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

Average customer rating:

A culinary student must have

Don't Bother Me...I'm choosing a wine.....!

From http://www.AWineStory.com Publisher Marisa D'Vari

Great content, sloppy editing

Perfect Timing

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
Andrew Dornenburg , Karen Page , and Michael Sofronski
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Wine & Winemaking | Wine | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Food & Wine | Wine | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Cooking, Food & Wine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food

Culinary Artistry

Happy in the Kitchen: The Craft of Cooking, the Art of Eating

Working the Plate: The Art of Food Presentation

Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2007 Edition (Windows on the World Complete Wine Course)

ASIN: 0821257188

Book Description

The most comprehensive guide to matching food and drink ever compiled, by the James Beard Award winning author team of Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, with practical advice from more than seventy of America's leading pairing experts In a great meal, what you drink is just as important as what you eat.This groundbreaking food and beverage pairing reference allows food lovers to learn to think like a sommelier, and to transform every meal- breakfast, lunch, and dinner - from ordinary to extraordinary. Exceptional in its depth and scope - with over fifteen hundred entries - What to Drink with What You Eat is based on the collective wisdom of experts at dozens of America's best restaurants, including Alinea, Babbo, Bern's, Blue Hill, Chanterelle, Daniel, Emeril's, French Laundry, Frontera Grill, Inn at Little Washington, Jean Georges, Masa's, The Modern, Per Se, Rubicon, Tru, and Valentino. You'll find authoritative recommendations for stocking your cellar and kitchen with must-have beverages, from wines to waters.You'll also learn what to drink with everything from French toast to Chinese food, and what to eat with everything from Pinot Noir to green tea, to create mouthwatering matches.Follow the authors three simple Rules to Remember when making a match - or just dive into the wide-ranging listings in chapters 5 and 6. This incisive, hip writing team (Publisher's Weekly) distills history, geography, science, expert technique, and original insight to create a remarkably user-friendly and engaging reference.Lavishly illustrated with gorgeous four-color photographs, What to Drink with What You Eat is an instant classic essential to every connoisseur's bookshelf.

Customer Reviews:

A culinary student must have.......2007-05-12

I recently had to do a food and wine pairing for class. Considering i'm still in school, I had no idea what to do.After talking to a chef instructor, I decided that this book would benefit me in both school and out in the industry. I mean, it even pairs water. Yeah, this book is definately worth every cent.

Don't Bother Me...I'm choosing a wine.....!.......2007-04-18

The dust on my furniture is thickening, the phone is ringing, my dog wants a walk...Sorry, I am selecting which beverage to serve tomorrow nite with peel-and-eat shrimp...oh, what fun!! Watch out because once you open this book, it will be awhile before you rejoin the world: It's pure facination and empowerment (!) for an avid foodie who has never been quite certain of what wine to serve without groveling at the local wine shop! And it's not just about wine; there are fabulous suggestions for beer, citrus drinks, tea....

There are already excellent reviews (in my opinion) so I don't want to reinvent the wheel by raving on the photos, the organization, the pure depth of information, the perfection of this book. But if you have stopped on this page, you probably also own a dog-eared, raggedy, finger-smudged copy of "Culinary Artistry" (somewhat like mine is?) and suffice to say that while this is a much more beautiful book and may not necessarily be sitting next to your stove (although there are wonderful recipes...)you will probably refer to it as often.

Suggestion: Read the more in-depth reviews, click to order....and purchase those little anti-static dust cloths. I haven't figured out what to do about the dog yet...

From http://www.AWineStory.com Publisher Marisa D'Vari.......2007-04-09

Are you curious about what wine to order with your cheesecake? Intimidated by five-hundred page wine list at a top restaurant? Downright scared when the sommelier comes charging toward your table?

Relax. Authors Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page have created a resource that helps even the `average Joe or Jane' understand the principles of wine and food pairing. They take the conventional, canned, old-school advice of "red wine with meat, white wine with fish" to an entirely new level, based on insights learned from their previous books on cuisine, as well as interviews with America's top, cutting-edge sommeliers.

