great book.......2007-01-17
it's great, not a scratch or a dent. it's been fun to fill out.
Great way to keep track of wines........2006-12-21
I bought this journal during a wine course I was studying recently. It's small enough to fit in a purse or pocket, but big enough to read your own writing. I think it's a great way to keep a log of wines and varietals you like, as well as remember what to order next time around.
Book Description
Not just any recipe organizer, What's Cooking? features fabulous 50's-inspired photos by Kelly Povo and humorous musings on cooking and food from a handful of pundits.
Includes a wealth of practical elements:
- 8 dividers (Appetizers, Soups & Salads, Vegetables and Side Dishes, Main Courses, Pasta, Breads and Muffins, Desserts, Miscelaneous)
- 8 folders and 8 plastic-covered adhesive pages for storing recipe cards and recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines.
- 9 information pages including US and metric equivalents, emergency substitutions, microwave tips, a glossary of cooking terms, and more.
- Clear plastic page to protect the recipe in use.
- 80 lined recipe pages plus additional pages for recording food websites and favorite restaurants.
- The 3-ring square back binder opens with ease and lies flat. The organizer measures 9-1/2" by 9-1/2".
Customer Reviews:
Needs some work.......2007-05-05
This is a cute idea with the 1950s kitschy theme, but it needs some fine tuning. The size is smaller than a photo album which is handy, but that doesn't allow for a lot of room to write recipes.
The photos and quotes are cute. There are sticky pages where you can paste photos or recipe cards. But again, this book is a scaled down version so an elaborate recipe won't fit on one side. The folders seem a little skimpy if you have a lot of recipes from magazines and newspapers, but for me (not a big cook) it works.
They could've left out the pasta section and separated the vegetables from the side dishes. I think there are too many recipes to combine them into one section. Overall, it's a cute original funky theme. But it lacks room for hardcore cooks.
Loved it........2007-04-20
Put together recipes for my daughter-in-law's bridal shower. She loved it. It's a wonderful shower gift.
what does sex have to do with cooking.......2006-12-07
there are several quotes in this book referencing sex...such as:
"as life's pleasures go, food is second only to sex",
"anyone who eat three meals a day should understand why cookbooks outsell sex books three to one",
"kissing don't last: cookery do"
I feel for a recipe file these quotes are not appropriate.
Unfortunately, i purchased this cookbook for my daughter to begin a collection of family recipes.
There should be a notation about these quotes being in the book so people can choose if they wish to purchase the book with these quotes.
Best Recipe Organizer I've Seen!!!.......2006-02-24
I searched awhile before I ordered this and I am glad I took my time making a decision! This recipe organizer is awesome! It has a nice design and good dividers. I like the pockets and the photo pages to stick in recipes that have been clipped out of magazines. I also enjoy the plastic overlay for the page you are currently using so that the recipe doesn't get all dirty. I have seen many many recipe organizers, but this is the only one that could really be a keepsake and handed down generation to generation. It's the next best thing to making one of your own! Since I'm not crafty, this was the perfect solution for me! I highly recommend it!! :)
Binding is weak.......2006-01-31
I had to send the first book back because the binding broke before I ever even used it. You have to flip the pages carefully to avoid stressing the binding. I also would prefer more categories. Still, I am using it daily and like the big pockets for recipes that I cut out of the paper.
Book Description
We all have fond memories of a favorite dessert our grandmother or mother used to bake. It’s these dishes that give us comfort in times of stress, help us celebrate special occasions, and remind us of the person who used to bake for us those many years ago.
In Heirloom Baking, Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass preserve and update 150 of these beloved desserts. The recipes are taken from their vast collection of antique manuscript cookbooks, handwritten recipes passed down through the generations that they’ve amassed over twenty years. The recipes range from the late 1800s to today, and come from a variety of ethnicities and regions. The book features such down-home and delicious recipes as Brandied Raisin Teacakes, Cuban Flan, Cranberry-Orange Cream Scones, Chattanooga Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, and many more. Accompanying the recipes are stories from the lives of the families from which they came.
