WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR DECEMBER 2005 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE WINES OF GREECE (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 486 pages, ISBN 1-84000-897-0, $50 hard covers) has been written by Konstantinos Lazarakis, who became the first Greek Master of Wine in 2002. He is a wine educator and consultant, based in Athens. Like all the other books in this series, there are no illustrations. The eleven maps are minimal sketch maps. Part One identifies The Background (history, wine legislation, labels, and grape varieties). Part Two is The Regions, all eleven of them: Thrace, Macedonia (one of the largest), Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, Ionian Islands, the Peloponnese (another large area), Cyclades Islands, Dodecanese Islands, the North Aegean, and Crete. Both Macedonia and the Peloponnese get 70 pages apiece. For each region, Lazarakis presents a discussion on climate, wine production, and the local classification of wines. The leading producers are cited, each with addresses and phone numbers and some generalized tasting notes not related to particular vintages. There is very little criticism in the book. The book concludes with a bibliography, glossary and index. Audience and level of use: wine scholars, lovers of Greek wines, schools of hospitality. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “In countries like Greece, wine has a social dimension that must be taken into account…Behind every artisan wine is an immense amount of effort.” What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): General notes about recent vintages are not quoted at all, nor is the issue of age worthiness raised. Most of the material in the appendix can easily be folded back into the text. What I do like about this book (its positives): the principal value is that there is a lot of material about Greek wines here, material not easily found elsewhere in English. Quality/Price Rating: 88. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT SIMPLE SUPPERS; fresh ideas for the weeknight table (Clarkson Potter, 2005; distr. Random House, 304 pages, ISBN 0- 609-60912-2, $45 hard covers) is by the Moosewood Collective which runs that eponymous restaurant in Ithaca, NY. This is at least their eleventh cook book; the collective claims 2 million total copies in print of all their works. Although the book is meatless, it does include fish. Chapters deal with pastas, beans and tofu, curries, salads, soups, sandwiches, main dish grains, sides (31 recipes here), condiments, spreads and desserts. The 175 recipes stress “back to basics” as the theme for the busy cook. There are ingredient substitutions to note, cooks notes and advice, a clear indication of what can be made ahead, and how to handle leftovers. Prep times are indicated, and most are 30 minutes of less (although the majority go the full distance and the occasional one is up to 45 minutes). Variations and serving ideas are copious. You’ll need a well-stocked larder for quick preps, and the pantry guide the collective presents is extremely useful to have. On the last page there are weight and metric conversion charts for the US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: beginner, vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: shortcut chili; quick avocado and corn salsa; pasta with caramelized onions and blue cheese; saucy Hungarian eggplant; Navajo stew (takes 55 minutes); rarebit risotto. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): this is a heavy, upscale-looking book for simple or fast food. What I do like about this book (its positives): good layout and incorporation of plated photos. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 3. THE POTLUCK COOKBOOK; classic recipes for any occasion (Collectors Press, 2005; distr. Ten Speed Press, 128 pages, ISBN 1-933112-14-X, $27.95 hard covers) is by Dolores Kostelni, a cookbook author, food columnist and broadcaster; she has also owned and operated two cooking schools and catering companies. This book is also useful for tailgate parties, crock-pot chili events, and summer cookouts. Here are portable classic casseroles, cookies, quick breads, oven-baked dips, enchiladas, soups, salads, desserts. It is arranged by party starters, breakfast and brunch, meat entrees, poultry entrees, veggies, desserts. Kostelni deals with menu-planning and cleanup, and while various potluck occasions are listed, there are no page references to the recipes. US volume measurements are used, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The book is useful for those people who wish to bring to the event something different from what others might bring. Audience and level of use: beginner, cookbook collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chicken wild rice casserole; potato casserole; deep-dish chicken pie; sloppy joes. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the index is by course, so it just repeats the regular lineup of dishes. There is no index to the ingredients. What I do like about this book (its positives): good retro cookery and cooking for a crowd. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4. THE NIMAN RANCH COOKBOOK; from farm to table with America’s finest meat (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 210 pages, ISBN 1-58008-520-2, $48.95 hard covers) is by Bill Niman, a cattle rancher, and Janet Fletcher, a food writer based in Napa Valley and a multiple James Beard Award winner. Most of the book is about sustainable farming in the Bolinas area of California. The area and “sustainable” is now supported by over 500 independent family farmers raising cattle, hogs, and sheep according to Niman’s strict protocols. They are all entitled to call their butchered meats “Niman Ranch” – this helps to explain why there is so much of it around. There are only 40 recipes here, contributed by chefs who serve Niman Ranch meat (Mario Batali, Jean-Georges Vongerichten). The food section shows the different techniques for cooking meats, and also illustrates it all with meat charts and colour photos. There is a concluding bibliography and glossary. Audience and level of use: environmentalists, foodies, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pastrami sandwich (from Zimmermans), flatiron steak with anchovy vinaigrette, Danish pork burgers, drilled tri tip with black olive aioli, roasted baby back ribs, cider-glazed pork chops, posole. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): I think the book needs twice as many recipes. What I do like about this book (its positives): good detail about sustainable ranching. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 5. THE VODKA COOKBOOK (Kyle Books; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1- 904920-27-6, $24.95 hard covers) is by John Rose, an advertising executive based in Moscow. And the book is published in association with Smirnoff. The 120 recipes are good for brunches, desserts, and cocktails. The mains can usually do without vodka, although the book does allow for flavoured-vodka infusions to be used. Seafood and pasta seem to benefit from this. Of course, there is much detail on vodka (and Smirnoff) lore: history, production, obscurities. Audience and level of use: those who think that it is cute to cook with vodka. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: vodka and onion ketchup; vodka tomato salad dressing with fried tomato skins; cherry vodka fondue; Russian toast with bananas flambé and raspberry-lime vodka sauce; shashlik drenched in pomegranate and vodka. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): heavily dependant on Smirnoff product placement. What I do like about this book (its positives): delivers the goods. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 6. DOUGH; simple contemporary bread (Kyle Books; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-904920-20-9, $34.95 hard covers, and including one 30- minute DVD) is by Richard Bertinet, who trained as a baker in France before launching The Dough Co in the UK. These are basic recipes. Bertinet uses organic flours in his 100 preps (which take less than one hour each to finish). He presents five easy recipes for the basic doughs: white (plus 14 variations), olive (9 variations), brown (11), rye (8), and sweet (9 variations). Each chapter ends with some advanced concepts so that home bakers can eventually experiment with their own ideas. Many of the recipes can be part-baked and frozen, ready to finish off in the oven. This is what the big guys in the restaurants do. Each of his recipes gives quantity prep time, resting time, second rising time and baking times. Tools and ingredients are fully discussed, and there are lots of photos of techniques. He has a 30- minute demo of simple techniques of making bread on the DVD. The supplies list is all US. Both metric and imperial measurements are used. Audience and level of use: home bakers, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fougasse, bread shots (appetizers), sesame and anise breadsticks, pancetta and mixed olive bread, cardamom and prune bread. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): I don’t know whether the producers realized it or not, but there are plenty of crotch shots on the DVD behind his rolling out of the dough. He’s wearing jeans, but next time he should wear an apron: it is less distracting. Also, the DVD is not securely fitted into the book. What I do like about this book (its positives): all the ingredients are scaled (weighed). Quality/Price Rating: 84. 7. DRINKS (DK, 2005, 512 pages, ISBN 0-7566-1323-X, $65 hard covers) is by Vincent Gasnier, a Master Sommelier, who trained in France. He now runs his own consulting company. I supposed that if you had to choose one book to cover all alcoholic beverages, then this would be the one, especially since it is so widely available at a discount through such places as Amazon.Ca. Otherwise, coverage is broad and redundant. Wine is covered in 140 pages, spirits in 115 pages, beer in 98 pages, cocktails in 60 pages, and ciders in ten pages. They are arranged within their separate sections by country, with the name of the grape or product, region, a description, and a list of recommended producers. About 1000 “drinks” are covered and illustrated. There is basic stuff on buying, storing, and serving drinks, what foods they go with, and where and when to enjoy the libation. Gasnier does give a good range of tasting notes, stressing colour, aroma, and taste. Each product is illustrated by a bottle or label. There is a glossary and an index. Audience and level of use: beginner, one-book purchasers, schools of hospitality. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Bulmer’s (Strongbow) produces 65% of the cider sold in the UK, and an even higher percentage of all the UK cider exported. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): too basic, often with thumbnail sketches of the most popular brands. What I do like about this book (its positives): Value-priced, great gift book. Running heads under the page numbers (plus the pastel colours) help to quickly retrieve the name of the wine or spirit. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8. A BAKER’S TOUR (HarperCollins, 2005, 390 pages, ISBN 0-06-058263-4, $45 hard covers) is by Nick Malgieri, a food writer and author of six other baking books – a James Beard Award winner. This is baking from around the world. More than 100 recipes come from 39 countries; many preps are sourced from other cooks. Covered are cookies, cakes, breads, and pastries. The book is a reasonably comprehensive collection of classics, ranging from the casual to the sophisticated, adapted to North American usage, along with some variations. There are cooks notes and colour photos. He has a recipe index by country with page references. For example, from Canada, he sources Bonnie Stern’s butter tarts. Tarte au sirop d’erable comes from Au Pied du Cochon in Montreal. Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland have the most recipes; for all other countries, it is mostly some kind of “national” sweet. There’s also a bibliography and a US sources listing with websites. US volume measurements, with no metric equivalent table. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ligurian focaccia; almond coffee ring (Bern); honey cakes (Denmark); madeleines (France); linzer slices. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): all of the recipes use volume measurements, which I find odd because baking books always scale their weights. What I do like about this book (its positives): good index by ingredient name, dish name, and original language name. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 9. EMERIL’S DELMONICO; a restaurant with a past (William Morrow, 2005, 276 pages, ISBN 0-06-074046-9, $39.95 hard covers) is by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. He bought Delmonico Restaurant and Bar in New Orleans in 1997, and reopened it as Emeril’s Delmonico. There is no connection with the 1827 New York Delmonico – the owners (the Commanders, of Commander Palace fame) just borrowed the name in 1895. The recipes have been adapted from those used at the restaurant, for home use. The stress of the 200 preps is on rich Creole food. Sections cover libations, soups, salads, brunch, seafood, poultry, meats and sweets. There are plenty of cook notes from Emeril, and the recipes have a good layout and feel with their colour photos. But there are only two gumbo and one omelette recipes. Emeril uses US volume measurements; there is also a source guide and a list of all nine of his restaurants. And 10. GALATOIRE’S COOKBOOK; recipes and family history from the time- honored New Orleans restaurant (Clarkson Potter, 2005; distr. Random House, 272 pages, ISBN 0-307-23637-4, $50 hard covers) is by Melvin Rodrigue the COO of Galatoire’s, and Jyl Benson, a lifestyles writer who is also the restaurant’s publicist. This book is more a memento for all of the people who have eaten there in the past; page after page turns by with pictures of the wait staff, people, the restaurant – just about everything but the final plated food. The 140 recipes were published to coincide with Galatoire’s centennial; thus, there is a genealogy of the Galatoire family, archival photos, a textual history. Chef Ross Eirich has tried to produce French-Creole fare for the home cook while still maintaining an upscale air. He succeeds, but mainly because of the elegant typeface and the black and white photos. Chapters concern cocktails, appetizers, salads, one gumbo, soups, seven omelettes, eggs, fish, meat, desserts. US volume measurements are used, and most service is for six eaters. Audience and level of use: fans of the restaurants, intermediate level cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for Delmonico: absinthe frappe, oyster Bienville, frog’s legs bordelaise, asparagus and crabmeat salad on puff pastry, roasted fennel and arugula salad, pompano en papillote. For Galatoire’s: broiled pompano, grilled salmon with poached oysters and shallot cream, chicken financiere (just as I remembered it from 1975), berry Napoleon with Grand Marnier sabayon, creole bouillabaisse, shrimp and eggplant soup, shrimp remoulade, mussels saint-pierre. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): for Galatoire’s, there are way too many pictures of restaurant personnel and not enough of the food. Both books have no table of metric weights and measures equivalents. What I do like about this book (its positives): they are an entertaining history and cookbook of Galatoire’s and Delmonico. Quality/Price Rating: Delmonico gets 86 (more recipes, cheaper price), Galatoire’s gets 83. 11. SIMPLE SOIREES; seasonal menus for sensational dinner parties (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 224 pages, ISBN 1-58479-460-7, $49 hard covers) is by Peggy Knickerbocker, a freelance food and travel writer based in San Francisco and Paris. She was formerly a caterer. This book is her advice for creating a memorable party (or parties0 for two or more people. Her 100 recipes are arranged seasonally, beginning with spring. Many planning and prep suggestions are offered, as well as party decorations and invitations. She stresses advanced food preps of organic foods. Each soiree has a specific party plan of attack and decorating ideas: Mexican Fiesta, Provencal Spring, Greek, Spring vegetables, and the like. Her romantic dinner for two calls for Alice B. Toklas chicken (with orange juice, cream, garlicky spinach, so you’ll both have to eat it). She also has conversion charts for weights and measures to metric and Imperial equivalents. Audience and level of use: for people who need help in throwing dinner parties. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: butterflied leg of lamb stuffed with tapenade; gnafron (androuille flan); pan-fried sand dabs with aioli (you’ll need to live near San Francisco for this one); North Beach gratin of chard and salt cod; radicchio salad with roasted walnuts and parmesan; minced chicken in lettuce cups. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the sources list is for only six items plus cheese, all US. She also needs more wine notes. What I do like about this book (its positives): she has a good brining recipe. The index has an indication of which preps have a photo. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 12. SMALL BITES; tapas, sushi, mezzo, antipasti, and other finger foods (DK, 2005, 224 pages, ISBN 0-7566-1347-7, $27 hard covers) is by Jennifer Joyce, a cookbook author. Most of these preps can be done 24 hours in advance. Topics include fried bites (with a Latin subsection), soups, salads, skewers (largely Middle East), meat, fish, veggies, sweets, plus a section on wrapped – tied – rolled. Supplementary recipes cover sauces and garnishes. Recipes have an indication of what food can serve as partners, with page references (e.g. pea and shrimp samosas go with tomato and ginger soup or tandoori chicken thighs. To complete the picture, Joyce gives us suggested menus for each major topic, with time lines of preparation (two days before, the night before, in the morning, one hour before, half an hour before, at the last minute). Recipes have both volume and metric measurements for all ingredients, prep times and cooking times. The sources list has web addresses for cheeses and spices. Audience and level of use: intermediate. Some good ideas here for caterers and restaurants willing to expand their appetizer offerings. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crispy vegetable pakoras; Thai corn fritters; mushroom and chestnut soup; smoky eggplant puree; garbanzo and pomegranate dip; glass noodle salad. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): too many fried foods for me. Also, beverage notes would have been useful. What I do like about this book (its positives): there are detailed instructions with plenty of leading for eye relief. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 13. ARTISANAL COOKING; a chef shares his passion for handcrafting great meals at home (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 326 pages, ISBN 0-7645-6822-1, $45.99 hard covers) is by Terrance Brennan, owner-chef of many restaurants and TV personality. He also owns the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center. Andrew Friedman is the experienced food focusing co- author. The stress here is “pride” in what you create. Brennan does want you to be flexible and spontaneous, but there are a few basic principles stressed, such as “read the recipe through first” or “have a large pantry”. Each of the 150 recipes has a set of cook’s notes for techniques and cooking terms. Variations and embellishments are also noted. As with most cookbooks, the arrangement is by course. Overall, more cheese is used than one would normally find in a cookbook. There is a US sources list with websites, and it is interesting to note that some of these people sell their own cookbooks. US volume measurements are used, and there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: celebrity cookbook collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: scallops ceviche with avocado; venison au poivre with red cabbage confit; spring vegetable salad with parmesan tuille and herb vinaigrette; grilled tuna with basil aioli and raw tomato coulis; chicken curry with basmati rice and figs. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there is a whole section on “hors d’oeuvre” but the word is misspelled on every page between p42 and p92. Despite his plea for attention to detail in each recipe, there needs to be attention to detail in the book. A definition of artisanal is “attention to detail”. What I do like about this book (its positives): the ingredients are listed in the recipes as “all caps”, a nice feature. Condiments and garnishes are all listed together with page references. In fact, there is good use of page referencing throughout this book. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 14. REAL FOOD – FAST (Headline, 2005; distr. McArthur, 223 pages, ISBN 0-7553-1308-9, $39.95 hard covers) is by Mary Berry, a UK writer who has written some three dozen cookbooks as well as appearing the BBC. She is an expert on Aga cookery. In fact, this book had advice for the Aga user, in re-positioning some of the food techniques. On p.9 she says “Something on the Aga can be brought to the boil on the boiling plate, then simmered on the simmering plate. But if that simmering is to continue for more than a few minutes, the Aga cook would be better putting the dish in the simmering oven. This will take longer than simmering on the top, but…there is no danger of anything boiling over, and there are no kitchen smells.” What it all boils down to is the philosophical notion: what is a few minutes? All courses are covered, from apps to puddings. Both metric and Imperial measurements are used. Audience and level of use: largely British Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quail’s egg and hollandaise mini-tartlets; pea, horseradish and coriander soup; smoked duck salad with oriental sauce; Thai shiitake chicken; antipasto of smoked fish and prawns; raspberry and almond trifle. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): I’ve no idea why the book is available in North America, for it is too British. What I do like about this book (its positives): the principal ingredients are listed in boldface in the index. The recipes include Aga cooking times. Quality/Price Rating: 82. 15. THE WINE BOOK; change the way you think about wine (Headline, 2005; distr. McArthur, 306 pages, ISBN 0-7553-1367-4, $39.95 hard covers) has been written by Matthew Jukes, UK wine writer for the Daily Mail. He is also the author of the annual The Wine List, which summarizes good buys in the UK. Jukes covers the basics (how to taste, what grape varietals are all about, how to buy in the UK, and wine regions of the world. Much more satisfying details cane be found at his website www.matthewjukes.com. He has the usual vintage charts, glossaries of terms for viticulture, vinification, and tasting, plus an index. Audience and level of use: beginner level, residents of UK. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: There is one paragraph on Canada, and it is generally correct except for the mention on vidal wines. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): $40 is a lot to pay for a basic book, particularly since it is meant for the UK market. There are also no real maps. What I do like about this book (its positives): competent. Quality/Price Rating: 78. 16. SARA’S SECRETS FOR WEEKNIGHT MEALS (Broadway Books, 2005; distr. Random House, 358 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1659-X, $42 hard covers) is by Sara Moulton, host of a food show on the Food Network as well as Executive Editor of Gourmet magazine. These are all fast, tasty, and healthy weeknight entrees. Apparently, her fans have been after her for years to produce such a simple book. The 200 recipes here are her versions of classics and of popular ethnic dishes. In addition, the book is rounded out with salads and sides. The key, like many similar books, is to have a well-stocked larder or pantry with plenty of staples. Another key is to cook slowly, which can be accomplished by starting in the morning. All of the recipes include prep and cooking times plus side dish suggestions. Her cook notes are full of anecdotes. Her prep times are 45 minutes or less, although times may vary depending on your speed of work and chopping skills. The range of foods include make aheads, entrée salads, substantial sandwiches, hearty thick soups, breakfast food for dinner, leftover usage, and multi- ingredient pastas. Audience and level of use: celebrity chef, intermediate level. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: creamy cauliflower soup with chorizo and greens, soba noodle and chicken salad, brie and bacon and spaghetti frittata, orzo and basmati pilaf with spring vegetables ragout, baked risotto with red wine and sweet potatoes and duck confit, spinach and ricotta calzones. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the colourful typeface used for each recipe is deliberately lightened for the listing of ingredients: you cannot photocopy it! Despite copyright issues, to me, this is a nuisance because I never like to cook from a book: it gets stained, splattered, with cracked spines, ripped and torn. I always make a “fair use” photocopy and cook from that. What I do like about this book (its positives): She has a good general principle: you can take any plate and enlarge it to make a full meal out of it, lessening the actual number of courses you need to have. To which I would add: serve plenty of wine so that your guests absorb those extra calories. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 17. COCKTAILS SHAKEN AND STIRRED (Kyle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-904920-22-5, $24.95 hard covers) is by Douglas Ankrah, a UK bar owner, drink consultant, and spirits educator. He runs LAB and Townhouse in London UK. Here are the usual basics (glassware, equipment, methods of stirring and layering and blending and pouring and shaking and muddling and bashing, use of ice and garnishes. There is detail on stocking the bar with syrups and purees. The book is certainly useful for a large party or restaurant, but I just can’t see it happening for occasional use at home. There are about two recipes per page, say 100 in all, and many are claimed to be unique – even though some copyright details may be missing. Audience and level of use: intermediate level Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the foods recipes include rare blackened beef with pesto, seared sesame tuna with wasabi yogurt dip, diverse crostini, baked new potatoes with caviar and cream cheese, broiled asparagus with prosciutto, fried calamari, walnuts and stilton. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the index has no ingredient lists. What I do like about this book (its positives): the garnishes are really fancy in this book. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 18. LA PORTE DES INDES COOKBOOK (Pavilion, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-86205-643-9, $48 hard covers) is by Mehernosh and Sherin Mody (chef and owner, respectively, of the eponymous UK restaurant), with John Hellon as the focusing co-author. This is French creole cuisine of Pondichery, a blend of French and Indian ingredients. The French had control of this region (southeast coast, south of Madras, north of Sri Lanka) from 1670 through 1954. The 80 recipes here are a collection of cultural favourites, regional specialties, and some original dishes, all arranged by course. There are preps for breads, chutneys, and teas. Four heat levels are indicated (0 to 3). There are notes on pantry management. The Modys use both Imperial and metric measurements in the list of ingredients. More details are available at www.laportedesindes.com. Audience and level of use: restaurant cookbook collectors, adventuresome cooks of Indian food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chai masala (can also be a mousse); chard and water chestnut pakora; crab Malabar; scallops in saffron sauce; lamb and herb kebabs; seafood stew (cassoulet de fruits de mer). What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): tiny print for the ingredient list. What I do like about this book (its positives): there are two pages of wine and food matching, but the obvious best is any aromatic white. The index is trilingual: local words, French and English. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 19. SOUP KITCHEN (HarperCollins, 2005, 224 pages, ISBN 0-00-720540-6, $39.95 hard covers) has been edited by Annabel Buckingham and Thomasina Miers. They have collected recipes from top UK chefs and food writers, such as Delia Smith, Jamie Oliver, Anton Mosimann, Gordon Ramsay, and Michel Roux Jr., and they have credited all of them. Of the 100 recipes, some are from existing cookbooks. The chapters are arranged by season, with a section on “all year”. The editors have ensured that there are also recipes for stocks and breads. “Soup Kitchen” does, of course, have a distinctly British orientation. Audience and level of use: beginner level. The book is also a charity fundraiser. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: squash and shrimp soup with nutmeg; Jerusalem artichoke and parmesan soup; root soup with cheese scones; cauliflower and potato spice soup; smoked haddock and shrimp chowder; spring vegetable soup with bacon dumplings. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the index is in black ink on a purple background, making it difficult to read. What I do like about this book (its positives): there are superb comments from the chefs, e.g., “probably serves 4 really greedy bastards or 8 nancies as a starter”. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 20. BONES; recipes, history, and lore (William Morrow, 2005, 257 pages, ISBN 0-06-058537-4, $45 hard covers) is by Jennifer McLagan, an Australian chef now based in Toronto. This is basically a slow food book since it involves cooking flesh on the bone, often to the point where the flesh is “off” the bone. It is arranged by animal. For each, McLagen explains the differences in cuts of meat, presents a range of stocks and soups, suggests approaches to roasting, and then proceeds with preps for chops, steaks and ribs. There are plenty of cook’s notes and sidebars. The colour photo section has page references to the recipe. Each prep uses both metric and volume measurements for each ingredient. She concludes with a short bibliography of suggested readings (books and periodical articles). Audience and level of use: meat lovers, slow food movement. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted veal chops with Madeira and parsnips; short ribs in wine and balsamic sauce; roasted marrow bones; Chinese-style oxtail; orange-Compari-braised pork shoulder. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): There could have been some wine notes since flesh seems to be the perfect food-wine match. There is an overly long three pages of acknowledgements and thanks. This seems to be the regular thing these days. Last year, there were many books with a full page, but this year, it seems to have crept up to at least two, and here, three. Is this really necessary? Of course, this takes nothing away from the food and recipes, but still… What I do like about this book (its positives): extensive ingredient index. This book is a very useful contribution to the cookbook scene. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 21. THE CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY DIET; the indulgent approach to managing your weight (Quill Driver Books, 2006; distr. by University of Toronto Press, 368 pages, ISBN 1-884956-48-3, $36.95 hard covers) is largely by Haven Logan, a psychotherapist with a Ph.D., with the consulting help of Sharon Stewart, R.D., for the nutritional and exercise content of the book. Logan is concerned with the main framework and the motivation (to take you through the process of losing weight and keeping it off, a sort of hand holding), while Stewart (who is not mentioned at all on the promo sheets) deals with the nitty gritty of balanced meals and some fitness programs. Part One of the book deals with six aspects of weight management (known as the six spokes of the Wheel). For those of you not tuned into the California lifestyle, you’ll need to know that ANY mantra or chakra treatment demands a “wheel” image of some kind. Build the “wheel” and they will come! Part Two is the implementation of your own diet and physical activity, plus other aspects of the remaining four spokes. There are three weeks of suggested daily food plans for three calorie levels (1200, 1600, and 2000 calories) based on USDA 2005 dietary guidelines. You can use up to 15% of these calories for pleasure foods, which this book wants you to sink into wine. For women, the USDA says 5 ounces a day; for men, that figure climbs to 10 ounces, with twice the calories. If you don’t drink, you could choose bittersweet chocolate. Or potato chips, cheesecake, brownies, cookies, cream, croissant: not more than 15% of the total per day. But that 15% wiggle room is very important, and makes you feel good. She claims that the “art of conscious indulgence” will stop yo-yo dieting. If you choose not to drink wine, then the rest of the book means nothing to you. There are some two dozen commonsense recipes, based on California wine country cuisine such as black bean burritos, broiled lamb chops, penne, salads, walnuts and walnut oil. And an additional 41 upscale recipes from local restaurants and inns (Benbow Inn, Patrona Bistro, Fetzer Vineyards Café, John Ash, et al.). There are end notes, bibliography, website listing, and extremely small typeface for the index. You’ll need to pay attention to details, follow the prescriptive tables, and don’t wander. It also helps to live in California. Audience and level of use: those who need to lose weight, people who live in or near California. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: on page 348, the Wheel of Weight-Management has six spokes: Nutrition (I am giving myself the foods I need to nourish my body), Activity (I am enjoying an active life), Practicality (I am simplifying my life through practicality), Pleasure (I am slowing down and taking time to enjoy my life), Relationships (My relationship with myself enhances my relationship with others), and Variety (My life continues to unfold in new and exciting ways as I embrace variety). And that, I think, is all you really need to know. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): diet or not, wine is an indulgence, and counts as 15% of your play calories. You don’t need to drink wine to lose weight, thus obviating the whole selling point of this book. Also, there is no getting away from the fact that you are going to have to do more physical activity than before if you are serious about losing weight and keeping it off. There is no getting around this, and that’s why you’ll need a motivational psychotherapist. What I do like about this book (its positives): lots of motivation here. For the serious dieter, there are copious tables and charts to fill in to monitor your progress. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 22. THE FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS BIBLE; more than 5000 substitutions for ingredients, equipment & techniques (Robert Rose, 2005, 621 pages, ISBN 0-7788-0119-5, $24.95 paper covers) has been compiled by David Joachim who has authored, edited or collaborated on more than 25 cookbooks. This is a pretty solid reference book emphasizing, through 1500 complete entries, more than 5000 reasonably approximate substitutions – all of it cross-referenced and arranged alphabetically. The ingredients are listed with both Imperial and metric measurements. There are 125 recipes for larder type items (sauces, stocks, spice mixes, herb blends, syrups, flavoured butters, cheese, dips, spreads, relishes, and beverages). There are handy reference charts for metric equivalents, high altitude cooking, stages of cooked sugar, pan sizes. There are ingredient tables for edible flowers, types of salts and vinegars, oil substitutions, picking apples and pears, dried beans and lentils, olives, mushrooms, potatoes, chilies, flours, and rice. He has useful website listings and a bibliography. Audience and level of use: all chefs and cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: There are two pages of substitutions on butter. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): if you use the book a lot, the binding may suffer. What I do like about this book (its positives): serves as a great crutch when you realize that your pantry is currently bare. Quality/Price Rating: 89. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2005 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE WORLD’S GREATEST WINE ESTATES; a modern perspective (Simon & Schuster, 2005, 708 pages, ISBN 0-7432-3771-4, $99 hard covers) is by well-known wine writer Robert M. Parker, Jr. It is his first “illustrated” book. Normally, Parker styles himself as a consumer advocate while tasting wines. But this is a personal tour of some favourite wine producers and their memorable wines. 156 estates are covered, with producers from all continents. But there is nobody from Canada. Oregon and Chile also have no representatives; Catena Zapata is the lone Argentine entry. California has 22, Australia has 8, and Italy has 22. The three from Portugal are mainly ports with some Douro table wines. The rest is almost all France. Several pages are devoted to each estate, with the usual directory of names and numbers, visiting policy, a note on vineyards and winemaking styles, production, and notes on recent vintages. These are followed by anecdotes and ownership histories. There is a picture of the estate and some people. Parker then gives his tasting notes on representative recent wines, along with their Parker Points, usually above 95. There are also some tasting notes from the ubiquitous Pierre Antoine Rovani. At some point you may want to know where you can buy these wines. Auctions appear to be the only place, for the wines are made in minuscule amounts of 400 to 2500 cases for the entire world. The book concludes with a glossary. Audience and level of use: the traveler or collector who wishes to follow in Parker’s footsteps. Some interesting or unusual facts: There is a section on “Future Stars”: some wine producer prospects to think about (But I’d imagine that Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou couldn’t be too thrilled at seeing their listing here at this point). Parker calls globalization “the wine world’s biggest myth”, an idea created by the “pleasure police” What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): is Parker getting more cranky, or is it just my imagination? Except for fresh and fruity whites, the vintage notes come from the 1990s. What I do like about this book (its positives): there is a terrific essay on defining greatness in a wine. Quality/Price Rating: 88. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE (John Wiley and Sons, 2005, 496 pages, ISBN 0- 471-42807-8. $58.99 hard covers) is by Lisa Yockelson, a James Beard nominee and IACP winner for her book “Baking with Flavor”. She is a baking journalist appearing in many newspapers and magazines in the US. Her book is fairly comprehensive, with more than 200 recipes and many essays. The 21 chapters are all arranged by theme. There is a discourse on chocolate and a reference section for techniques and a pantry. The chapters cover brownie-styles through cakes, chips, chunks, nuts, toffee, breads, layered chocolate, pancakes, crunches, dark and bitter- sweet chocolate, flourless cooking, cookies, and liquid chocolate. She says, “Each recipe is accompanied by a description, a procedure, and, as appropriate, an assortment of end notes: style, accent, study, and element.” Here, one can produce variations and learn new techniques. One recipe can be used in another (such as the chocolate fudge sauce that can be used as an undercoating or topping for some cakes). Through tables and photos, the different kinds of chocolate are identified and explained as to what is available in the market place (she lists 105 different kinds). She has a section on storing and freezing chocolate baked goods, again with relevant tables. More charts are given for compatibility, availability, harmony, intensity levels, and storage. Unfortunately for us in Canada, all of her sources of supply are US. There is also a concluding bibliography. Audience and level of use: chocolate fanatics, restaurants, cooking schools, chef programs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bittersweet chocolate brownies; chunky chocolate-covered coconut candy cookies; dense chocolate-walnut cake; sour-cream milk chocolate chip pound cake; French chocolate cake; double chocolate-coconut heavens (don’t ask) What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): frightfully heavy in size. And surprisingly, since it is such a thoroughly comprehensive reference book, there are NO metric equivalent tables! Page 65 would have been a place to have it. What I do like about this book (its positives): there are chocolate compatibility charts (nuts, fruit, dairy). The book is comprehensive and definitive. Quality/Price Rating: 93. 3. GOOSE FAT & GARLIC; country recipes from South-West France (Kyle Cathie, 2003; distr. Raincoast, 342 pages, ISBN 1-85626-536-6, $19.95 paper covers) is by Jeanne Strang, one of the early editors of “The Good Food Guide”. She and her husband Paul bought a house in South-West France 40 years ago. This book was originally published in 1991; this is a decennial revision. It covers Gascony, the Perigord, Basque, and Languedoc – as does Wolfert (see next review). Most of the recipes remain the same, with some updating in light of the increased tourism and relocation to the area. Strang, having lived in the Southwest, promotes the region’s rustic “country recipes” with a strong development of terroir with the prep’s local foods and ingredients. All the classics are here, emphasizing not butter nor olive oil but rather poultry fat. She also has many historical and anecdotal references; this is a book to read in bed (it is fairly light since it is a paperback). Much of this food is available for export, in the form of tinned goods, jars, frozen packs, vacuum packed (“sous vide”), dried, and so forth. But Strang doesn’t write much about these forms. She does have an interesting appendix of regulations controlling tinned foie gras. There is a concluding glossary and bibliography, and it should be noted that neither Wolfert nor Strang mention the other writer’s book in their respective bibliography. Audience and level of use: cookbook collectors Some interesting or unusual recipes: salsify in sauce; pig’s liver with piquant sauce; omelettes; pork and spinach and prunes in batter (le pounti); stuffed shoulder of lamb; country ham. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the section on wines is very slight; she gives more details on liqueurs and marc. What I do like about this book (its positives): Each ingredient listed in each recipe has volume/weights measurements in both British and metric terms. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4. THE COOKING OF SOUTHWEST FRANCE. Completely Updated (John Wiley, 2005, 455 pages, ISBN 0-7645-7602-X, $48.99 hard covers) is by Paula Wolfert, well-known cookbook author specializing in Mediterranean food. It was first published in 1983, and this is its first major updated edition. The 1983 book (which I already owned and used for comparison) employs more fat: just check the cassoulet recipe. The duck confit prep has been overhauled, and to make room for more food stuffs, the quail and pheasant recipes have been dropped. The 200 recipes here are accompanied by anecdotal stories, along with helpful cook notes, definitions, and wine notes. The English title of the recipe goes first, followed by the French name. There are separate chapters on soups, goose/duck, cassoulet, and liver items. Some recipes come from French chefs who practice Southwest French-style cooking. All of the measurements are by US volume, and unfortunately there are no tables of metric equivalents. Wolfert also lists only URLs for web mail order sources of the food producers. The bibliography fails to mention Strang’s book (that’s ok, since Strang fails to mention Wolfert’s book!) Audience and level of use: French cookery lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: steamed mussels with ham shallots and garlic; baby chicken with lemon-garlic sauce; fried cornmeal porridge cake; strawberries with peppercorns and red wine; roast figs; veal kidneys. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the index is mostly by English name. What I do like about this book (its positives): Wolfert tackles “sous vide” which Strang does not. The book is set in larger type with plenty of leading, which is pleasing in the kitchen. There is a separate index to recipes by region and course. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5. HARMONY ON THE PALATE; matching simple recipes to everyday wine styles (Whitecap, 2005, 192 pages, ISBN 1-55285-701-8, $29.95 paper covers) is by my Wine Writer Circle of Canada colleague Shari Darling, wine author and educator, publishing in newspapers, magazines and broadcasting as well. The emphasis is on food pairing, and each prep here must match a wine (and vice versa). Part One details the technical basis for pairing food and wine, and Part Two has the simple food recipes and wine notes, and is arranged by “everyday” wine styles. There are 11 of these, beginning with sparklers and moving through crisp dry whites, big fat whites, various styles of reds, late harvest wines, ice wines, and ports. Each chapter is headed with a Harmony Chart where both food affinities and food challenges are spelled out, as well as complementary cuisines, seasons of the year, methods of preparation, and uses at ideal occasions. The ingredients are listed in both North American style and in metric. The first 20 pages deal with her three building block principles (all copyrighted 2004: match similar building blocks; offset dissimilar building block; and wine should be more pronounced than food). Each recipe comes with wine notes outlining the building blocks and the flavours. For more information, check out her website www.sophisticatedwino.com. Audience and level of use: sophisticated learners willing to improve their wine skills. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Chinese rice-studded meatballs with lime dipping sauce; marinated chevre with sundried tomatoes and roasted garlic; veloute soup of fiddleheads and oka; lamb stuffed with spinach and triple crème; chicken and androuille jambalaya. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): I’d like her thoughts on Thanksgiving/Christmas dinners with its multitude of birds and stuffings and accompaniments. There are no turkey recipes here, except for Tex-Mex turkey burgers. Also, I think she needed two different tongue models to illustrate the super-taster and the non- taster tongue. What I do like about this book (its positives): the index has been well-developed. This is a good, solid work. Quality/Price Rating: 91. 6. SOUP. Rev. ed. (Kyle Cathie, 2003, distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-85626-506-4, $24.95 paper covers) is by Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton. It was first published in 1999 by these owners of the UK SoupWorks restaurants. These are international classic soups, along with some fusion ideas, as featured from time to time in their restos. It is arranged by country and region. The authors use symbols in the recipes, such as V for vegetarian, L for low fat, D for dairy free, G for gluten-free, and N for “contains nuts”. Some recipe have more than one symbol. The book is easy to use, with about one or two recipes on a page. Both metric and avoirdupois measurements are on the same page. There are also recipes for stocks and breads. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spicy lobster bisque; cream of shitake mushroom; sweet potato, coconut, and chicken soup; cucumber and mango bisque; peanut and cabbage; cream of pumpkin with coconut. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): index is only by name of the soup, and not by ingredient. What I do like about this book (its positives): the index breaks out vegetarian soups, fruit soups, and chilled soups. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 7. WINTER FOOD; seasonal recipes for the colder months (Kyle Cathie, 2005, 192 pages, ISBN 1-85626-562-5, $39.95 hard covers) is by Jill Norman, an award-winning British food and wine writer and editor with many cookbooks and food books under her belt. These 150 recipes emphasize some old favourites of warming foods and spices such as cauliflower, cabbages, parsnips and other root veggies. Persimmons and pomegranates are used for accents. The harvest time is emphasized, with recipes for squash, celeriac, chestnuts, quinces, as well as geese and game, fish and shellfish. The recipes come from everywhere: northern US, the plateaus of Turkey and Spain, the Andes, Italian mountain villages, China, Russia, Scandinavia. Her tourtiere from Quebec is based on an Alsatian Tourte de la Valle de Munster, substituting bread for potato. Also: in a stunning reversal of cookbook trends, metric measurements are used in the recipe, and there is a table of Imperial equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate walnut torte; red peppers with anchovies and olives; wrinkled potatoes with mojo (sauce originally from the Canaries); Russian Georgian cheese bread; bean, pumpkin and sausage casserole; winter vegetable tart. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there is a distinct British orientation, such as in the game section. What I do like about this book (its positives): it is nice to know that there is more to winter food than just stews. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 8. DAMON LEE FOWLER’S NEW SOUTHERN BAKING; classic flavors for today’s cooks (Simon & Schuster, 2005, 360 pages, ISBN 0-7432-5058-3, $36 hard covers) is by the author of often-nominated cookbooks dealing with the Deep South, covering contemporary cooking, fried chicken, beans and greens, and fruits. Here, he delves into 150 baking classics with variations. Along the way he presents some personal essays dealing with culture and historical perspectives. He bemoans the lack of “mama’s bread”: mama is no longer baking in the kitchen – in fact, she’s not even at home since she is out working. Fowler also has a history of southern baking and an essay on the “art” of toasting. Some of his discussions concern southern US wheat and its sources, the various types of pork fats (and sources of pork fats), and also bourbon vanilla and its sources. Strewn throughout the recipes are cook notes on baking. He concludes with a bibliography of books and articles. US volume measurements are employed but there is a table of metric equivalents. Fruit pies and fruit cakes are excluded because they can be found elsewhere. Thus, there is no recipe here for lemon meringue pie. Audience and level of use: bakers, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: skillet cornbread; herbed skillet rice bread; classic southern wheat bread; sweet potato corn muffins; congo squares (pecan bar cookies); and key lime pie. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): it’s okay, it seems to fulfill its function. What I do like about this book (its positives): extensive index. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. BEER SCHOOL (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 288 pages, ISBN 0-471-73512-4, $29.99 hard covers) is by Steve Hindy and Tom Potter, founders of the Brooklyn Brewery (1987). The two neighbours (one a banker, the other a journalist) decided to quit their jobs and open a brewery. The start was a kitchen in a brownstone and $500,000. The hard challenge was building a sales-driven manufacturing company from scratch in the centre of New York City. The book looks at the business side of the industry of microbreweries. With very good plans for those wishing to start their own brewery, the book has applications to Canada. The practical lessons on starting a business also concentrate on managing expectations and growth. You’ll need to create a business plan, get financing, use guerilla marketing and publicity techniques, involve the community, and motivate the employees. Oh, yes, you’ll also need a few beer recipes. After partnering on events and networking for opportunities, you can cash out (as they did at the end of 2004) and then write a book about it. Audience and level of use: entrepreneurs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “There were fewer than a dozen new breweries on the East Coast in 1987, but each was operating with a different philosophy and business model” What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there are no recipes nor tasting notes. What I do like about this book (its positives): good business book. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 10. WEEKENDS WITH FRIENDS; cooking and entertaining at home (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-948-5, $34.95 hard covers) is by Maxine Clarke, a UK food writer who had authored “Trattoria” published by the same firm. The material is meant for home entertaining when friends stay over a weekend. The chapters cover party food, brunch and snacks, liquid refreshments, plus the progression of a meal (starters, mains, vegetables, desserts). She lists the Ten Golden Rules for Entertaining (well-stocked pantry, delegate, cook known dishes, and others). While Clarke has a menu planner, she doesn’t give any page references. There is a small section on sauces and pastes. US volume measurements are used, with conversion charts at the end. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lemon curd tartlets; mixed nut molasses tart; mango mousse; chicken liver parfait with bitter orange and onion chutney; whole poached salmon; paella; Mexican pork and beans. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): for the price, it could have been bigger. What I do like about this book (its positives): good presentation and layout. Quality/Price Rating: 80. 11. CHEF, INTERRUPTED; delicious chefs’ recipes that you can actually make at home (Clarkson Potter, 2005; distr. Random House Canada, 272 pages, ISBN 1-4000-5440-0, $48.50 hard covers) has been put together by Melissa Clark, a cookbook author and food writer. The idea is a good one for the new cook or the home cook: take a dish or two from top chefs in the US and strip them of hard-to-find ingredients and difficult preps. She substitutes more common ingredients and use- friendly techniques. BUT the cook still needs some advance planning for it all to work. Prep times are about an hour or so, plus additional time may be need for marinating or chilling. Also, skills levels need to be addressed; this could add or subtract from the prep time. In this book you will find knock offs of dishes created by Marcus Samuelsson (of Aquavit), Charlie Trotter, Mario Batali (who has his own line of simplified cookbooks), Alain Ducasse, Bobby Flay. Most of the chefs are male – until you get to the desserts. Then, they are mostly female. All courses, from apps to nuts are covered. She gives lots of explanations for her changes in every recipe. There are interviews and cook notes from the originating chefs, tips, replacement advice, and the like. US volume measurements are used, but there is a conversion chart for metric AND Imperial equivalents. Audience and level of use: definite home use. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: grapevine leaf wrapped goat cheese with olives and grilled sourdough (from Melissa Kelly, Primo in Maine); asparagus and potato salad with tarragon-riesling vinaigrette (David Bouley of Danube); braised Basque chicken with tomatoes and paprika (Daniel Boulard of Daniel); roasted cinnamon gelato with sherried raisins (Meredith Kuntzman of Otto Enoteca Pizzeria). What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): in general, I don’t like dumbing down. And this is the second such book this season: Mark Bittman had the other one (Mark Bittman Takes On America’s Chefs)…Do I see a trend??? At least in Bittman’s book, he had the original AND the remake recipe. There are also many gratuitous black and white photos, many with the author just looking at something or someone. What I do like about this book (its positives): colour photo section is interesting. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 12. PORTERS ENGLISH COOKERY BIBLE Ancient and Modern, (Robson Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 288 pages, ISBN 1-86105-737-7, $32.50 hard covers) is by Richard, Earl of Bradford (founder of Porter’s English Restaurant in 1979) and Carol Wilson, a UK food writer specializing in regional recipes and culinary history. This is distinctive English culinary cultural heritage. The book is a collection of the more popular dishes served in the restaurant, such as spotted dick, steak Guinness and mushroom pie, and wild board and sage sausage. It all looks and tastes authentic. The 100 recipes reflect homemade English food. Along the way there is historical text on food and culture, as well as diversions into savoury pies and puddings, afternoon tea, seasonal celebrations (Christmas, Shrove Tuesday, Good Friday). Both metric and Imperial measurements are used for each ingredient. There are cook notes and side bars. Audience and level of use: the historically curious cook. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: breaded mushrooms and blue cheese dip; potted foods; spiced parsnip and apple soup; browned onion, ale and cheddar cheese soup; spicy lentil, bean and vegetable pie; baked quince; faggots. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): not much, it pretty well does what it says it will do. What I do like about this book (its positives): very useful book Quality/Price Rating: 90. 