Wine Books - Page 8

Thomas Jefferson on Wine

John Hailman

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

Editorial Review:

In Thomas Jefferson on Wine, John Hailman celebrates a founding father's lifelong interest in wine and provides unprecedented insight into Jefferson's character from this unique perspective. In both his personal and public lives, Jefferson wielded his considerable expertise to influence the drinking habits of his friends, other founding fathers, and the American public away from hard liquor toward the healthier pleasures of wine.

An international wine judge and nationally syndicated wine columnist, Hailman discusses how Jefferson's tastes developed, which wines and foods he preferred at different stages of his life, and how Jefferson became the greatest wine expert of the early American republic. Hailman explores the third president's fascination with scores of wines from his student days at Williamsburg to his lengthy retirement years at Monticello, using mainly Jefferson's own words from hundreds of immensely readable and surprisingly modern letters on the subject.

Hailman examines Jefferson's five critical years in Paris, where he learned about fine wines at Europe's salons and dinner tables as American Ambassador. The book uses excerpts from Jefferson's colorful travel journals of his visits to France, Italy, and Germany, as well as his letters to friends and wine merchants, some of whose descendants still produce the wines Jefferson enjoyed. Vivid contemporaneous accounts of dinners at the White House allow readers to experience vicariously Jefferson's "Champagne diplomacy." The book concludes with an overview of the current restoration of the vineyards at Monticello and the new Monticello Wine Trail and its numerous world-class Virginia wineries. In Thomas Jefferson on Wine Hailman presents an absorbing and unique view of this towering historical figure.

John R. Hailman, a trial attorney and adjunct professor of law and literature at the University of Mississippi School of Law in Oxford, wrote a wine column that appeared in the Washington Post and in syndication for over a decade with Gannett News Service. Hailman has served as a judge at numerous international wine competitions for over twenty years.

Discover Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide to Buying, Tasting, and Enjoying Fine Chocolate

Clay Gordon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

There’s a difference between a chocoholic and a chocophile, and Clay Gordon is decidedly in the latter category. It’s not enough for him to simply love this rich indulgence; he is equally addicted to the finer points of choosing it, just as a wine aficionado enjoys researching different varietals and developing a taste for particularly fine ones.

In Discover Chocolate, Gordon opens a world that extends far beyond cookbooks and coffee-table books that feature assorted gooey shots. Yes, his primer is packed with more than a hundred gorgeous photographs of chocolate and truffles, but this is a guide that also includes a handy rating system, a field guide for discerning among different types and styles of chocolates, an overview of how cacao becomes chocolate (including maps of where cacao is grown), advice for pairing chocolate and wine, and, perhaps most important of all, how and where to shop for the best chocolate in the world.

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and Clay Gordon is there to help you relish every drop of it, discerning why you like certain types but not others and generating a personal list of favorites. This is the book every true chocolate enthusiast has been craving.

The Murray's Cheese Handbook: A Guide to More Than 300 of the World's Best Cheeses

Rob Kaufelt

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

good, to an extent... 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

but unfortunately, most of the cheeses I tried to look up were not among the more than 300 described here. I gave this to my brother as a gift and we took it along to the local Central Market in Dallas. Most of the cheeses we were interested in couldn't be found in the book. Recommended, but with reservations - the descriptions of the cheeses that are actually in the book are truly mouth-watering.

Editorial Review:

Rob Kaufelt, cheese purveyor to American’s top restaurants and owner of Murray’s Cheese—named the world’s best cheese store by Forbes magazine—guides us through the bewildering variety of cheeses available today in this entertaining and indispensable guide featuring:

*Descriptions of more than 300 cheeses from across America and around the world, including what to drink with each

*Suggested accompaniments for all the different styles and types of cheeses

*How to arrange cheese plates for dressed-up dinners or casual cheese tastings

*The best cheeses to serve before a meal, with a salad, or for a gooey grilled cheese sandwich

*Must-have lists: The Ten Most Intimidating Cheeses, Sexiest Cheeses, Cheeses to Eat Before You Die

*Answers to the most frequently asked questions about cheese

To Cork or Not To Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle for the Wine Bottle

George M. Taber

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Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In Judgment of Paris, George M. Taber masterfully chronicled the historic 1976 wine tasting when unknown California wines defeated top French ones, marking a major turning point in wine history. Now he explores the most controversial topic in the world of wine: What product should be used to seal a bottle? Should it be cork, plastic, glass, a screwcap, or some other type of closure still to be invented?