The Brass Sisters have taken care to update every recipe for today’s modern kitchens. More than 150 photographs showcase the scrumptious food in full-color detail. Finally, the Brass sisters encourage each reader to begin collecting his or her own family recipes in the lined pages and envelope at the back of the book.
Customer Reviews:
baking and heirloom!.......2007-08-01
I love to read cookbooks, and rarely buy baking books, but this was given to me and it is one of my favorite cookbooks. I like the older recipes, and their changes, and the stories behind them -- the recipes have all been wonderful, even for a non-baker like me --
a delight on all counts.......2007-07-24
"Heirloom Baking" is a treasure. It is just the kind of cookbook I really enjoy. The photos are gorgeous, the overall design of the book is appealing, nearly every recipe is one I'd like to bake (or have someone else bake so I could EAT it!), the Brass sisters are charming and the history and anecdotal information is a pleasure to read. This book gets space on my shelf for sure!
Heirloom Baking.......2007-07-04
Excellent cookbook. Lots of good pictures and very interesting recipes from all kinds of places. Anybody that likes to cook would love this cookbook.
very nice bakingbook.......2007-06-13
I like this book a lot. The recipes are good and delicious. Its lay-out is very pretty with lots of pictures (not of all the recipes). If you think of bread when you read the word 'baking', there are hardly any breadrecipes in this book, so don't buy it for breadrecipes. There are nice stories about the origin of the recipes.
It's not always easy to find a recipe (lets say for a cookie), because the different baking products are all over the place. I think a list of baking products by sort (cakes, cookies, puddings, pies, etc) would have made it a lot easier to find your way in this book. The index indicates that (p.e.) cake is to be found on page 40,42,96, 116 etc etc, without stating what kind of cake to expect on that page, so you'll have to look up all those pages to choose the cake you like. This is a shame for otherwise it's a very lovely book and recommendable for the recipes and it's good looks.
A cookbook lovers dream come true!.......2007-05-13
A friend of mine brought this book to work for the staff to browse through and all of us ended up buying a copy! The entire format is terrific, lots of old favorites, and the pictures!!...you'll drool from page one to the very end. My favorite are the little bits of information(some very original recipes on the paper they were written on years ago) included for each recipe and section..very heartwarming.
Some of these desserts we have all had at one time in our life...a real trip down Memory Lane and a great compilation of old recipes for the younger generation too.
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive Veggie Cookbook.......2004-01-19
Every recipe I have tried in this book is top notch. They are easy to use and succinct. To begin with it clearly discribes a large vareity of vegetables and shows availability, how to pick the best in quality and basic cooking instructions. There is a unique section devoted to instructions for making edible centerpiece art. Of course there are salads hot and cold but also dressings, dips and sauces all a hit every time I use them. The Main dishes are both meaty and meatless. And how about desserts? A personal favorite is Carrot Cheese Cake. Then there is a large section devoted to canning and preserving your summertime and garden bounty. It also includes a spice chart to most effectively flavor your meals. Keep it handy for a lifetime of eating pleasure.
Book Description
One of the most influential painters of modern times, Claude Monet lived for half his life in the famous house at Giverny. It was after moving here in 1883 with his future second wife, Alice Hoschedé, and their eight children that Monet's work finally achieved recognition. His growing success meant that he was able to indulge his passion for comfort and good living.
Family meals, special celebrations, luncheons with friends, picnics: all reflected the Monets' love of good food. Just as the inspiration for many of Monet's paintings was drawn from his beloved gardens and the surrounding Normandy landscape, so the meals served at Giverny were based upon superb ingredients from the kitchen-garden (a work of art in itself), the farmyard, and the French countryside.
A moody, reserved, and very private man whose daily routine revolved totally around his painting, Monet nevertheless enjoyed entertaining his friends, many of whom were leading figures of the time. As well as his fellow Impressionists -- in particular Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Degas and Cézanne -- other regular guests included Rodin, Whistler, Maupassant, Valéry, and one of Monet's closest friends, the statesman Clemenceau.