In many ways, the format of What to Drink with What You Eat resembles a substantial wine/food pairing encyclopedia specifically designed to be quickly skimmed before heading off to a restaurant or purchasing wine for a dinner party. For example, let's say you are entertaining clients at a steakhouse, and want to sound intelligent about wine. You know red wine typically goes with red meat, but which red? Old world or new? And what are the virtues of each? By spending just five minutes with this book (and perhaps jotting down some notes) you will be able to help your guests order a Shiraz, Barbaresco, Barolo, or good old Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon based on the elements of the sauce and cut of meat they choose.

In a similar fashion, let's say you want to dazzle your friends and show off your new kitchen with a fabulous dinner party. Spend a few moments with this book and you will be able to pair every element of your menu with an exciting, unusual wine. No need to consult a professional wine expert, as you have this knowledge at your fingertips.

Sommeliers interviewed for this book are mostly young and more free-thinking than sommeliers of years past. They are enthusiastic about wine, regardless of it's an exciting, new world find of exceptional value, or a fine-aged Bordeaux worth hundreds of dollars. As a group, they see their mission as helping you find a good wine to accessorize your meal within your price range. And the individual quotes from sommeliers are what makes this book so fresh and appealing.

For example, Steve Beckta of Beckta Dining & Wine in Ottawa believes that as a sommelier, it is almost more important to match a wine to a person than to match the wine to the food. Curious thought! "The most important part of being a sommelier is not your ability to taste, but your ability to empathize with the person who is in front of you," he explains in the book.

How very true. In one instance, Beckta recalls three `big businessmen' sitting at a table. One wants lamb, one wants halibut, and the other guy wants scallops. They tell him they want the "perfect" wine that matches all three, dissimilar dishes. By carefully listening to the subtext of what they are telling him, Beckta realizes they are after a wine that fits into their comfort zone, not necessarily the best match. To him, that means a "big red" from Australia and as it turns out, the businessmen love it.

Sommelier Alpana Singh, formerly of Everest in Chicago (now with the Lettuce Entertainment Group) agrees that comfort is important. She likes to serve California wines on big holidays like New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day, because people who dine out only a few `special nights' a year want something they can recognize and appreciate.

If you entertain or dine out frequently, What To Drink with What You Eat is a dynamic desktop resource and wine and food pairing primer that will stimulate you to learn more about wine by further reading or classes. If you like oaky Chardonnay, for example, this book will also motivate you to try unoaked Chardonnay wines and realize the difference, especially when paired with food. Yet what works best about this book is the way you can take advantage of the authors' extensive research and with just a few minutes of skimming, come across as a credible wine expert in front of clients, colleagues, family and friends.

Great content, sloppy editing.......2007-04-06

First off, it's very wide ranging and is incredibly easy to use. All of the recommendations in this book have come from top notch chefs and sommeliers, so you know they can be trusted. You'll often find a wealth of options to choose from for different foods due to the democratic group effort behind this. You'll also get more than just wine, which is incredibly refreshing. Some snobs refuse to admit it, but there are some dishes that simply work better with other drinks. They go above simply listing "beer" and will put "lager", "wheat beer", etc., which is nice.

The book uses a system of bold print, capital letters, and asterisks to point out which drinks work particularly well, as well as other options for people who are looking to try something different. It's also nice to see a section afterwards that does the reverse and is listed by drink and then has food suggestions. Sometimes you want to build the meal around a special bottle of wine instead of vice versa. After that comes specific recommendations from some of the well known contributors to the book. It's an almost flawless book. Except....

....the book is very poorly edited and, in at least two cases, factually inaccurate. Jean-Luc Le Du is either misquoted, misinformed, or simply misspoke. The quote: "Where to find great Cabernet Sauvignon: This would be a toss-up between hillside vineyards in California and Pomerol in France." I had to do a double take...Pomerol? For Cab Sauv? Huh?

