Drinks & Beverages Books - Page 6

Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure

Donald Kladstrup, Petie Kladstrup

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 54 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Liberty, equality, and fraternity are all well and good, a champion of French culture once remarked. But, he continued, what made France truly superior to its neighbors was the French passion for wine, which "contributed to the French race by giving it wit, gaiety, and good taste, qualities which set it profoundly apart from people who drink a lot of beer."

The commentator may have had a point; after all, write Don and Petie Kladstrup, it was a well-known fact that Adolf Hitler did not like wine. Still, their leader's teetotalism notwithstanding, the Germans showed no distaste for French wine when they invaded France in 1940. Indeed, among the first acts of the occupying army was to seize great stores of wine, sending tens of thousands of barrels to the Third Reich and ordering the conversion of thousands of hectares of vineyards into war production.

Some French vintners, the Kladstrups write in this enjoyable study, went along with orders. Many others, however, including the heads of distinguished houses like Moët et Chandon, engaged in daring and dangerous acts of resistance wherever they could. Some lied about their yields; others built false walls to hide precious vintages; and still others concocted elaborate ruses, such as sprinkling carpet dust into inferior grades of new wine to give it a musty, distinguished flavor. Not every German was fooled, and some partisans of the grape died for their troubles. But some Germans, at considerable risk to themselves, also looked the other way. The Kladstrups fill their pages with memories of the wine war from both sides of the struggle, stories sometimes somber, sometimes amusing, that commemorate those "whose love of the grape and devotion to a way of life helped them survive and triumph over one of the darkest and most difficult chapters in French history." --Gregory McNamee

Total Juicing (Plume)

Elaine LaLanne, Richard Benyo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent reference and idea book 4 out of 5 stars.
54 of 54 people found this review helpful.

The first few chapters of this book are dedicated to the benefits of juicing, how to juice individual fruits and vegetables and what their specific benefits and nutrional information is and gives suggestions based on lifestyle needs. The second section of this book is filled with recipes for juicing. These juices cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, entertaining for guests and dessert. I was very surprised that I enjoyed as many of the combinations as I did. Who knew that red pepper juice would be almost sweet enough for dessert?

The wonderful thing about this book is the author's emphasis on using the "pulp" left by the fruits and vegetables to minimize waste, to get the most out of your money and to get the necessary and vital fiber that our bodies need. Carrot pulp should be saved and used to make carrot cake, zucchini pulp for zucchini bread, pineapple or apricot pulp retained for creating the freshest of fresh preserves to serve as toppings for toast, muffins or pancakes.

The author also encourages experimentation and offers a few suggestions in branching out to exotic fruits and vegetables, like those found in Asian or specialty markets.

Overall, this is a very down-to-earth, easy to read and follow guide for anyone that's interested in introducing the yummy and healthy benefits of juicing into their lives.

Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America's Guide to Wines of the World, 2nd Edition

Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, Michael A. Weiss

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Toss-Up 4 out of 5 stars.
10 of 14 people found this review helpful.

Althought this is a good book, I would not recommend it as a primary purchase (try "Wine for Dummies" or "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course") nor as a secondary purchase (try "Wine Bible" or "Oxford Companion to Wine"), but I would recommend it as a tertiary purchase. There is a decent amount of material presented in a professional and eye-pleasing manner. Be forewarned that the book is large (9"x11") and heavy -- probably not something you would read in bed. The coverage of the different areas is pretty good, but not exceptional, hence my four-star rating.

Editorial Review:

Written by the experts who train today's leading chefs and sommeliers, this invaluable guide thoroughly demystifies wine, from the basics of wine production to the nuances of wine lists, wine marketing, and wine service. Revised to reflect the many recent changes in the worldwide wine industry, the Second Edition of this critically acclaimed guide features an expanded American wines section, coverage of the latest developments in Italian wine and the new face of German and South American wine trades, and more.

Red, White, and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass

Natalie MacLean

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In this bodice-ripping wine book that got widespread and excellent reviews in hardcover, multiple James Beard and IACP award-winning writer Natalie MacLean’s journey through the international world of wine is the perfect companion for neophytes and wine aficionados alike.

Natalie travels to the ancient vineyards of Burgundy to uncover the secrets of the pinot noir, the “heartbreak grape” from which some of the most coveted wines in the world are made. She visits the labyrinthine cellars of Champagne to examine the myths and the mystique of bubbly. She pulls on sturdy boots to help with the harvest at the vineyards of iconoclastic Californian winemaker Randall Grahm and goes undercover as sommelier for a night in a five-star restaurant with a wine list the thickness of a telephone directory. She looks at the influence of powerful critics, notably Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson, invites readers into her dining room for an informal wine tasting, and compares collecting notes at a bacchanalian dinner with novelist Jay McInerney.

Clone Brews: Homebrew Recipes for 150 Commercial Beers

Tess Szamatulski, Mark Szamatulski

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 52 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

a good Idea with some limitations 4 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

After you're done with your introductory beer book and you've made a few batches, you may find that you want to brew something that reminds you of your favorite commercial beer.
This is almost the book for you.

The selection of recipes is heavily slanted toward beer that many homebrewers may find unexciting. But the authors have a very good point: by brewing imitations (maybe we should say tributes) of commercial beers, you learn how beer tastes are built. You get to refine your own sensibilities and taste. And you can't help but end up a better brewer.

Lynn Hoffman, authorNew Short Course in Wine,The

One down, hundred or so to go 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I've only tried one recipe so far and was very happy with it. I partial mash and I modified their recipe to include more grain and less extract. So many brews . . . so little time!

Good Clone Book 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Although this book is slightly dated now (some of the ingredient manufacturers needing an update), I found it very useful & informative for using tried and tested recipes & formulating recipes simular to the types of brews I like to drink. I would recommend it to any novice seeking to replicate their favourite beers at home.