They came to dine in almost ritual form, first visiting Monet's studio and the greenhouses, then having lunch at 11:30 (the time the family always dined, to enable Monet to make the most of the afternoon light). Tea would later be served under the lime trees or near the pond. Guests were never invited to dinner; because Monet went to bed very early in order to rise at dawn. All the guests were familiar with Monet's rigid timetable.
The recipes collected in his cooking journals include dishes Monet had encountered in his travels or had come across in restaurants he frequented in Paris as well as recipes from friends, such as Cézanne's bouillabaisse and Millet's petits pains.
For this book, the author Claire Joyes, wife of Madame Monet's great-grandson, has spent years selecting the Monets' favorite recipes and writing a wonderfully evocative introductory text. All of the recipes have been artfully prepared and brought back to life in Monet's own kitchen by master chef Joël Robuchon.
Illustrated with sumptuous reproductions of Monet's paintings, spectacular original four-color photographs of Giverny, selected shots of finished dishes, and facsimile pages from the notebooks themselves, this book provides a fascinating and unique insight into the turn-of-the-century lifestyle of one of the world's most celebrated Impressionist painters.
Customer Reviews:
This book creates its own world, a feeling of France in the 19th cent........2005-11-09
This is one of my favorite books in the whole world, not because of any one thing, but because of how its different parts hinge together to stand you right in the middle of a completely creative spirit. You can get lost in the pages and sense Monet's life. His gardens, the notes on food, the kitchen. It is a large book, perfect for a lap. Sit with it and list-making tools. Think of a kitchen in another time, when food was beautiful and flavors strong and true. I have made the green cake (vert-vert) and it was pretty good, amazingly pretty. The recipes chew at the back of your mind and then you find yourself making something from it on a rainy day when you have also bought flowers at the grocery. If you get this book you will probably buy flowers at the grocery from then on, and that will make you happy.
A Cook's Paradise........2001-09-06
As a lover of the Impressionist movement, I felt compelled to make the pilgrimage to the house of Claude Monet located a few miles north of Paris in the small town of Giverny, Normandy. Monet's refuge is a shrine of the art world renowned for its beautiful and expansive garden filled with flowers, trees, a lake and its famous bridge.
When I entered Monet's home, the dining room made a strong impression upon me: large, very inviting and splashed in yellow as if Monet had tried to capture the strong summer sun to overcome the cloudy winter days of Normandy. The table for twelve was tastefully set with blue and white china with a centerpiece of dazzling fresh flowers, as if beckoning its guests to prepare for a savory adventure to be accompanied by lively discussion. As I passed through the dining room into the kitchen, I noticed that the old, black oven fitted with brass trim and graced with copper pots and pans was still capable of generating warmth, even if the fire went out of it long ago. It was at that moment that I decided to purchase "Monet's Table: The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet", and I have reaped far more from this book than the French francs I had traded in return.
In an interview published on November 26, 1900, in "Le Temps", Claude Monet declared "I am a Parisian of Paris. I was born there in 1840, ... I was born incapable of being disciplined. No one was ever able to make me stick to the rules, not even in my youngest days." Despite this boastful protestation, I am of the personal opinion after having studied his art, visited his home and read books and journals about the artist, that he was, if not disciplined, then certainly dedicated and devoted to the creation of the sensory arts of painting and fine dining in their truest form. These qualities are beautifully illustrated in this beautiful cookbook featuring 160 recipes of Monet's best-loved dishes such as Cezanne's bouillabaisse, Coquilles Saint-Jacques a la Florentine, Lobster Newburg, duck pate', chestnut soufflé, crepes made with Cognac, orange and almond cake and even banana ice cream. The book is comfortably divided into sections including soups, egg dishes, entrees, poultry, meat, game, seafood, desserts and conserves. I personally appreciate the range of simplicity to complexity offered by these recipes that enable me to select from those that are easy and fast to prepare and those that require more time and ingredients, depending upon the time I wish to allot. What I most enjoy sharing with my family and friends is the old world taste and richness of the dishes offered by this book that you do not readily find in most cookbooks. As an added and unexpected bonus, I am transported to a beautiful part of our world, rich in its history and creative in its many art forms that live on in my memory through this book.