Not only that, I noticed this statement in two different parts of the book. I'm assuming M. Le Du meant to say Pauillac, as Pomerol is, of course, known for Merlot, which makes up most or all (80-100%, usually) of the wine blend there. Even if there is Cab Sauv in the blend, it's a minimal amount of the wine. I can understand misspeaking and saying Pomerol when you mean Pauillac; it happens. But how this obvious factual error ended up in the final print of the book is beyond me. Anyone that buys a Pomerol expecting a shining example of Cab Sauv will be disappointed (although they may end up with some of the world's best Merlot.)

I've also noticed another factual error concerning the retail price of a certain wine; they mention Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon as a great value wine at $10 a bottle. It actually retails for around $30-$35 a bottle, not $10.

While I have yet to find any other major errors in the text (not that I'm actively searching for them, but maybe I should), I have noticed a couple grammatical blunders; missing punctuation, spelling errors and such. It's disappointing to see easily correctable errors like this mar an otherwise fantastic book. That being said, don't let these gripes deter you from buying this excellent reference source for food and drink pairings. Clean up the grammar and factual errors and this becomes a 5 star book.

Perfect Timing.......2007-03-19

I am soon to open my First restaurant. Being a chef not only did this book help me brush up it even expanded my paring knowledge. I have also used it as a training tool with my employees and recommended it to them. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys food.

Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food

Average customer rating:

Great on content, poor on photos
chef and wine specialist
Solid good advice, good for main or back up book!
No calorie Count.
One person's opinion

Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food
Evan Goldstein
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0520243773

Book Description

As thousands of wines from around the globe enter the marketplace and the American palate continues to adopt flavors from a range of cultures, the task of pairing wine and food becomes increasingly complicated. No longer is the choice simply red or white, or wines from California, France, or Italy. The typical shopper today has access to wines from those regions plus South Africa, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia. If that isn't confusing enough, Asian, Latin American, and Creole dishes might find their way onto the same table. Perfect Pairings, by well-known Master Sommelier and respected restaurant industry veteran Evan Goldstein, provides straightforward, practical advice for choosing the right bottle for each meal. The quintessential resource for matching wine and food, this book includes 58 companion recipes developed by celebrated chef Joyce Goldstein that showcase each type of wine.
Perfect Pairings combines in-depth explorations of twelve grape varietals, sparkling wines, and dessert wines with guidance about foods that enhance the wide range of styles for each varietal. Whether the Chardonnay is earthy and flinty; rich, buttery, and oak-infused; fruity and tropical; or aged and mature, Goldstein explains how to match it with dishes that will make the wine sing. His clear, educational, and entertaining approach towards intimidating gastronomical questions provides information for all readers, professional and amateur alike.

16 full-color photos
Six seasonal and special occasion menus
Tips for enhancing food and wine experiences, both at home and in restaurants
Glossary of wine terminology
Overview of the world's primary wine-growing regions
Recommendations of more than five hundred wines, ranging in price from everyday to splurge

Customer Reviews:

Great on content, poor on photos.......2007-09-28

If you don't care that much about photos with recipes, this book is excellent on text. There is a photo section in the middle but personally I like to see at least half of the cookbook with accompanying photos. I gave this as a first anniversary gift to my son and daughter-in-law because they enjoy both wines and foods. She liked it a lot for the information about how to combine dishes and also the sections on history of the wines/regions. It is weak on information about American wines and in some cases it might be difficult to find some of the foreign wines mentioned. I would probably use it more as a reference book than a standard cookbook.

chef and wine specialist.......2007-05-12

very comprehensive, touches on all wine types and their attributes matched with food. Great recipes also. This book should be studied and savored by all who are interested in wines and in how to pair them with
foods.

Solid good advice, good for main or back up book!.......2007-05-02

I wish that I could have the knowledge of this book by osmosis. To read Evan's insightful comments about a wine, then to read suggestions on food pairings with that wine, is a delight. Additionally, Joyce's ample recipes, some simple, some complex, are well chosen, and a strong plus for adventuresome cooks to buy this book.

This was my favorite pairing book (and there's several books out there!) till recently.