Editorial Review:

Re-creations of brands such as Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Guinness, Foster's, and more.

Wine Bar Food: Mediterranean Flavors to Crave with Wines to Match

Cathy Mantuano, Tony Mantuano

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

After the workday, in places like Seville, Milan, Barcelona, and other cities that dot the Mediterranean, people gravitate to wine bars to relax, meet friends, savor small dishes of flavorful food, and, of course, enjoy the local wines that perfectly complement the moment.

In Wine Bar Food, acclaimed restaurateurs Cathy and Tony Mantuano show you how to re-create this irresistibly appealing part of the Mediterranean lifestyle at home. Organized by city, from Lisbon to Rome, and paired with accessible wines from each region, the delightfully unpretentious, simply prepared dishes can be shared as small plates by many or make a sit-down dinner for two or more. The 100 recipes emphasize flavor and ease of preparation over strict authenticity, so you’ll be able to round up the ingredients effortlessly to create delicious meals any night of the week, including:

Flaming Ouzo Shrimp (from Athens)
Pork Ribs with Garlic, Chilies, and Tomato (from Naples)
Pea, Bacon, and Pecorino Salad (from Nice)
Amaretto Polenta Pound Cake (from Venice)

Rich with great advice on affordable wine gems and recipes for some killer wine cocktails, Wine Bar Food has everything you need to make weeknight dinners and gatherings with friends simple, fun, and flavorful affairs.

Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy

Joseph Bastianich, David Lynch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The definitive book about italian wine 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I had the hard-cover version of this book and insisted so many friends and colleagues read it I managed to lose it and had to buy another copy! Great descriptions, recipes and candid details about Italian wines-- especially wines that one can actually have a chance to purchase without a plane ticket to Italy.

Editorial Review:

At one time, Italian wines conjured images of cheap Chianti in straw-wrapped bottles. More recently, expensive “Super Tuscans” have been the rage. But between these extremes lay a bounty of delicious, moderately priced wines that belong in every wine drinker’s repertoire.

Vino Italiano is the only comprehensive and authoritative American guide to the wines of Italy. It surveys the country’s wine-producing regions; identifies key wine styles, producers, and vintages; and offers delicious regional recipes. Extensive reference materials—on Italy’s 300 growing zones, 361 authorized grape varieties, and 200 of the top producers— provide essential information for restaurateurs and wine merchants, as well as for wine enthusiasts.

Beautifully illustrated as well as informative, Vino Italiano is the perfect invitation to the Italian wine experience.


From the Hardcover edition.

Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew

Jamil Zainasheff, John Palmer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best recipe book out there 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have already brewed several of the beers from this book and have had outstanding results. You will need a primary book for the beginner, but if have brewed before and want to get away from kits this is definitely the way to go. You can get most of the recipes free via podcast, but there is other information included in the book that the podcasts miss. I would definitely recommend adding this book to your brewing repertoire.

Buy this book!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew

This book is less than the price of an extract kit ... but contains recipes and advice that are worth so much more. I've brewed the Kolsch, the Belgian Wit, and just received my grain for the British Bitter.

I brew the all-grain versions but John and Jamil include extract and partial-mash versions of each recipe. They give you great pointers for each style and give you the exact fermentation temperatures for each recipe.

Beautiful Beer 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a fantastic book, I've been brewing every week since I got the book 7 months ago. Fantastic recipes, brilliant advice.

How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well

Eric Felten

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A fascinating look at the history of the cocktail 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I love this book. But then again, I am addicted to his WSJ column and it is for that reason alone that I still retain my subscription. For those of you who are regular readers of Mr Felten's WSJ column, rest assured there is a significant amount of new material in this book. Although it contains no new drink recipes, it appears to include everything that didn't make it past the WSJ editor. In other words, there are new stories and anecdotes for each cocktail supported by Mr Felten's extensive research. I have read the book several times and look forward to reading it several more. Well done Mr Felten.

Editorial Review:

Based on the popular feature in the Saturday Wall Street Journal, How's Your Drink illuminates the culture of the cocktail. Cocktails are back after decades of decline, but the literature and lore of the classics has been missing. John F. Kennedy played nuclear brinksmanship with a gin and tonic in his hand. Teddy Roosevelt took the witness stand to testify that six mint juleps over the course of his presidency did not make him a drunk. Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Chandler both did their part to promote the gimlet. Fighting men mixed drinks with whatever liquor could be scavenged between barrages, raising glasses to celebrate victory and to ease the pain of defeat. Eric Felten tells all of these stories and many more, and also offers exhaustively researched cocktail recipes. How’s Your Drink is an essential addition to the literature of spirits and a fantastic holiday gift for husbands and fathers.

The Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible

Leon W. Kania

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Book Description How to make beer, wine, liqueurs, cider and moonshine whiskey. The author dusts off over 30 years of experience to tell you how it's done. He not only tells how to make darned near any kind of beer, wine, liqueur and whiskey you can imagine, he also tells you how to make the equipment to do it with. Ever wondered how a still is made? There are 8 types illustrated in this book and though it's illegal to build or possess a still, the illustrations are so complete, you could easily do it! This book includes plans and operating instructions from underground moonshiner manuals used in Mid East oil fields. Some are built with components found in most home kitchens. From moonshine, homebrew, wine and liqueur recipes, to stills, make your own cappers, kegs, scales and even a malt factory from an old freezer, it's all here!

Easy to read and humorous, this book entertains you with Alaskan tales and bootlegger's lore while you learn to make everything from beer and blossom wines, to horse turd whiskey and bathtub gin. If you could buy only one "make your own" book for the rest of your life, this is it. It's like getting a whole shelf of books for the price of one!