The Preface was written in the form of a dedication to Claude Monet in May 1989 by Joel Robuchon, the Jamin Restaurant Chef de Cuisine. He researched the notebook of recipes kept and used by the Monet family for their family meals as well as those prepared for such noteworthy guests as Clemenceau, Renoir, Pissaro, Durand-Ruel and others. Mr. Robuchon adapted these turn of the 19th century recipes to accommodate modern day kitchen equipment that was unavailable at that time. His Preface ends with his grateful appreciation to Mr. Monet for all of his discovery, his generosity, his artistically beautiful and excellent tasting recipes which were a testament to authentic cuisine of the period, and lastly, for Mr. Monet's legacy to us of living art of every day life. The photography by Jean-Bernard Naudin is excellent. He was assisted by the stylist Nanou Billault in recreating the meals served at Monet's home; however, the subjects of his photography in this book exceed the replication of beautiful recipes such as foie gras truffe' en croute (foie gras encased in a crust) and oignons blancs farcis de Charlotte Lyses (stuffed white onions incorporating Gruyere cheese, fresh herbs, and roast pork or chicken). There are photographs of hand-written recipes on paper yellowed with age, framed by broken edges and stained by life's usage; "la sorbietiere" or the "ice pail" to make the traditional banana ice cream on Christmas Day; Monet's famed kitchen, dining room and studio; baskets filled with wild mushrooms; a picnic table on the grass under an apple tree; and, of course, photos of many of Monet's paintings, such as Le Petit Dejeuner painted in 1868, Le Dejeuner Sur L'Herbe painted in 1865, and Les Galettes. For devotees of the artist as well as history buffs, there are also some wonderful original photographs of Monet, including photos of the painter in his car leaving for his weekly trip to the market, in his garden with family members as they greeted the first American painters to his home, and in the company of Georges Clemenceau, former French prime minister, mayor of Mont Martre, author and teacher, in June 1921 on the Japanese bridge surrounded by wisteria.
The photography of Monet's garden is nothing short of breathtaking. I found myself lulled into daydreaming especially while browsing through the photos of the winter scenes of Monet's garden. One picture displaying the hues of green, blue and icy gray features Monet's lake surrounded by trees, bushes and tall blades of grass laced with frost. By the landing, there is a lonely rowboat on this mirrored lake with two paddles beckoning you as a passerby to come closer and fill the emptiness created by the chill of winter. As you turn the page to another beautiful winter scene, you can see the renown pink and white house with its vine-covered trellis in the background, and the forefront dominated by the landscaping filled with trees and their green leaves, shrubs, arches and even pink roses, all of which seem to be completely taken by surprise with the early frost clinging to the pink flowers and green leaves as though they were dusted with sugar crystals. I treasure this book as much for the memories of my visit to Monet's house and garden as for its insight into the realm of Monet including his time honored recipes.
What recipes!.......2001-01-18
I asked for this book for Christmas after glancing through it at the Bostom Museum of Fine Arts. Monet's one of my favorites, and the biographical stuff (about a third of the book) is fine.
But the recipes are remarkable! Monet was a fanatic in the kitchen, swiping recipes from everybody he knew -- there are reproductions of some of his notebook pages, and they're interesting even if your French (like mine) is weak.
I've done six of the recipes, pork and fish and potatoes and what-all -- and every one was remarkable. This was a period in French cooking where haute cuisine was starting to materialize out of the various regional traditions, and Monet was a careful and discriminating observer of the process.
If you love painting and eating, you have to have this book!
Great as an overall book, not bad as a cookbook.......2000-12-28
Overall, this is a nice book to add to a collection and a great gift. For those interested in art, particulalry Impressionism, it's a unique look at the everyday life of Claude Monet. There are some great pictures of Giverney, as well. As an "everyday" french cookbook, it has a very limited, but interesting selection of dishes. It's old style french country cooking (heavy on the butter and duck fat) that has some very easy selections (Chicken in White Wine Sauce) and some that require some real effort and time. You might think of it as a book you'd reference when you had some time to prepare something different for a Sunday dinner.