When I saw a copy of "What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine...by Andrew Dornenburg, I realized that Dorenberg had "one-upped" this good text in different ways. One can find the food type, or the dominant spicing or saucing, then work backwards to the wines that are better suited. This is a more intuitive way for most people not well versed in different wines, and is better for me, as I need to match a wine to a fish's sauce more than to the fish. Still it does not diminish my appreciation for Perfect Pairing one bit. Evan Goldstein's Perfect Pairings does acknowledge this importance as well on pages 22-23 and 26-7, however many readers may gloss over this. The book is not as well geared as Dorenberg's in my opinion, for things such as spicy or some Asian or other ethnic foods, your mileage may vary.

Additionally, Dorenberg's book expands one's options with a food to go beyond wine for pairings, to include spirits, beer, etc. This makes more sense, as I just love a good beer with some things (some Asian food, German foods, etc.) that just don't work as well with recommended wines. The drawback (or plus, to some) to Dorenburg's book is that it isn't a text as Goldstein's. Dorenburg's book, after a few brief text chapters, is an extensive alphabetical listing of numerous foods and beverages, followed by their matches, with no explanation present, or felt needed.

I like Goldstein's Perfect Pairings dessert/dessert wine chapter, for example, having a sweet tooth. This section gives a good overview of different wines (late harvest, fortified, sparkling), and then separately talks about tree/stone fruit desserts, creamy and custard desserts, nut and dried-frut desserts, and finally the chocolatee, coffee, and caramel desserts..and recommends appropriate wines for each dessert classification.

Glance through both wine pairing books, and see which book style suits your needs best. I enjoy aspects of both, for different reasons, and appreciate each for it's strengths.

No calorie Count........2007-04-06

I ordered this book and upon receiving it was very excited about pairing wine with food--then I realized there were no calorie counts or other pertinent information with the recipes. Our family is very calorie/fiber conscious and I have vowed I will never buy another cookbook with this information. Therefore I just returned the book. If it ever comes out again with this stuff in it I might reconsider it.

One person's opinion.......2007-03-31

There aren't any vegetarian meals, and I don't eat much on their dining list, so it wasn't very useful to me. Nice hard bound book though.

Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Wine Wheels)

Average customer rating:

A Must Read For Those Serious About Wine

Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Wine Wheels)
James E. Wilson
Manufacturer: Wine Appreciation Guild
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1891267221

Book Description

WINNER OF 7 MAJOR AWARDS

James Beard Award, Veuve Clicquot; Wine Book of the Year, DECANTER Magazine; Wine Book of the Year, Finalist; Andre Simon Wine Book of the Year

"From the Unseen Darkness where the vineroots suck, where the liquid in your glass is teased out of the soil." So states Hugh Johnson in explaining the importance of soils, "the terroir" that the French have long praised as the secret to great wines. Years of meticulous research now reveal the relationship between rocks and grapes. A natural history of the little known facts and anecdote woven into the compelling tale of how geology influences the choice of grapes, style and quality. A master geologist describes each rock type and soil and the way structure affects the absorption of vital nutrients. Using instruments and techniques developed for oil exploration, Wilson learned more about vineyards and quality than winemakers ever dreamed!

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read For Those Serious About Wine.......2007-01-05

This book allows one to understand why micro geography is as important to the making of a great wine as weather and the wine maker.

Average customer rating:

A quick reference guide

Food & Wine: Pairing Made Simple
Mary Dowey
Manufacturer: Ryland Peters & Small
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1841723452

Book Description

Is pairing food and wine really worth the effort? Absolutely! Well matched, even the simplest food and the humblest wine can create instant magic. In this invaluable guide, wine writer Mary Dowey draws from her wealth of knowledge and experience to suggest combinations that promise to set your tastebuds tingling. After explaining a few simple rules about the principles of pairing food and wine, Mary provides hundreds of straightforward wine-pairing solutions for a wide range of popular dishes from pasta to fish, salads to desserts. To liven up simple pan-grilled chicken, serve a Pinot Gris from Washington State, or try salmon with a Chilean Pinot Noir. Quaff a dry Spanish rose with paella or sip a sweet red wine, such as Californian Black Muscat with a decadent dark chocolate dessert. With a top 20 of sensational food and wine pairs, a useful list of the most flexible wines for food (ideal for restaurant use), and an A-Z of grape varieties and wine styles, FOOD and WINE is the ultimate g