For nearly four centuries virtually every bottle of wine had a cork in it. But starting in the 1970s, a revolution began to topple the cork monopoly. In recent years, the rebellion has been gathering strength. Belatedly, the cork industry began fighting back, while trying to retain its predominant position. Each year 20 billion closures go onto wine bottles, and, increasingly, they are not corks.

The cause of the onslaught against cork is an obscure chemical compound known as TCA. In amounts as low as several parts per trillion, the compound can make a $400 bottle of wine smell like wet newspaper and taste equally bad. Such wine is said to be "corked." While cork's enemies urge people to throw off the old and embrace new closures, millions of wine drinkers around the world are still in love with the romance of the cork and the ceremony of opening a bottle.

With a thorough command of history, science, winemaking, and marketing, Taber examines all sides of the debate. Along the way, he collects a host of great characters and pivotal moments in the production, storage, and consumption of wine, and paints a truly satisfying portrait of a wholly intriguing controversy. As Australian winemaker Brian Croser describes it: "It's scary how passionate people can be on this topic. Prejudice and extreme positions have taken over, and science has often gone out the window."

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting and Running a Winery (Complete Idiot's Guide to)

Thomas Pellechia

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Editorial Review:

Making the dream a reality…

For many people, owning and running a winery is a dream job. According to Wine Business Monthly, the number of wineries in the U.S. has jumped 26% in less than three years. To carry out this dream, one must understand that wine making involves both science and art. Starting a winery is just like starting any other business and requires planning and a deep understanding of the industry. In The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Starting and Running a Winery, readers will learn:

•How to put together a business plan
•Different varieties of grapes and wines
•How to lay out a floor plan and what equipment is needed
•How to promote wines

Wine Country Cooking

Joanne Weir

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Joanne Has Done It Again! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Joanne Weir has certainly done it again by producing yet another wonderful cookbook. The beautiful pictures definately do the recipes justice! Everything is so fresh and delicious. Joanne's writing makes the cookbook even more enjoyable. Two of my favs include the goat cheese gallette and the panna cotta! Out of all the cook books I have, I always find myself reaching for Joanne's. Please keep writing!

Wine Country Cooking 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This cook book has lots of interesting recipes and I look forward to trying several of them this fall.

A Toast to Joanne for another superb cookbook! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A toast to Joanne for creating her wonderful Mediterranean style recipes with wonderful wine pairings! My absolute favorite recipe is the Wine Country Flatbread with Grapes and Toasted Walnuts - so unique and a reflection of Joanne's style of using a few quality ingredients to create delicious, simple yet elegant recipes. Just cooked & baked Joanne's recipes for a dinner party and received rave reviews, especially for the Farmer's Market Risotto and the Pizza with Cherry Tomato and Basil Salad. Whether you wish to learn basic Mediterranean style recipes, or expand your culinary repertoire with some unique twists, Wine Country Cooking is sure to please your palette!

Editorial Review:

Acclaimed chef Joanne Weir captures the fresh flavours of Napa and Sonoma in this lushly photographed cookbook. With 150 recipes for Mediterranean-inspired bites and meals plus world-class wine pairings, "Wine Country Cooking" presents a lifestyle of casual yet gracious eating, drinking, and entertaining.

Old-Fashioned Homemade Ice Cream: With 58 Original Recipes

Thomas R. Quinn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Unique Recipes At Reasonable Cost 4 out of 5 stars.
53 of 54 people found this review helpful.

This isn't a fancy book with color photos, in fact the only color photo is on the cover, but it does contain some good old fashioned recipes. There are many variations presented for chocolate and vanilla ice creams, some not requiring any cooking. There are exotic treats such as caramel, banana chocolate, maple walnut and even butterscotch royal ice cream. There's even ice cream recipes that are based on instant pudding and one on jello!

The author covers a brief history of ice cream and covers each of the main ingredients as well as why they're needed.

Negatives:

All of the recipes make about a gallon so you'll have to size them down if your machine can't handle a full gallon. Luckily Ice Cream recipes can be successfully sized down.