If you purely want a french cookbook, buy something else. For those that want something unique and broader in terms of French culture/history, this might be a good choice.
Wonderful!.......2000-08-10
Monet, the artist, was also a senualist who relished the beautiful life. Surrounded by his glorious gardens, his home and life were as artistic as his paintings. The author, wife of a descendent of Madame Monet, has created a stunning revelation of Monet's gastronomical preferences. His "table" was always wonderful, whether in the dining room or on excursions. This book offers delectable recipes recreated in photographs. This glimpse into Monet's home is fantastique!
Average customer rating:
- Great Book
- For anyone who loves wine or wants to learn smth about it
- Informative but extremely pretentious
- Fabulous introduction to the world of wine
- A wine guide between friends
|
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine: New and Improved: How to Buy, Drink, and Enjoy Wine
Dorothy J. Gaiter , and
John Brecher
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Spirits
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Wine & Winemaking
| Wine
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 0767908147
Release Date: 2002-09-10 |
Book Description
Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, authors of The Wall Street Journal's popular "Tastings" column, have now completely updated and expanded their uniquely user-friendly guide to finding and savoring the world's best wine. As in the first edition, Dottie and John-as they are known to their fans-offer practical, knowledgeable tips to guide you through the bewildering rows of bottles found in wine stores and groceries. They help expand your wine interests to include more than the familiar Chardonnay or Merlot you've been drinking for years by starting with a simple exercise: buy two similar wines, put them in paper bags, and taste them. When you have decided which wine you prefer, you've taken the first step.
The thorough revision of the original book not only includes updated assessments of wines from the previous edition but also adds ratings for dozens of new selections, covering rosé Champagnes, for example, and extending the Sauvignon Blanc section to cover wines from New Zealand.
Drawing on questions from readers and fans, they have expanded the practical advice that helps make them so widely read: new chapters include tips on how to impress the boss, what to do about wine headaches, and how to accept the Blue Nun in your past; and new passages address everything from cork etiquette to great kosher wines.
As always, the book features recommendations for excellent wines in all price ranges, from familiar Cabernets and Zinfandels to less well-known but easily accessible Gewürztraminers and Barolos. The authors give helpful tips on finding and choosing a wine store, hosting your own wine-tasting party, and learning to navigate a restaurant's wine list.
Dottie and John's passion for wine will inspire you to sample types and labels you might never have thought (or had the nerve) to try. Their anecdotes and down-to-earth style will keep you turning the pages. Whether you are a curious novice or a connoisseur, this enhanced edition is an ideal choice for expanding your wine knowledge and taste.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-01-09
Very readable and fun review of wines and the wine experience. Not overloaded with minutia, but packed with information. Lots of practical information.
For anyone who loves wine or wants to learn smth about it.......2004-12-11
This book was not only informative and easy to follow but it was fun as well. Gaiter's and Brecher's ability to cut through the fuss and confusion of the many issues in wine (age, vintage, wineries, red vs. white, storage, to name a few) without getting stuffy or long-winded was a welcome change (from the many other wine enthusiasts, experts and writers I've come across). I found the writing witty, the information useful and the layout accessible. It was a quick read too. I found myself taking notes, and then using them while visiting some local wine shops. Their anecdotes make you want to plunge in and have your own wine tasting, cross-country train experience or winery tour. I especially loved the advice about celebrating with wine: not to wait for an occasion to open a (special bottle) but to open the bottle and create the occasion. This book is good for the novice (or anyone who doesn't think he knows very much) or the connossieur.
Informative but extremely pretentious.......2003-05-31
This book contains a good amount of information about many different styles of wines, from red burgundy to rose to vintage champagne. Each chapter is devoted to a different style, and contains a description of the idiosyncracies of each style, along with a short list of recommendations. Less usefully, it contains personal anecdotes about the authors' experiences with the wines.