Customer Reviews:

A quick reference guide.......2006-04-29

A paraphrase from the opening lines of Joanna Simon's book on the same topic summarises the situation well: "The complete guide to matching food and wine does not exist....yet". However, Mary Dowey's book does an admirable job for the foodie wanting a logical wine recommendation, with a clear explanation of why the match should work. The book is easy to read, and is organised by dinner party courses, so the host should design the menu, and can then match wines accordingly. The images used in this book do an excellent job of making the mouth water, but I would have preferred them to be more prescriptive (ie. present comparative examples of colours and wine styles with the same food, or the same wines with a range of different dishes to help foodies who are planning a theme to their dinner parties). Otherwise, I found this book very useful, and still refer to it occasionally, when stuck for a wine and food match.

Food and Wine Pairing: A Sensory Experience

Average customer rating:

Smart and insightful

Food and Wine Pairing: A Sensory Experience
Robert J. Harrington
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0471794074

Book Description

THE ONLY BOOK THAT PRESENTS FOOD AND WINE PAIRING FROM A CULINARY AND SENSORY PERSPECTIVE.

Demystifying the terminology and methodology of matching wine to food, Food and Wine Pairing: A Sensory Experience presents a practical, user-friendly approach grounded in understanding the direct relationships and reactions between food and wine components, flavors, and textures. This approach uses sensory analysis to help the practitioner identify key elements that affect pairings, rather than simply following the usual laundry list of wine-to-food matches. The text takes a culinary perspective first, making it a unique resource for culinary students and professionals.

FOOD AND WINE PAIRING:

Lays out the basics of wine evaluation and the hierarchy of taste concepts
Establishes the foundation taste components of sweet, sour, slat, and bitter in food, and dry, acidity, and effervescence in wine, and looks at how these components relate to one another
Discusses wine texture, and the results of their interactions with one another
Examines the impact that spice, flavor type, flavor intensity, and flavor persistency have one the quality of wine and food matches
Includes exercises to improve skills relating to taste identification and palate mapping
Provides a systematic process for predicting successful matches using sequential and mixed tasting methods
Gives guidance on pairing wine with foods such as cheese and various desserts, as well as service issues such as training and menu/wine list development

Food and Wine Paring provides students and professionals with vivid and dynamic learning features to bring the matching process to life with detail and clarity. real-world examples include menus and tasting notes from renowned restaurants, as well as Aperitifs or vignettes portraying culinary notables - both individuals and organizations—which set their wine parings in a complete gastronomical, regional, and cultural context.

Culinary students making their initial foray into understanding paring will appreciate the reader-friendly and comprehensive approach taken by Food and Wine Pairing. More advanced students, instructors, and culinary professionals will find this text to be an unparalleled tool for developing their matching process and honing their tasting instinct.

Customer Reviews:

Smart and insightful.......2007-06-21

Fun to read, great exercises to test your taste. Primarily a text for students it includes some amazing recipes specially chosen to appreciate the subtle flavors of lots of wines. Can make for wonderful tasting dinner amongst friends. Highly enjoyable!

The Renaissance Guide to Wine and Food Pairing

Average customer rating:

Interesting history and interviews
Finally! A book for the wine snob and the novice.
A Perfect Gift
Finally - the answer to all your wine prayers!
Leaves a bad taste in my mouth

The Renaissance Guide to Wine and Food Pairing
Tony DiDio , and Amy Zavatto
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 159257114X
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

There's a lot more to wine and food pairing than memorizing a few simple rules. The true connoisseur knows the subtleties...and in this book, a wine expert shares his secrets.