Many of the recipies do require cooking of some sort.

Also some recipes use "rennet tablets" something that I'm not familiar with.

----------- Overall this is a good basic book with some unique ice creams at a fantastic price.

Editorial Review:

This informative, enthusiastic guide provides complete instructions and helpful advice for making delicious homemade ice cream, either in a hand-cranked or electric freezer. Includes 58 exotic, mouthwatering ice cream recipes, plus recipes for toppings, sauces, more. Introduction. Illustrated throughout.

The Wine Enthusiast Magazine Wine & Food Pairings Cookbook: With More than 80 Recipes and Wine Recommendations

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Editorial Review:

This beautiful and easy-to-use cookbook features more than 75 innovative food and wine pairings compiled by the expert editorial team at Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Filled with delectable full-color photographs, the Wine Enthusiast Magazine Wine and Food Pairings Cookbook is sure to be appreciated by everyone from serious wine lovers to occasional wine drinkers.

With chapters that are organized by wine styles—from soft, easy reds to light, aromatic whites—this cookbook guides wine and food lovers to easily choose a wine and plan a delectable meal around it. The mouthwatering recipes come from top chefs and culinary stylemakers around the globe, from simple dishes that are ideal for a last-minute weekday meal to elegant, exotic feasts that will serve as centerpiece to a stylish special occasion. Each recipe is creatively paired with the best, and most interesting, wines from around the world, and Wine 101 sidebars break down the need-to-know facts about the styles of wines showcased. This indispensable guide also includes a comprehensive vintage chart listing the great grape varieties of the wine world and the key characteristics of each.

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine (The Cook's Classic Library)

Elizabeth David

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Like trying to enjoy glorious food with someone choking you. 2 out of 5 stars.
21 of 57 people found this review helpful.

I'm a total foodie and it's painful getting through this book. Instead of simply enjoying the pleasures of food and all the differences, Elizabeth David is defensive at every turn. She speaks of her experiences so delicately, and describes all around the food, so that you just want to plunge through the page, past the fences and loftiness she's encircled the food with. Granted, she was writing in that stifling time period for those stifled Brits who apparently knew nothing beyond pork pies. I know she must have thoroughly enjoyed her food adventures, but in her telling of them, she removes herself from the object of her passion. This book is a very frustrating read. I got so sick and tired of all the defensiveness. I wish she would have just allowed herself to write freely about her pleasures and enjoyment, rather than feel so much pressure from her invisible audience (she was a journalist) that she edited herself (even in the pieces that she re-wrote for this book) before anyone could complain. And although it's interesting to know the food prices in another time period, the constant iteration of cost and expensive versus not expensive places to dine became a nuisance. Of course, you do get glimpses into the world of food that she's been to and some good recipes, but if you think you're going to curl up in bed with her book and envelope yourself in literary foodie heaven, think again. You might just want to re-read your M.F.K. Fisher and Alice B. Toklas.

Editorial Review:

Contains delightful explorations of food and cooking, among which are the collection's namesake essay and many other gems; with black-and-white photographs and illustrations.

The Foods and Wines of Spain

Penelope Casas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Essential Reference on Spanish Cuisine and Wines 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 14 people found this review helpful.

`The Foods and Wines of Spain' by culinary journalist Penelope Casas was the only comprehensive coverage of Spanish cuisine when it was published at the urging of Craig Claiborne in 1979 and it is probably still the only book in English which aims at covering the entire range of Spanish cuisine. As such, it stands among some of the other notable American books on national cuisines such as Diane Kochilas `The Glorious Foods of Greece', Jean Anderson's smaller book on `The Food of Portugal', Marcella Hazan's `Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' and the granddaddy of them all, Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. Casas shares in this tradition by being published by Child's publisher, Knopf, and having the same distinguished cookbook editor, Judith Jones. Since I have never seen an unattractive book published by Alfred E. Knopf, I am certain this book benefits from this association.