It is in these anecdotes that the authors' pretentiousness comes out. They meanly point out and make fun of the mistakes their acquaintances make while ordering wine at fancy restaurants. They halfheartedly reassure the reader that is OK to hunt for affordable wines, while at the same time subtly poking fun at people who prefer wines they consider inferior. Reading the book, I get the impression that the only people they respect are CEOs of large financial corporations and accounting firms, because every other one of their "wine anecdotes" involves a corporate male with a lot of money.
In short: the authors know a lot about wine, but they fail in their attempts at hiding just how much they look down on what they consider to be bad wine.
Fabulous introduction to the world of wine.......2002-12-09
This is one of those wine books that is fun-to-read. It helps making the intimidating subject of wine appreciation much less scary. Gaiter and Brecher bring a few decades of wine tasting experience and the perspective of years of happy partnership to the book.
This book is not a reference book like many others in this genre. Rather, it is more of a user's guide to different wines that brings the joy of tasting and exploring wines to the reader. The book offers lots of good, common-sense advice on "simple" tasting procedures, on how to buy wine, on how to taste and enjoy wine, and other topics. It also offers a healthy perspective on wine rituals, skewering some of the more pretentious in the process.
One of the things that we enjoyed about this book is that it offers a broad perspective on what to expect with different wine varietals. It covers everything from Barbera (from the Piedmont region of Italy) to Zinfandel, the "native" grape of California. These varietal sections have been improved in the second edition (we've read both versions) and now includes one on sauvignon blanc which has always been one of our favorite white wines.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys wine or would like to enjoy wine.
A wine guide between friends.......2002-12-06
It is hard to imagine a more down-to-earth wine book than "The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine" by John Brecher and Dottie Gaiter. Long the authors of the popular "Tastings" in the aforementioned newspaper, John and Dottie dispense what I can best call "grandmotherly" advice on wines - joyful, nonjudgmental, wise, and wonderfully helpful. They make wine newbies feel welcome, but provide enough down-home wisdom that even aficionados will come away satisfied.
What they bring to their column every Friday in the Journal translates to their latest book (an update of their 1999 version.) The same approachable writing style and sheer pleasure they so masterfully embue in their wine tastings follows in the book. And rarely do authors manage to pierce the literary plane and become real people, but John and Dottie come off in their book as those fun next-door neighbors every one of us has known at some time in our life.
The book could not be more simple in its layout. The authors discuss popular white grape varietals, then reds, and some other specific types of wines (like Sauternes, Champagne, etc.) Most chapters consist of a specific grape varietal discussion, recommended wines of that varietal, and a page or two of general wine tips. This pattern repeats throughout the book (with few exceptions) and covers about thirty grapes/types of wine.
This book is not meant to be encyclopedic in nature. John and Dottie simply ask you to come along and enjoy a glass of wine with them, dispensing simple, but usable advice on how to enjoy the trip. Some might downgrade the rating for being so simplistic, but a readthrough would dissuade this. Other references are available that cover the specifics missing from this book. But as the authors are more interested in evangelizing wine drinking - and specifically the mere enjoyment of wine in a stress-free setting - you won't (and don't) need to know the intricacies of French Bordeaux or the details of the difficulties of truly knowing what's in that bottle of Chilean red. (Consider Karen MacNeil's "The Wine Bible" in that case, particularly if you are new to wine.)
The only lack of the book is that it recycles some anecdotes from the "Tastings" columns, but this is more than made up for by the sheer joy John and Dottie bring to the subject of wine.
You can't go wrong with "The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine". It's truly about as escapist as a book on wine can be, while providing helpful wisdom that goes down as pleasingly as a chilled Oregon Pinot Gris on a sunny summer day.
Book Description
Devoted viewers of Alton Brown's Good Eats now have the perfect place to jot down their favorite tips and quips-as well as their own food notes. This journal, which echoes the design of Brown's best-selling I'm Just Here For the Food, makes a great gift for any foodie.