€ What wines accompany which foods-and how to choose
€ Essays, advice, and comments from award-winning chefs
€ Covers each course-from entree to dessert, from simple meals to exotic favorites
€ Interviews with famous wine connoisseurs on understanding and appreciating wines
€ Information on wine-making and maps of the world's major wine regions
€ Resource guide to finding the best wine-specialty shops
€ Glossary of wine/food terms and advice on how to "read" wine lists
€ A primer on the complete history of wine
€ Making sense of labels, vintage years, and the best regions

Customer Reviews:

Interesting history and interviews.......2004-12-29

Talk about a novice! I am counted among those who know nothing about wine except what I think is tasty - you might say I don't know my Syrah from my Reisling. I know that I've had a few delicious wines, and I swear I'm going to try to write down their names when I'm at a restaurant, but invariably forget. The Renaissance Guide is a helpful reference to a person like me as it contains guidance from real experts. I thought that the interviews captured both the personalities of the chefs and the knowledgeable authors, but also gave useful information - and they were fun to read. While to a true onephile, like the character in the movie "Sideways," this information might be considered basic, to most of us the primer on wines in the second chapter will be informative. And for the person who already knows wine, I'm certain that there are nuggets and ideas that they will enjoy.

Finally! A book for the wine snob and the novice........2004-12-27

I got this book for my step-father the wine snob and he loves it. This is high praise coming from the man who hates most wine books and thinks he knows everything already. Added bonus- I love it too. Very helpful for a novice like myself, great writing and beautiful design. Highly recommended!

A Perfect Gift.......2004-12-21

This book offers something many guides lack: context and a true passion for the topic. The rich history and current culture where food and wine pairings are developed, is delightfully described with rare energy and insight. This is an ideal gift item for those you know who love wine, or are curious to learn more.

Finally - the answer to all your wine prayers!.......2004-12-21

For those of you stumbling around looking for help that you can enjoy AND understand look no more! If I didn't know better I would think that Ms. Zavatto and Mr. Didio were hiding behind a column every time I've ever tried to buy the right bottle of wine. I can't wait for the next effort from these two. Don't leave without picking up a copy for yourself and everyone on your gift list.

Leaves a bad taste in my mouth.......2004-12-19

This is my second posted review of The Renaissance Guide to Wine and Food Pairing. The first review was actually removed from Amazon after earning six helpful votes, allegedly because I criticized the authors so harshly that I violated the Amazon code of conduct. The review also provoked at least one other (anonymous) reviewer to call me a wine snob because I didn't agree with him/her/it. All I can say is, gee whiz, folks, it's just a book review-lighten up! Read `em all and make up your own mind. And if you think I'm some kind of crackpot wine geek because I hate this book, well, that's entirely your prerogative.

Rather than write a whole new review, I've decided to republish most of the original, though I am removing the specific phrases that offended the "Keep Amazon Beautiful Committee".

The Renaissance Guide to Wine and Food Pairing is a bad book. In fact, I was so repelled by it that I feel it incumbent upon me as an Amazon reviewer to warn all unsuspecting readers away as though it were the scene of a gruesome accident, or at minimum a wine so bad it would make you sick just to smell it, let alone drink it.

It's only sporting for someone to inform you that when you buy this book you aren't getting an organized and comprehensive analysis of the subject in the book's title. Instead, the first 100 pages or so discuss wine history and how to read wine labels from around the world (not a bad thing in a wine book, but why devote so much space to it here?), and the rest of the book mostly consists of transcribed interviews with famous chefs and winemakers. Each new chapter is another exercise in smug and self-congratulatory "conversations" with the winemakers and chefs (like,wow, isn't it cool we can sit around and chuckle with all these food and wine hotshots?). I encountered very little of practical value and a lot of butt-kissing. I admit I already know a little about wine, but I didn't learn a blessed thing from this book until around page 205 when it was revealed in a sidebar that the word avocado is derived from the Aztec word for testicle.

There are many good books and sections of books that have been written about marrying food and wine. Two that come immediately to mind are Wesson and Rosengarten's "Red Wine with Fish" and the food and wine chapter of the Culinary Institute of America's "Exploring Wine". In both you will find practical and frequently imaginative principles you can employ to match wine and food.