Casas organizes her book by types of dishes, using the usual hodgepodge of type meaning when served and type meaning principle ingredient. The fourteen chapters on ingredients / servings are:

`Tapas', slightly misleading, as classic tapas dishes such as the famous `tortilla Espanola' appears under egg dishes. If your primary interest is in Tapas, get Casas recent book devoted entirely to this subject.
`Embutidos, Pasteles Y Empanadas', or sausages pates, and pies is one of the most convincing arguments that this book covers the whole range of Spanish cooking, as it includes doable recipes for making many classic Spanish Charcuterie such as chorizo. It also contains several very nice empanada recipes that show off one of many differences between Spanish and Mexican cooking. In Mexico, judging by a recipe by Rick Bayless, `empanadas' are just a bit larger than raviolis. In Spain, `empanadas' are much more like calzones.
`Ensaladas' Salads, including a claim that it was the Spanish and not the French who invented Mayonnaise.
`Verduras Y Legumbres' Vegetables, showing the importance of potatoes in Spanish cooking. This is historically obvious, as the Spanish brought potatoes along with all the other New World produce back to Europe.
`Sopas Y Potajes' Soups and Meals in a Pot, very similar to the northern Italian love of ministre.
`Huevos Y Tortillas' Eggs and Egg dishes. Evidence that there are many great Spanish frittatas.
`Arroces' Rice dishes, including several types of Paella. `Please use Spanish Rice'
`Mariscos' Shellfish, with as much love of mussels as the French, it seems.
`Pescados' Fish, including several bacalo (dried, salted cod) recipes and fish steaks.
`Aves Y Caza', Poultry and Game, with the usual European love of rabbit, partridge, and other wild things.
`Carnes' Almost a copy of the Italian cuisine with pork, lamb, and veal. Maybe a bit more lamb than Italia.
`Panes, Bollos Y Masas', Breads and Pastries. While I am sure this is not a complete survey of Spanish bread baking, I am just a little surprised that there is no mention of baking with wild yeasts so popular in French and Italian baking. On the other hand, there is the distinction, as in France, between bakeries that specialize in bread and shops that specialize in pastries. While almonds run through all of Spanish cuisine, it is in baking where it comes together with egg whites and puff pastry to form an especially strong affinity with Austrian baking traditions. I am not sure whether this is because these two countries shared interaction with Moorish culture or whether the countries shared the same royal house, the Hapsburgs, for many generations, or a combination of both, but it is little discoveries like this which make culinary anthropology really fascinating.
`Postres' Desserts, sharing the Italian interest in sweetened fruits above most other dishes, plus marzipan and many other almond preparations.
`Bebidas' Sangria, almonds, coffee, citrus, and almonds.

Almost all main course protein dishes include a suggestion pairing the dish with an appropriate Spanish wine. This includes the egg dishes, but not other tapas dishes. The last chapter deals in great depth with the wines of Spain, including the famous Andalusian sherries. Two of the more interesting facts here is the statement that the Italian Marsala is really a form of sherry and that a bottle of sherry may contain wine from grapes harvested over many years. So much for the James Bond quote about giving the vintage of the `underlying wine fortified to create the sherry'. Not only does this chapter give lots of details about regional wine centers; it gives extensive tables of high quality vintage wine and sherry labels and the author's opinion on their quality. Since this book was published in 1979 and not revised since 1982, there may be some question on whether this information on wineries is still valuable. I will venture a guess that it is probably as good as anything else you may find, since the lists are long and most vintners endure, especially since the fortunes of Spanish businesses have improved greatly since the restoration of the Spanish republic after the death of Franco.

Like the recipes in Casas later book on Tapas, I find all the recipes in this volume to be very good, almost as extensive as my favorites from Julia Child and Marcella Hazan. This is a real foodie book, as the discussion of regionality and authenticity of the recipes is a great pleasure to read, even if you never make any of the recipes. It is also great background for understanding the cuisine of Ferran Adria, the great modern Spanish chef working just outside Barcelona. This book also humbled my conceit at criticizing Daniel Boulud's recipe for baby eels. While they may be hard to come by, apparently the Spanish really love them.

Even if you are not a foodie, this is a great source of recipes for eggs, rice, sweet peppers, almonds, lamb, and fish. It is also a great resource if you are not familiar with Spanish wines.

Editorial Review:

400 superb recipes--a delicious gathering of the traditional cooking of Spain with new ways of using exotic seasonings and unusual combinations, plus a comprehensive survey of Spain's excellent wines and sherries.