Customer Reviews:
Takin' Notes.......2006-08-29
I didn't realize this was a blank book or journal when I ordered it (good for me for not reading descriptions!) but I really like it anyway. I'm going to set it on my coffee table for when I see something on the Food Network that I want to remember.
Over priced notebook.......2006-06-01
I wasn't sure what I'd get but it turns out to be basicly an overpriced notebook
perfect for what it is.......2006-05-30
I don't know... call me silly.. but this is a perfect little book (ie.. it is bound and has pages). Also, It never claimed to be anything other than what it is. A place to jot down your thoughts, ideas and recipes. I purchased my book for almost nothing at a retail store and I'm hoping to find more here. I like the way it looks and I like the way it is laid out. So please, folks, read carefully what you intend to buy so there will be no disappointments.
People Need to Learn to Read!!!!!!!.......2005-10-16
As someone else posted, IT'S A JOURNAL!!!!! Do you normaly go out and purchase a journal that someone else has written in. The whole point of this book was to get the customer to experiment in the kitchen and create their own recipes. Maybe watch his show on TV and jot down some of his hints and tips.
Does anyone bother to read the book description before purchasing. It clearly states "viewers--now have the perfect place to jot down their favorite tips and quips-as well as their own food notes." Nowhere in that description does it say that Mr. Brown has written all his pearls of wisdom for the reader to use. How hard is that to understand??? I think this is a great cook's journal and a wonderful addition to any serious chef's kitchen.
Do not buy this "book".......2005-08-04
I wish I could give this zero stars. Save your money and go get a spiral notebook at your local drug store, it would be just as useful. I love the show Good Eats and had great expectations about anything with Alton's name on it. I guess I should have read the reviews first. I am sending it back tomorrow for a refund.
Book Description
A Wine Lover's Journal is an attractive souvenir book for recording memorable wines. There is a concise introduction to grape varieties and wine aromas, along with information on building a cellar and hosting a tasting party. The pages have ample space to record cellar purchases, winery visits and tasting impressions. The journal becomes a valuable record of how a bottle of wine was enjoyed, the foods that accompanied it and the people who shared it. Each journal page includes space for pasting a wine label as a keepsake.
A Wine Lover's Journal is a perfect record book for both aficionados and novices.
Customer Reviews:
perfect wine journal.......2007-08-23
I got this for my mom beacuse she was always forgetting which wines she liked. This journal was just what she needed. It has wine info in the front pages- the shapes of bottles, the different countries and other stuff. And then it has MANY pages for pasting lables and writing your notes on the wine.
great purchase for a budding wine connoisseur.......2007-05-12
I'm having a lot fun filling the pages of my Wine Lover's Journal. It is a great place to enter my comments on the different wines I've been enjoying and to help me remember what I'd like to buy again!
good book.......2007-01-16
I would say that, sure this is a good book to buy. We haven't used it yet, because it didn't come with a wine label remover, which is the only thing I would suggest changing. Make it a package deal with whatever the product is to remove labels. Have fun drinking your wine and filling up the book!
Great Thank you Gift.......2007-01-10
I've purchased these books as thank yous for various clients and have always gotten a positive response. Good way to allow people to remember that bottle that they tried!
Like it.......2005-10-28
This journal is good for the home bound wine lover, it has a place to paste the wine label,(if you can get it off)but it is big. I like that you can choose to put weather it is red or white because red is favored in our household so the other journal's pages would have gone to waste. It has some usefull info inside too. I like it a lot, but it is not one you would take to a restaurant or tasting, it is just a lil too bulky for that.
Books:
- The Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook: Recipes and Pairings for the Perfect Glass of Wine
- Twinkie, Deconstructed: My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods Are Grown, Mined (Yes, Mined), and Manipulated Into What America Eats
- Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule
- Vegetarian Planet
- Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of
- What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers
- What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers
- Williams-Sonoma Mastering: Cakes, Frostings & Fillings (Williams Sonoma Mastering)
- Wine Food & Friends
- Writer's Market 2007 (Writer's Market)
Books Index
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