As stated above, The Renaissance Guide is little more than a loose stitching together of interviews that center around highly esoteric menus paired up with wines provided by the authors. It would be kind to describe these chapters as self-indulgent. Suffice it to say they are what appear to be unedited transcripts, even to the point where they insert (laughter) in (parentheses) where the author "cracks a good one". I'm honestly surprised that Daniel Boulud, who is interviewed here and seems like a decent, unpretentious guy, would allow his stature as one of America's best chefs to be debased in this book.

Ok, let's get more granular. Bad writing. Atrocious editing. Multiple references to pairing with obscure wines like Lagrein (great wine, but probably unknown to 99% of the readers and not exactly carried in the run of the mill wine store) without any useful introduction. More than a hundred pages of useless filler on wine history and how to read labels that is completely irrelevant to the stated subject of the book. Hideous tables that are meant to be copied as handy references but spill randomly over three pages and contain nothing really useful. Horrible lapses and gaffes. Multiple recommendations for a food/wine match where you have no idea what the wine is or even its country of origin and without any reason why it works. And I swear I'm only getting warmed up.

The authors devote a whole "chapter" to the subject of wine and pasta. After a page or so it suddenly shifts to a region by region discussion of Italy and wines that go with their cuisines. The chapter is about 8 pages long. It covers the food and wine matches by basically describing one dish and naming one wine for each region. How the authors decide to summarily dismiss Lombardia, Liguria, Basilicata and The Marches in favor of other wine growing regions is sufficient to start another Italian civil war. Is Lagrein more available in the US than Aglianico del Vulture or Rosso Piceno? Does it make me a wine snob because I'm asking this question, or is the book snobby for its exclusion of these exciting and vital parts of the contemporary Italian wine scene?

To give you an idea for how bad this book is, they refer to a wine on one page as Terre de Trinci Sagrantino de Montefalco, and two pages later as Terre de Rinci Sagrantino de Montalcino. You say Montefalco, I say Montalcino, let's call the whole thing off. Besides, these Italian towns and wines and stuff, it's confusing cause they all kinda sound alike. Am I right or am I wrong?(How are we supposed to have confidence in a book written by experts if they can't even keep stuff like this straight?) By the way, if you want to read a great book about Italian wine and food, try "Vino Italiano" by Bastianich and Lynch).

In my opinion (and mine only) the value in this book could be boiled down to about four pages with some judicious editing, and I've seen free newsletters from winestores that have better and more practical advice on the subject. If I were rating it on the 100 point Robert Parker scale I'd give it about a 47, which is to say it's undrinkable.

Pairing Wine With Food: Everything You Would Like to Know About Pairing Wine With Food, and More!

Average customer rating:

Fundamentally sound, but frequently flawed
Needs a bit more detail
Five Stars Plus a Thank You

Pairing Wine With Food: Everything You Would Like to Know About Pairing Wine With Food, and More!
Robert Hoffman , and Virginia Hoffman
Manufacturer: McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Gastronomy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1893718018

Book Description

In this handy bestselling book, more than 500 foods are paired with American wines. You'll learn where and how to buy wine, how to select wine in a restaurant, and even the right wines to pair with fast- and takeout foods such as nachos, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and pizza. In addition, there's a helpful guide to American wines, and even a Winespeak Dictionary. With this unique book, you'll discover everything you've always wanted to know about pairing wine with food ... and more.

Customer Reviews:

Fundamentally sound, but frequently flawed.......2001-02-15

OK, this is a fundamentally sound book. The advice generally makes sense, the pairings are likely to work. But, it is SO poorly edited and proof-read, I can't stand to "read" this book. I'll reference it occasionally, but won't delve into it any farther than I need to in order to answer a quick question.

For example:

Viognier -- it's a white grape not a red one as they claim.

They frequently will list a series of pairings in the ollowing fashion 'pairs well with red wines like x, y, and z, or white wines like p, d, and q' where z may be white or q is red.

Their spelling is frequently awful -- even worse than mine.

Like I said, for a quick question it's fine.

Needs a bit more detail.......2000-11-11

This book is very helpful for the beginner who is trying to get a sense of what food to put with a particular wine. However, it is lacking in some detail about why some wines go well with certain foods. It would be more helpful if it went into the characteristics of certain foods and seasonings and why those pair well with the characteristics of the wines. It is a handy reference though and well worth the price!

Five Stars Plus a Thank You.......2000-07-29

This is the first practical book I have seen that tells you simply and easily which wines go best with which food. The nicest thing about the book is that it is not stuffy. It tells you which wines will go well with things like nachos, Kentucky Fried Chicken as well as elegant foods like Chateaubriand, coq du vin, etc.

Tells you, too, how and where to buy wine....and all the wines are American !

Average customer rating:
The Best of American Beer and Food: Pairing & Cooking with Craft Beer
Lucy Saunders
Manufacturer: Brewers Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Beer | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food

Beer & Food: An American History

Cooking With Beer: Taste-Tempting Recipes and Creative Ideas for Matching Beer & Food

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

Stephen Beaumont's Brewpub Cookbook: 100 Great Recipes from 30 Great North American Brewpubs

ASIN: 0937381918

Book Description

In The Best of American Beer and Food Lucy Saunders covers both pairing food and beer and cooking with beer. She begins by exploring the art of pairing flavorful beers with specific foods, considering today's wide range of beer styles and the foods and flavors that they compliment from salad through dessert. She then turns to recipes that incorporate beer, using the diverse tastes available from today's ales and lagers as flavor components.

Wild Sweets: Exotic Desserts and Wine Pairings

Average customer rating:

WOW, this is very inspiring!
A Canadian chef-in-training
The absolute finest in light, elegant, and exquisite faire

Wild Sweets: Exotic Desserts and Wine Pairings
Dominique Duby , and Cindy Duby
Manufacturer: Douglas & McIntyre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1550549871

Book Description

From their professional life as culinary educators, chocolatiers, and participants in world pastry competitions, Dominique and Cindy Duby have developed an innovative style of creating desserts and sweets based on exotic ingredients. In 75 elegant recipes, Wild Sweets explores new taste territory for dessert lovers and home cooks by incorporating unusual ingredients such as salmonberries, desert-flower honey, ice wine, and even wild rice, avocado, and black truffles. The book is lavishly illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs of the ingredients and the mouthwatering finished dishes.

Customer Reviews:

WOW, this is very inspiring!.......2006-01-12

These two amazing chef have really done a master piece pastry book.

The perfect book as a coffee table book, the pictures are wild:)

The recipes are so good, and easy to make!

Enjoy!

A Canadian chef-in-training.......2004-06-14

Excellent book. A good addition to any chef-in-training's repitior of cookbooks. I keep this book around as a reference for design plating inspirations and to expose my growing vocabulary of exotic ingredients.

Its also nice to see a Canadian authoring such books of high skill level amongst the more simpler books (ie Canadian Living). The Dubey's are masters in their fields, chocolate, and I had the honor of meeting them during a demonstrations.

This book comes highly recommended by a student of the arts.

The absolute finest in light, elegant, and exquisite faire.......2004-06-06

Wild Sweets is a coffee-table style cookbook of dessert creations that are based upon wild ingredients and delight the senses in their unique taste, texture, and visual appeal. Full-color, full-page photographs illustrate delicacies that transcent the level of common treats into works of three-dimensional, perishable yet sublime art. Descriptive prose recipes, extensive instructions concerning such processes as fermentation, plating, and the art of presentation, tips on safely acquiring wild ingredients, and much more fill this sumptuous feast for all the senses. Highly recommended delicacies include Red Curry Squash Flan with Gnocchi and Coconut Curry Foam; Wheat Berry Pudding with Candied Black Olives; Icewine Gelee with Coconut Milk Sabayon and Pumpkin Seed Croquant, and so much more. A superb resource for the absolute finest in light, elegant, and exquisite faire.

Food & Wine Pairing (Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles)

Average customer rating:

wine parties

Food & Wine Pairing (Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles)
Joyce Eserky Goldstein , Evan Goldstein , and Chuck Williams
Manufacturer: Time-Life Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0737020245

Customer Reviews:

wine parties.......2007-05-15

This book is really good. Have used it for planning wine and food pairing parties at our country club. good recipes and fun wine suggestions

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