13. THE ARAB TABLE; recipes and culinary traditions (William Morrow, 2005, 369 pages, ISBN 0-06-058614-1, $45 hard covers) is by May Bsisu, who specializes in the old country style food of her Palestinian heritage. The book is encyclopedic in scope, with 188 defining recipes for Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria. These range from everyday meals to holiday feasts, such as the month long celebration of Ramadan and the Christmas menu for the Christians in Lebanon. There are essays and menus for all the principal holidays. As well, there is an essay on the food similarities and differences between the countries in the Middle East. The range is from light soups, salads, through mains and desserts with material on mezza. The source list is all US, and there is an index to both the English and Arabic ingredient names used in the recipes. Audience and level of use: cookbook collectors, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Lebanese couscous; tahini onion sauce; eggplant with toasted bread pomegranate syrup; orange lentil soup; oregano salad; rosewater-scented chicken with saffron rice. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there are no page references for the recipes in the menus. What I do like about this book (its positives): She has plenty of cook notes for the ingredients. There are colour photos for the final preps with page references to the recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 14.KEEPING IT SIMPLE (Penguin Michael Joseph, 2005, 416 pages, ISBN 0- 718-14621-2, $49 hard covers) is by Gary Rhodes, a multiple UK cookbook author and chef-owner who is firmly focused on “new British cuisine”. These 180 recipes cover the basics, a sort of UK version of the Mark Bittman approach to stripping down complex chef recipes. Chapters are arranged by food (fish, seafood, poultry, pork, lamb, beef, veggies, pasta, eggs, desserts). In common with many of these KISS books (Keep It Simple, Stupid) a larger than normal larder must be maintained, with many more items on the shelf, in the fridge, and in the freezer. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but preservatives do mount up. Audience and level of use: beginner, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: simple sauces for seafood; toasted sea bass and orange with basil yoghurt; sticky pork chops with toasted sesame spinach; pear red cabbage; pasta with spinach and melting brie; rice pudding with toasted honey plums. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): in general, I personally don’t like dumbing down books, but others might. This book is also really, really heavy in weight and (consequently) in price. What I do like about this book (its positives): for us in Canada, the measurements are mostly in metric. Quality/Price Rating: 81 15. SEASONS; a year of great tastes (DK, 2005, 224 pages, ISBN 0-7566- 1403, $32 hard covers) is a collection of 120 recipes celebrating all of the seasons. The recipes and photographs were first published in “Waitrose Food Illustrated”, and range from two from Nigella Lawson through 63 from Sybil Kapoor (in fact, she gets her own copyright notice). Arrangement is, of course, by the season, and the principle is basic: pick simple ingredients when ripe and plentiful. Both traditional and international recipes are used, emphasizing spring shoots, colourful summer berries, autumn roots, and winter stews: asparagus and chervil soup (first recipe in the book) to pomegranate mini-pavlovas (last recipe). Quantities, prep times, cooking times, and presentation ideas are all given in each recipe (one recipe to a page, with a decent photo). Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: braised coriander pork with lemon; French apple tarts; country pate; feta and watermelon salad; fruit tartlets. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there are no metric tables for the conversions of weights and volumes. Some metric is used in each recipe (principally for weights). What I do like about this book (its positives): basic book Quality/Price Rating: 83. 16. COGNAC (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 176 pages, ISBN 1- 84000-902-0, $50 hard covers) is by Nicholas Faith, who had recently written an award winning Classic Wine Library book on Cognac for Mitchell Beazley. This particular book serves as an illustrated guide, a picture book for the coffee table. Part One is the history, production, and the town of Cognac itself. It deals with the marketing and selling of Cognac, particularly of the past 30 years. Part Two describes how to enjoy drinking Cognac (it also comes with cocktail recipes) and styles of glasses to nose. There are even notes for matching with cigars. Part Three is a useful 28 page directory with profiles of over 100 cognacs, and many of these have label reproductions and tasting notes, as well as the usual names and numbers for visits. An asterisk indicates that the Cognac is one of Faith’s personal favourites. Audience and level of use: a memento for the traveler or aficionado. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “The traveler is made aware of Cognac’s most famous product well before reaching the town, for the roads all around are lined with endless placards bearing the names of famous brands, and rather rougher signs promoting the innumerable individuals who sell their own cognacs.” What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): slickly done. What I do like about this book (its positives): there are some maps, and this book nicely complements his other, non-illustrated book on Cognac from the same publisher. Quality/Price Rating: 85 17.. THE BAR; a spirited guide to cocktail alchemy (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 192 pages, ISBN 1-58008-682-9, $23.95 paper covers) is by Olivier Said and James Mellgren, both restaurateurs of long standing. They had previously authored “Cesar; recipes from a tapas bar” which was a top cookbook from 2004. This current book is a basic bar book, with 96 recipes. They present historical information plus anecdotes from bartenders around the world. They try to describe how best to enjoy each particular spirit or drink. Material is updated by their website www.whoisitanyway.com. At the end, there is a bibliography. Audience and level of use: beginners, urban professionals into (mostly) white spirits. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: A good bar is hard to find… What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): do we really need another bar guide? I wanted this book to tell me a few new things. What I do like about this book (its positives): there is a good section on bitters. Quality/Price Rating: 80. 18. MEXCIAN EVERYDAY (W.W.Norton, 2005, 336 pages, ISBN 0-393-06154-X, $42 hard covers) is by Rick Bayless and his wife Deann Groen Bayless. These recipes have been featured on Season 4 of the PBS series “Mexico One Plate at a Time”. The Bayless team has produced five other Mexican cookbooks (all of them are on my cookbook shelves) plus innumerable articles. They also own two outstanding Mexican restaurants in Chicago. These 90 recipes are for the home cook. “Everyday” means (a) less than 30 minutes involvement; (b) fresh tasting; and (c) nutritionally balanced. Bayless hits them all spot on. Seasonal variations are included as well as alternate meat choices. He has a guide to a Mexican pantry and many quick prep ideas. There is a special grilling section for stovetop and open-flame grillers (this section includes rubs, marinades and salsas). The arrangement of the book is by course. The salads have many dressings and ideas, while the desserts section is quite small. Everyday also means soft tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, and tortas. There are many contemporary dishes such as a roasted poblanos- potato salad with flaked tuna. The nutritional part comes to the fore with a request by Rick to diet well and exercise often. Ok, I can do that too… Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted mushroom salad with spinach and chorizo; tortilla soup; red chile seafood soup; garlicky ancho chile rub; grilled whole chicken with knob onions; chicken Oaxacan yellow mole with green beans and chayote. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): US volume measurements are used with NO table of equivalencies. What I do like about this book (its positives): the extensive index has both Spanish and English listings for the ingredients. Quality/Price Rating: 19. THE GREAT WINES OF FRANCE; France’s top domaines and their wines (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84000-992- 6, $60 hard covers) is by the renowned wine writer Clive Coates, who specializes in French wines. He has written other books celebrating great domaines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. This book updates those, and also extends the scope to include all of France (Rhone, Champagne, Loire, Alsace), eight regions in all for a total of 42 domaines. In Part One, he describes each and why they are great in three pages, including pictures and a label. Material embraces the wine families involved and the winemakers (plus many winemaker families). Part Two has tasting notes and an assessment of vintages. All are dated for context of when he tasted. There are the usual names and numbers for visiting. Champagnes included are Krug, Pol Roger, and Louis Roederer. Rhones include Beaucastel, Chave, and Guigal. Other domaines include Trimbach, Tempier, Jadot, DRC and Leroy. Audience and level of use: travelers, wine collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: His Bordeaux section does not include Mouton in the top five but does include Palmer and Trotanoy. There are no Sauternes in the book. Paul Jaboulet Aine from the Rhone is here, but not Chapoutier. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): it is largely a picture book with some tasting notes. What I do like about this book (its positives): in general, the tasting notes go back to 1978 or 1975. Krug notes go back to l949. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 20. THE COOK’S BOOK; techniques and tips from the world’s master chefs (DK, 2005, 648 pages, ISBN 0-7566-1302-7 $65 hard covers) has been compiled by Jill Norman, renowned award-winning UK cookery author and editor (she did Elizabeth David’s classic cookbooks, and is now responsible for her Estate’s writings). This cooking resource details about 350 plus techniques through individual chapters crafted by cookbook authors Ken Hom (Chinese), Charlie Trotter (fish, vegetables), Rick Bayless (Mexican), and 15 others in 24 chapters arranged by course and product and region. There is only one woman, Christine Mansfield from Australia 1800 colour photos accompany the text and the 650 recipes, and they take you step-by-step through the processes. Most of the food is Oriental, French, Italian, Indian, and Mexican/Latin. For example, there is a whole chapter of 12 pages on Foams by Ferran Adria himself, from El Bulli. He details how to make foams and mousses and whipped creams at home. He shows a signature dish (all the chefs have one for this book), in the case “cappuccino almond foam with truffle juice”. He gives a bit of history since 1990, and says that foams useful for vegetarians. Of his 10 recipes, here’s a sample – mango and yogurt and raspberry foam; pistachio foam; mayonnaise foam; potato foam (a tortilla for the 21st century). Volume measurements are employed. Audience and level of use: cooking schools, hospitality schools; intermediate levels. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pan-grilled mackerel with orange romanesco; chilled Moscato-pineapple zabaglione; hare in red wine; eggplant and zucchini and Parmigiano tortino. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): extremely heavy book. I dropped it, just missing my foot, but tearing the spine. Unfortunately, there are no tables of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book (its positives): there’s an excellent glossary. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 21. WINE; a life uncorked (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005; distr. by McArthur, 384 pages, ISBN 0-297-84378-8, $50 hard covers) is an autobiography by Hugh Johnson, one of the world’s most respected and best-selling wine writers; he has been tasting, buying and writing about wine for over 40 years. His memoir stresses the experience of the pleasures of wine: tasting, savouring, cellaring, choosing, understanding, comparing, buying. His personal views on the world of wine are documented by anecdotes. Other than that, there is very little about his life and surroundings, beyond the bare bones. His wife and two daughters are mentioned once or so apiece, and only one of them turns up in the index. Most of the book deals with changes in the wine world over the past 40 years, especially with the last few decades and the globalization. Johnson goes on and on about “Parker points” too, not realizing that they are just an extension of the UC Davis scale of 20 (and don’t the French have a 200 point scale?). Apart from Parker (he gets six references in the index), Johnson is reticent to write about other wine writers. And this seems to be universal among most wine writers: other wine writers just barely exist on the periphery. Yet we see each other all the time…In fact, Johnson describes himself on p.26: “”Critic’ is a term I have never accepted. ‘Commentator’, certainly. A diligent dilettante is how I see myself.” Smart chapter titles follow the wine progression: Bubbly, White, Red, and Sweet. You can read the barebones of his career: how he got started by a college room mate, British Vogue magazine writing, the International Wine and Food Society, his first book “Wine”, and then the glories of the pocket guides and wine atlas. Along the way, we read of tantalizing tastings and memorable meals – but there are no real substantial tasting notes. Audience and level of use: the curious wine lover, the serious wine reader, hospitality schools for the history. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “In American hands [taste] feels more like a moral crusade. Robert Parker deals in absolutes, and castigates those he sees as backsliders…Everyone is accustomed to percentages. Perhaps I was the only one to be surprised when America seized on the notion as the answer to the conundrum of wine” (p.40-41). What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): this is a very heavy book because of the treated book paper – there are black and white or colour photos liberally strewn about the text. They are fascinating, but they make holding the book extremely uncomfortable and awkward. And you know how insular the British are, or seem to be? There is no cross reference from the Wine and Food Society to the International Wine and Food Society, which is its proper name everywhere in the world. Non-Brits may have a difficult time tracking the IWFS. What I do like about this book (its positives): there is good integration of older photos with the text. And, of course, the writing style is civilized. Quality/Price Rating: 88. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2005 ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE SOTHEBY’S WINE ENCYCLOPEDIA, 4th edition. (DK, 2005, 664 pages, ISBN 0-7566-1324-8, $65 hard covers) is by prolific wine writer Tom Stevenson. The first edition was in 1988, and Stevenson has done a remarkable job in chronicling the changes over the years. Of interest is the fact that the price has dropped from $80 despite the increase of more than 96 pages. His book is arranged geographically, covering all the wine-growing areas, history and reputation. There are new useful maps and photos. There are sections on all the factors affecting taste and quality. Stevenson authors many profiles of important producers, giving assessments of individual wines. He also has a section on enjoying wines, including wine tasting; wine and food, star ratings, taste charts to profile flavours, flaws in wines, and vintage charts back to 1967 in general, with earlier mentions for key years. He even has some detail about regional oak varieties with illustrated close-ups of the grain. The book concludes with a glossary and an extensive index. Most of the changes are devoted to New World wines (California, New Zealand, and Australia). Stevenson gives detailed coverage of the whole world and 6000 wineries are recommended; he is also a good writer. Canada gets six pages, covering 24 Ontario wineries and a few in BC. Audience and level of use: wine schools, people interested in wines. Some interesting or unusual facts: he doesn’t cover many organic or biodynamic wines produced by Birkenstockers. What he does cover are wines that are mainly being produced by regular wine producers who have gone “green”. They have ensured that their quality remains the same. What I don’t like about this book: it could be too lush and plush in Size; it is frightfully heavy. What I do like about this book: “author’s choice” section lists the best wines, with a lengthy description and aging ability. Quality/Price Ratio: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE BEST RECIPES IN THE WORLD; more than 1,000 international dishes to cook at home (Broadway Books, 2005; distr. Random House Canada, 757 pages, ISBN 0-7679-0672-1, $42 hard covers) is by Mark Bittman, best- selling prolific author of basic cookbooks. He is mainly responsible for simplifying the cooking process; some would say “dumbing down”. This book expands on his million seller “How to Cook Everything” – the emphasis is on making the difficult doable. These are the recipes that people cook every day at home on every continent and region (44 countries are covered). Some of the recipes and passages come from his New York Times columns. Many recipes here can be made ahead or prepared in under 30 minutes. He has plenty of cook notes and sidebars for explanations of techniques and unusual ingredients. Looking at the scope of the book, there is no question that France-Italy-SEAsia lead the way in food dominance. He has instructional drawings, but his stress is that many techniques are the same the world over, such as pies, food wrapped in pastry, soups. The main differences are in the seasonings and the local ingredients. His book has 52 international menus, one for each week of the year, and all with convenient page references. All of these recipes are classics that have been streamlined, modernized, or updated. He uses minimal ingredients (and only ones that can be found at a local supermarket or through the Internet), he tries cooking techniques without paying much attention to what is going on (e.g., braising), and he only cooks one great dish per meal (supplemented by bread, salad, rice, steamed vegetables, dessert). The book is arranged by course; each recipe is notated as to whether it is a make ahead, served at room temperature or cold, 30 minutes or less, or as a main course. Each recipe gives a country of origin. The recipe guide lists everything by course, in alphabetical order. Audience and level of use: enough here to satisfy any cooking needs at home for the next three years. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: just for bacon: Alsatian tarte flambé, boeuf bourguignon, omelet, spaghetti carbonara, potato salad with mustard vinaigrette, quiche lorraine, salade lyonnaise, sautéed scallops, pasta frittata. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): you are going to need an international pantry which needs to be maintained; it can be quite large. And: there is no metric table of equivalencies for his US measurements. What I do like about this book (its positives): shop locally, cook globally. The index is extensive, of course. Quality/Price Rating: 92. 3. BETTY CROCKER COOKBOOK. New Edition (Wiley Publishing, 2005, 575 pages, ISBN 0-7645-6877-9, $38.99 binder) is an updated old classic and standby, last seen here many years ago. Over 65 million copies have been sold. This is a five-ring loose-leaf binder with regular magazine stock paper. There are 1000 or so easy to follow recipes, plus 400 variations illustrate with 300 colour photos. There are new chapters on casseroles and slow cookers, and new material on cooking in 20 minutes or less (hey, we’re eating both slow and fast food: what’s new in between?). Fast recipes are flagged throughout (there are about 130 dishes that can be ready in 20 minutes or less). 185 low fat recipes are included, as well as nutritional information, dietary exchanges, and carbohydrate choices. Prep and cooking times are clearly indicated. In other words, it has been updated to reflect today’s lifestyles. The inside back cover has quite a few emergency substitutions listed. The inside front cover has yields and equivalents listed. There are individual section indexes as well as an all-round general index. The book comes with a free online holiday planner (just visit the website indicated on page 4, www.wiley.com/go/bettycrockerplanner Audience and level of use: beginning cooks. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): uses too many shortcuts. The first recipe I turned to was a mixture of cream cheese with a jar of marshmallow…Also, the pages are easy to rip apart: they’ll need reinforcing at some point. The metric conversion tables on p540 is sort of lost, for there is nary a mention of it. What I do like about this book (its positives): this is a general all- purpose cookbook with the basics clearly explained and all contingencies covered. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4. AT HOME WITH MICHAEL CHIARELLO; easy entertaining, recipes, ideas, inspiration (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. by Raincoast, 240 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4048-4, $54 hard covers) is by Michael Chiarello, a food guy on the Food Network and author of two other previous cookbooks, including The Tra Vigne Cookbook from his own restaurant. The book is meant for entertaining: he has whimsical menus, incorporating an element of surprise and novel presentation ideas. And he also has practical ideas such as paying attention to beverages, using alternative place settings and serving ware, and party locales. The 122 recipes also include pantry stocking, make aheads, cocktail parties, BBQ, DVD watching, dessert buffet. He has suggested timetables for the make aheads, and separate pages for cleaning tips, cleaning agents, serving wines, and scaling recipes. Audience and level of use: useful for entertaining, caterers too. Some interesting or unusual recipes: polenta crostini, pastina timbale, pancetta and goat cheese and spinach salad, grilled gaucho steak with blue cheese and pita, pan roasted pork tenderloin with fennel and pancetta-molasses dressing, cantaloupe granite. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): you’ll need a well-stocked larder with spice rubs, oil infusions, vinaigrettes, and sauces. His pathetic sources list covers only seven items, none in Canada. There are no metric equivalents given for the US volume measurements. What I do like about this book (its positives): good layout, lots of cook notes, entertaining notes, and wine notes for the recipes. The 100 photos do a good job of showing the presentations. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. TABLE SETTINGS; stylish entertaining made simple (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-944-2, $17.95 hard covers) is by Emily Chalmers, a freelance stylist and writer. She firmly believes that a decorative table (at home or in a restaurant) gives a sense of occasion and heightens anticipation. Even simple meals can be made memorable this way. She gives 20 themed occasions or festive meals: a brunch, alfresco, Asian-style elegance, Christening tea and other events, children’s party, surprise birthday buffet. At the end, for reference, there is a visual directory of seven international place settings, both formal and informal. Audience and level of use: easy to create for busy people Some interesting or unusual facts: food tastes better when it is beautifully presented. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): short book What I do like about this book (its positives): interesting and doable. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6. THE WINE LOVER’S DESSERT COOKBOOK; recipes and pairings for the perfect glass of wine (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. by Raincoast, 180 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4237-1, $33.95 paper covers) is by Mary Cech and Jennie Schacht. Cech is a well-known pastry chef (she worked for Charlie Trotter for two years), while Schacht is a culinary focusing writer and consultant. In addition to the recipes (which often call for wine as an ingredient), there are wine and dessert matches, with specific pairing recommendations for every recipe in the book (there are 50 recipes here plus variations and wine substitutions). The authors give general advice on sweet wines, basic guidelines for creating your own matches (the keys are weight, richness, and flavour), and a series of tables and suggestions for “Pairing Guidelines”. The arrangement is by dessert type (stone fruits, berries, citrus, apples and pears, tropical, dried, cream, caramel, nuts, and chocolate). Icewines from Canada are covered and indexed, but the term “icewine” is not in the book’s glossary. Mail orders sources are all US, as are the measurements (no metric tables of equivalents). Audience and level of use: dessert lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: chilled strawberry consommé (Cabernet Franc icewine, one of four recommendations), cherry gelee parfait with lime custard (demi-sec rose), ginger pears with black sesame butter crumb (LHR, Vouvray), creamy risotto pudding with brandied figs (Muscat, Banyuls), caramel apricot pecan tart (botrytisized wines). What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): some of the typeface is too light. Also, where is Charlie Trotter’s log rolling endorsement (Cech worked for him for two years). Also, there are some puzzling choices in the bibliography. What I do like about this book (its positives): there is an essential ingredients and equipment list. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 7. SIMPLE FRENCH COOKERY; step by step to everyone’s favourite French recipes (BBC Books, 2005; distr. by Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 0-563- 52285-2, $24.95 paper covers) is by Raymond Blanc, a multiple restaurant owner (including a Michelin two star restaurant in the UK) and cookbook author. This book was originally published in 2002, in hard back, as “Foolproof French Cookery”. The copyright notice of 2002 indicates that the book has not been revised; it might be a straight reprint. And 8. SIMPLE ITALIAN COOKERY; step by step to everyone’s favourite Italian recipes (BBC Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 0-563- 52178-3, $24.95 paper covers) is by Aldo Zilli, another “chef patron” in the UK specializing in Italian cookery. This book too is a reprint, formerly known as “Foolproof Italian Cookery”. Both books have 40 recipes apiece, all classics. All courses are covered, and the recipes are spread over two pages. There are plenty of cook notes and there are some menus (but with no page references). Both imperial and metric measurements are used for each ingredient in the recipes. Prep times and cooking times are given. Audience and level of use: basic Some interesting or unusual recipes: clafouti, crème caramel, tarte tatin, roasted monkfish, spaghetti, rump steak with radicchio, pot au feu. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): nothing much as it is geared to its audience level. What I do like about this book (its positives): lots of good illustrations and photos for techniques, about 250 per book. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 9. ONE POT; over 100 delicious recipes (Hamlyn, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 144 pages, ISBN 0-600-61412-3, $21.95 paper covers) is a collection of uncredited recipes dealing with one pot cooking. The nice thing about prep work here is the clean up: only one pot (usually). Covered are the basics of casseroles, soups, stews, beans-rice-grains, stir-fries, curries. “International” flavours are stressed throughout. Audience and level of use: basic, busy singles and working parents. Some interesting or unusual recipes: bright red bell pepper soup, orange osso buco, beef tagine, lamb with eggplants, spicy duck in port. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): US measurements are given, but there is no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book (its positives): basic. Quality/Price Rating: 80. 10. SOME LIKE IT HOT; 50 drinks to warm your spirits (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 108 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4404-8. $19.95 hard covers) is by Holly Burrows (a food writer in San Francisco) and Katie Walter. There is a chapter on non-alcoholic drinks. The preps are broken down into categories: hot cocktails, harvest time, holiday drinks, after-dinner drinks, and cozy drinks. Thus there is cinnamon cider martini, mojito mint tea, and wassail bowl. The authors have the usual tips about equipment and ingredients, plus ideas for unusual garnishes. You’ll need plenty of mugs or other heat-resistant vessels with handles. Audience and level of use: party goers, sky lodges. Some interesting or unusual facts: hot drinks tend to be on the sweet side. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there are no metric charts but there is a liquid measurements table. The dulce de leche drink is a bust (where’s the caramel?). And, we could have used more variations for the mulled wine. What I do like about this book (its positives): good topic, though. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 11. PIZZA; more than 60 recipes for delicious homemade pizza (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 168 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4554-0, $18.95 paper covers) is by Diane Morgan (cookbook author) and Tony Gemignani (pizza chef; there are step-by-step dough-tossing instructions from a five-time world champ). The emphasis is on the classic, the contemporary, the unusual, and the exotic. You can use store bought crusts or make your own (thick or thin) with recipes provided. The chapters are arranged by style, such as Neapolitan, New York, Chicago, California, plus ones for grilled pizzas, desserts, and the kids. Audience and level of use: pizza lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Four Seasons pizza with artichokes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and prosciutto; pizza capriciosa; cannoli pizza; fruit pizza; lasagna pizza; and a grilled pizza with fig jam, blue cheese, prosciutto and arugula [I usually like this with leftover Brie instead of the blue]. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): all the sources are US except for one listing for a pizzeria in London, Ontario! What I do like about this book (its positives): instructions are quite detailed. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 12. PICK THE RIGHT WINE EVERY TIME (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T.Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-968-X, $16.95 hard covers) is by Chris Losh, former editor of the Wine Magazine (UK) and now a freelance wine writer. He looks at the times when we drink wine and explores which wine styles go best with each situation. He chronicles 25 events, such as being at home (TV wine, before and after dinner, BBQ, lunch, regular meal) or a special event (dinner party, wedding, anniversary, party, visiting). He has a section on what to do in bars and pubs, out on a hot date, visiting in-laws, picnics, gifts, eating out (by cuisine). No specific labels are mentioned, just regions and grape varieties and fruit/acid levels, plus price. Audience and level of use: beginner, common sense for the rest of us. Some interesting or unusual fact: don’t get hung up trying to make the perfect choice, check with wine waiters and retail clerks. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): fusion foods demand fusion wines, in an off-dry mode (e.g. Conundrum, Gentil, etc.). This needed to be expressed. What I do like about this book (its positives): his advice tells you which wines will suit you, not what will suit the wine. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 13. COOKING WITH WINE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T.Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-954-X, $16.95 hard covers) is by Fiona Beckett, a UK cookbook and freelance writer specializing in pairing food with wine: www.foodandwinematching.co.uk. These are mostly classics (29 recipes such as lamb shanks, beef burgundy, daube) for all courses, with recommended wine matches for each recipe. Her major tip is to splash wine on almost everything, usually one or two ounces. Audience and level of use: basic Some interesting or unusual recipes: wild mushroom and champagne risotto, warm scallop salad with pancetta parsnip chips, smoked duck on tangerine and pecan salad, sea bass en papillote. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): too short to cover it all adequately. What I do like about this book (its positives): basic Quality/Price Rating: 80. 14. PERFECT RECIPES FOR HAVING PEOPLE OVER (Houghton Mifflin, 2005, 304 pages, ISBN 0-618-32972-2, $50 hard covers) is by Pam Anderson (no, not that Pam Anderson), winner of a Julia Child Award for her earlier book, “Perfect Recipe”. These 200 recipes are for company. The book includes 100 accompaniments to mix and match with the main course (appetizers, sides, desserts). Each recipe includes a thumbnail sketch with suggestions on what to serve with the dish (with page references), how to vary it, how to take shortcuts, and how far ahead to make it, when it should be served, and what to do with leftovers. Her emphasis is on being comfortable with entertaining a crowd (two or more non-family is a crowd). Her advice covers planning a menu that works, shopping, and a cooking schedule. Some recipes are for vegetarians. Audience and level of use: for vegetarians, for carnivores, for picky kids, for sophisticated parents. Some interesting or unusual recipes: boneless coq au vin; one stew, many variations; pear halves with blue cheese and toasted nuts; salmon cucumber salad; quesadillas with goat cheese and red onion. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): no metric tables of equivalents. What I do like about this book (its positives): there are page references with the advice e on what to serve with each dish. I also liked the arrangement of the recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 15. HOMEGROWN PURE AND SIMPLE; great healthy food from garden to table (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 232 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4472- 2, $46.95 hard covers) is by Michel Nischan (executive chef at Heartbeat in NYC and cookbook author) with Mary Goodbody as a focusing culinary writer. These recipes are all based on his restaurant and on his home vegetable garden. Half of the photographs are on food, the rest are on the gardens. Eighty recipes are low in fats and carbos; they are actually tailored to the needs of his son who is a diabetic. All courses are covered here. His material also includes how to do a garden for yourself, next spring. There is a larder list and a US sources list for food and garden supplies. While US volume measurements are employed, there is a table of metric equivalents at the end of the book. Audience and level of use: good food lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes: basil-steamed shrimp over soba noodles; chilled garden berry soup with lemon verbena; watermelon and arugula and toasted almond salad; butternut squash muffins; roasted pear and spoon bread tart; heirloom tomato and eggplant sauce. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): the type size makes the fractions in the recipes difficult to read. What I do like about this book (its positives): good quality cooking, useful for diabetics too. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 16. GREAT WINE MADE SIMPLE; straight talk from a Master Sommelier. Revised and updated. (Broadway Books, 2005, 326 pages, ISBN 0-7679- 0478-8, $39.95 hard covers) is by Andrea Immer Robinson, previously just Andrea Immer, a wine columnist and book author with a Master Sommelier qualification. The book was first published in 2000, and it is a welcomed revision in this era of vinous changes. 20% of the book has been changed. The simplicity is this: six basic wine grapes comprise 80% of today’s top-selling table wines in North America: riesling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, and syrah-shiraz. Of course even this is going to change as more drinkers look to pinot gris and viognier. There are three body styles (light, medium, and full), and four flavours (dry, crisp, oaky, tannic). Sweet is not an option here. There are all kinds of material here on how to read a wine label, and tasting lessons (putting flavours into words) to look at various components such as body, butter, grass, spices, floral, fruit). New in this edition are the 10 flavour maps which show what tastes one can expect from climates around the world (cool climate vs. hot climate; New World vs. Old World). This reflects changing wine trends, such as the development of shiraz. Wine and food matches are also part of her taste dynamics. The book has lots of tables to leaf through. Audience and level of use: the trade, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: she suggests a milk tasting in order to understand variations in wine-body styles. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there is no discussion on bargain wines nor on up-and-coming wines or regions (beyond the pinot gris and viognier). I really wouldn’t title this book about “great wine”…her key is that six varieties drive 80% of wine sales. The book is really about “good” wines. What I do like about this book (its positives): the book has a sommelier’s approach, and thus it is restaurant-driven. There is also lots of material on wine service in restaurants. This makes it useful for the trade. Also, I liked what she said about gooseberries (read the book) and their tartness. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 17. SUSANNA FOO FRESH INSPIRATION; new approaches to Chinese cuisine (Houghton Mifflin, 2005, 336 pages, ISBN 0-618-39330-7, $45 hard covers) is by the chef-owner of the eponymous restaurants in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. She is also a multiple James Beard Award winner, and one of the leading chefs of Chinese cuisine in North America. In this book she attempts to put Chinese food into the mainstream kitchen by refocusing 150 recipes, using a blend of East and West techniques (e.g., French sauces). Some recipes are new spins on traditional food (subject to local US market availability) while others are modified from her restaurants’ menus. Some are also borrowed from other Asian cultures, such as Korean pancakes and Thai red curry. So it’s all about fusion food or global cuisine. Three of her favourite pieces of equipment are the microplane, the Japanese benriner (similar to a mandoline), and flat-bottomed woks. She presents good information in the recipe heads, as well as background data. All the mail order sources and websites are American. Audience and level of use: returnees to Chinese cooking, global enthusiasts. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Chinese-style ratatouille, lobster ravioli with soybean puree and coconut lobster sauce, almond financiers with kumquat-Fuyu persimmon sauce, Asian pear tatin, pan-seared black sea bass with caramelized red pepper sauce. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): covers a lot of territory, a bit overwhelming. Also, while there are US volume measurements, there are no metric equivalent tables. What I do like about this book (its positives): a well-developed, good index. She also has good detail in her recipes on cooking procedures. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 18. TRUE TUSCAN; flavors and memories from the countryside of Tuscany (HarperCollins, 2005, 236 pages, ISBN 0-06-055555-6, $32.95 hard covers) is by Cesare Casella, NYC owner-chef of Beppe and Maremma. He has also authored two other cookbooks. This regional Italian cookbook presents a cultural history of Tuscany, suggesting that serving antipasti of multiple courses was a way for the wealthy to show off. 125 recipes cover all courses; there are sidebars and cook notes to cover ingredients and history. Most courses have wine recommendations. There is a list of US sources, plus a bibliography of some Italian cookbooks. Audience and level of use: travelers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pork liver bundles with fennel; mushroom ands sausage and artichoke risotto; misto di bosco (fruit of the woods); red mullet with prosciutto; salsa di norcino (butcher’s pasta); renaissance pasta timbale. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there are no tables of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book (its positives): both English and Italian names are indexed in the recipes listings. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 19. JUST LIKE MAMA USED TO MAKE; recipes and traditions from an Italian kitchen (Cassell Illustrated, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84403-429-1, $35.95 hard covers) is by Lella Antinozzi, an art writer. This is her first cookbook. It is of southern Italian cuisine, a photo-journey of memories and culinary legacies. Thus, it is part biography and part cultural history. The 111 (or so) recipes cover the range of preserves, breads, antipasti, one-pot meals, pasta, etc. Audience and level of use: Italian lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes: pizza casata, kid with eggs and cheese, struffoli, crespelle, ciambotta, Christmas capitone, anchovies in scapece, fried eels with vinegar. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): For the most part, she says “both imperial and metric measurements are given in all recipes. Use one set of measurements only and not a mixture of both” – yet tablespoons, teaspoons and cups are used with no equivalents. So metric only applies to weight and temperature. It is always unwise to mix up weights and measures this way. What I do like about this book (its positives): indexes both Italian and English recipe names. Quality/Price Rating: 78. 20. THE SIMPLE ART OF MARRYING FOOD AND WINE (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 192 pages, ISBN 1-845-330-79X, $39.95 hard covers) is by Malcolm Gluck (UK wine writer) and Mark Hix (UK food writer). They try to detail the best food and wine partnerships. Hix has recipes with comments on how the cooking processes affect the flavour and texture of a dish. Gluck has a broad selection of wine matches and explains the chemistry behind every rule in matching wine with food. The book is arranged by food groups, with 45 recipes to demonstrate pairings and sauces and flavours: vegetables, fish and seafood, meat, poultry, dessert, cheeses. There are cook notes and sidebars, with copious cross-references to cooking styles and wine styles. There are wine checklists for over 200 wines (styles and regions, no producers indicated). Everything is in metric, with a conversion table for the US market. Audience and level of use: intermediate cooks. You’ll need to know your food and your wines. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “Wine is not created solely to be compared with other wines and spat into metal buckets or ceramic spittoons. Wine is made to accompany food”. Example: butternut squash and ginger soup needs a verdelho, a cool climate chardonnay from New Zealand, or a pinot blanc from Alsace. What I don’t like about this book (its shortcomings): there are no extensive tables of food matches with wines, nor the reverse. The run on list of ingredients in the recipes are difficult to handle, especially when carried over to the next line. It is very difficult to cook this way…. What I do like about this book (its positives): the white pages are Hix, and the screened tinted grey pages are by Gluck. I like that. Quality/Price Rating: 85. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2005 ================================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. A POCKET GUIDE TO ONTARIO WINES, WINERIES, VINEYARDS & VINES (McClelland & Stewart, 2005, 272 pages, ISBN 0-7710-3055-X, $22.99 paper covers with French leaves) is by Konrad Ejbich, a Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada colleague who appears on CBC radio monthly and writes a wine column for Style at Home. He is also a Canadian correspondent for the Wine Spectator. In setup, the book is modeled on Hugh Johnson’s pocket book approach, with details about the history and development of all the wineries in Ontario, which will number 125 in 2006. It is alphabetically arranged, with the usual names and numbers to access the winery. Interspersed are valuable details of vineyard names, estates and designations, as well as general wine topics of interest. Thus, “Asian Lady Beetle” follows “Angels Gate Winery”, and it comes before “Atalick Vineyard”. But in this case, there is no cross-reference from “Ladybug” to “Asian Lady Beetle”, and since the only index is to names of “Industry People” (very useful, by the way), you won’t find ladybug indexed anywhere. You have to know that “Asian” is the opening word. After the descriptive material about each winery Konrad gives a variety of tasting notes. He evaluates older vintages of wines no longer available for sale, and this is a boon for collectors and for those who wish to see at a glance the ongoing development of a particular wine. He gives probable dates for drinking peaks (check the legend on the French leaf). For current vintages, he requested samples from the winery (I have mixed feelings about this since bottles can be tampered with: it has happened to me at least once). Some wines have been tasted in less than ideal conditions (such as at trade shows) and these have been noted as such. He gives ratings for each wine (there is a legend on the front French leaf) but doesn’t give any production runs, just totals of cases for each winery. Gold prize winners have their medal identified. When a wine is dreck, he says so. Incredibly, some wineries did not want to participate. They are listed as such, so his directory remains inclusive, even if he was unable to rate their wines. Some fruit wines are covered, but here he is inconsistent. For example, there is nothing for Sunnybrook Farms, which is all non-grape fruit. And while he has rated the five fortified fruit wines from Southbrook, he doesn’t mention the Cranberry table wine at Stoney Ridge, nor the fruit wines at Konzelmann (great peach) or Hernder (great rhubarb), nor the fruit-flavoured and fruit icewines that do exist. He covers some apple ciders from Prince Edward County, but no apple wines or ciders from Archibald. Indeed, there is even no entry for “Fruit Wines” or “QC”, through which he could have explained all these things. Near the end of the book he has VQA Vintage Charts, 2004 – 1988, which are based on surveys of winemakers. And this is a great chart. When I review a book, I always dip into it and begin reading. What to make of this description of a Viognier wine on p.55: “Good body, balance, supple texture, and refreshing acidity are overshadowed by sheer charm”? Doesn’t he mean “enhanced”? Overshadowed implies a negative assessment. Overall, and I suppose that this is because I know a lot about reference books and Ontario wines and thus I can easily spot them, there is a lack of attention to some details. A Colio Gewurztraminer is described: “Rich gold with a mildly plastic overtone”. What does that mean, beyond excessive usage of the prefix “over”? What does plastic look like? “Filmy” might be a better word. These can all be easily fixed in the next edition. Another example: Joseph Pohorly is described on p.89 as “Ukrainian-born” and on p.119 as a “native of Vineland”. On p.145, “baled” is used instead of “bailed”. For Stratus, J-L Groulx has been the current winemaker only since 2004 (this date is not noted in the text), and he did not have a hand in making any of the wines being reviewed, just finishing some of them. I understand that Stratus’ winemaking philosophy will be changing. Under Royal De Maria, there is listed a Gewurztraminer 2002, without any indication that this is an icewine. The four wines reviewed for Vinoteca are from 1991 – 1999. On the two pages of 30 Marynissen wine reviews, only three are from the 21st century. Yes, I know Konrad reviewed older wines, but these reviews should have been in context since there is no indication that these wineries did not co-operate. There is no review of Strewn’s entry level Chardonnay, despite its General Listing at the LCBO. Yet there is a review of Peninsula Ridge’s Chardonnay 2003, also General Listed, which is cited as nonVQA because of the strange deal that happened in 2004 which allowed nonVQA wines from 2003 (a short harvest) to be bottled by those wineries who wished to protect their LCBO VQA General Listings. Strewn was also in this position with its Chardonnay 2003, but Konrad doesn’t cover it. Nevertheless, a good first edition that will improve as the years go by. I cannot wait for the 2006 version. Audience and level of use: the passionate wine lover who wants to discover more about Ontario wines, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: it is hard to believe that Konrad writes almost a whole book about Ontario VQA wines, but only spends FOUR LINES telling us what VQA is! We need to know about grape percentages allowed, tasting panel work, the 2003 short harvest and the subsequent General List protection racket, and the like. It needs a whole section, at least a page, maybe more. There is no listing for VQA under “V” … What I don’t like about this book: it desperately needs an index by varietal, so readers can cross-check from one winery to another, to compare varietal offerings. Also, the French leaves are difficult to keep closed, and prove a hindrance when constantly being placed in a pocket. No prices, not even price ranges, are given, and there is no explanation for this omission. Sales availability of the wines is not offered: some of these wines are on the General List of the LCBO and this should be noted. What I do like about this book: I like the fact that there are no photos, logos, labels, etc. No illustrations mean that the costs can be kept down. He has excellent, hard-to-find details on the vineyards in Ontario, and a good discussion on the ladybug problem. But while it is nice to have reviews of non-VQA wines, I think he needs to give us a rationale for their inclusion. Most of his nonVQA tasting notes say “plonk”, “dreck”, “grapey”, “generic”, “simple”, “sauvignon bland”, and many have no stars. Since he picked and chose his way among the fruit wines, then he could have done the same with the nonVQA wines. He does provide some sharp and good notes for the better “Cellared in Canada” wines. Quality/Price Ratio: hey, despite my carping, this book has to be a 93. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. EL BULLI: 1998-2002 (Ecco, 2005, 496 pages, 22 page guide to book, CD-ROM, ISBN 0-06-081757-7, $490 hard covers in slipcase) is by Ferran Adria, the Barcelona chef in charge of El Bulli. He has been widely acknowledged as the world’s greatest and most influential living chef. This book, a coffee-table without the legs, details the development of El Bulli’s unique cuisine from the four years 1998-2001. 2002 was a “sabbatical” year of refinement and book preparations (three in all). Two other books, not yet in English, cover the 1994-1997 and the 1983- 1993 periods (Chef Ferran arrived at El Bulli in 1983; he was the guy who first sent out amuse bouches on spoons). They too have CD-ROMs. The big 22 guide explains the setup of the book and the CD-ROM, plus charts on the restaurant’s philosophies which have evolved over the years. The books are in two parts. One is a catalogue-collection of photos, the other is an evolutionary analysis of each dish. Both parts of the book are arranged by year and month. This is the picture and the theory. The CD-ROM (also one per book) contains all of the recipes for PCs and Macs, all of the schemes and summaries that complete the evolutionary analysis, plus videos (of the restaurant, of the people, of some of the preps) and menus. It even has some preps that were being planned for 2003 when the restaurant re-opened. Of major interest are the techniques involved in the preparations of foams, savoury sorbets, hot jellies, clouds and sponges. No longer do we need to say “how did he do that?” as secrets are revealed. Users do not need to be able to read Spanish since the CD-ROMs are bilingual, the books in Spanish are mainly pictorial, and the preps and schemes are largely repeated on the CD-ROMs. Courses include cocktails, snacks, tapas, mains, pre-desserts, desserts, and follies. In the book, the restaurant also examines those dishes that didn’t quite make the grade, presenting an explanation for the failure. In total, there are 825 recipes in the three books. The English one has 371 recipes, beginning with #455. The crew shot over 3000 rolls of films for 1000 photos. It concludes with a glossary and pictographs for product codes. I just know that you will have hours of fun with this book. For more details about the restaurant, check out www.elbulli.com. Audience and level of use: every restaurant and cooking school. Some interesting or unusual recipes: rather than list recipes from the book, I’ll just tell what they do to create the recipes. Take the combo of melon + grapefruit + mint + olive oil + salt. This is recipe #550, which is grilled melon and grapefruit kebab. The restaurant carefully explains how one can also make four other preps: a melon soup with mint and grapefruit segments in olive oil, mint jelly with grapefruit water ice and melon tagliatelli, a salad of melon shavings with seeded grapefruit and toasted mint, and textured olive oil with mint, with melon tapioca and grilled grapefruit. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine recommendations, which I find puzzling. What I do like about this book: this is a unique logbook of everything that they did in this time period. For a restaurant or hotel business, its purchase and use is a modest investment. The CVD-ROM recipes are fully indexed and numbered, along with the photo from the book. Quality/Price Ratio: although pricey, the book is available at Amazon.ca for a mere $343 CDN. Indeed, all three volumes at Amazon cost only a total of $1000, a night out for some people. Let’s say a 95. 3. CLASSIC COCKTAILS (New Holland, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 80 pages, ISBN 1-84330-710-3, $10.95 hard covers) and 4. GIN & VODKA COCKTAILS (New Holland, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 80 pages, ISBN 1-84330-714-6, $10.95 hard covers) and 5. RUM COCKTAILS (New Holland, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 80 pages, ISBN 1-84330-712-X, $10.95 hard covers) and 6. WHISKY & BOURBON COCKTAILS (New Holland, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 80 pages, ISBN 1-84330-710-3, $10.95 hard covers) are all authored by David Biggs, who is not identified anywhere. The “Classic” has 33 popular drinks, based on gin (Martini, Singapore Sling, Tom Collins), rum (Zombie, Cuba Libre, Daiquiris), vodka (White Russian, Harvey Wallbanger), and brandy (Stinger, Steeplejack). The “Gin & Vodka” offer 32 recipes (Black Marble, Volga Boatman, Scotch Frog). The “Rum” features 32, including a whole line of Daiquiris, Mai Tai, Hot Buttered Rum, Brass Monkey, Between the Sheets, Bee’s Kiss. “Whisky & Bourbon” has 32: Manhattan, Southern Mint Julep, Night Owl. All books come with photographs, a history of the spirit involved, and some material on distillation. Audience and level of use: beginners or basicists. What I don’t like about this book: there are no indexes, and the photos can be gratuitous. What I do like about this book: you can pick and choose titles, just the basics are covered. Quality/Price Ratio: the “Classics” is the best book, say 86 out of 100. 7. THE SPICE ROUTE (John Murray, 2005; distr. McArthur, 286 pages, ISBN 0-7195-6198-1, $39.95 hard covers) is a history book by John Keay, a historian who has written standard histories of India and the English East India Company. This is a popular history which leans a bit to academia in the style of writing and profusion of facts. Thankfully all the footnotes were collected as end notes at the back of the book. He treats the Spice Route as an epic, along the lines of the Silk Road. And he actually considers spices as irrelevant but tradable commodities, suggesting that the chase for spices was one in pursuit of luxuries (if you’ve got it, flaunt it). But the actual monopolies on spices, in addition to creating some peoples own fortunes and the capitalist system, also created exploration the planet and subsequent slavery and wars. Keay begins with the Egyptians’ maritime trade, followed by the Greeks and Romans going to India for pepper and ginger, the Islamic period and the Dark Ages, and then the explosion of discoveries by Columbus, Da Gama, and Magellan. These are followed by the proselytizing Christians, maritime powers and stock markets, and the West’s cruelty/war/famine/destruction. The select bibliography at the end is all books, mostly secondary sources. Audience and level of use: culinary historians, economists, foodies. Some interesting or unusual facts: The Spice Route was driven by the West. With the Dark Ages, there was no lust for luxuries. Eventually, spice monopolies were desirable, since there would be control of the market without flooding. What I don’t like about this book: actually, it is too short. I wanted more details. What I do like about this book: there are 32 colour reproductions of paintings, drawings, and watercolours. Keay also gives us good detail on the pre-Columbus period. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 8. THE COOKIE SUTRA (Workman, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 60 pages, ISBN 0-7611-3809-9, $11.95 paper covers) is by the pseudonymous Edward Jaye, an advertising executive. I really don’t know what to say about this book except to say that I love it! Imagine (well, don’t bother: they are pictured) gingerbread people in kama sutra positions. You can bake them in forms (you do the forms, there is a recipe at the end of the book). The section on getting ready includes such double entendre passages as the dough needing time to rise, tough cookies needing a good milk bath, there’s much massaging and kneading, embracing and wrapping around a rolling pin. You get the picture. There’s an explanation of four different kisses (moderate, contracted, pressed and soft). These are important forms of communication since gingerbread cookies aren’t especially big on vocabulary. Postures include “classic” (gee, I didn’t know THAT one existed; it’s new to me!), sheep’s, splitting bamboo, pair of tongs, snake trap, wife of Indra, plus twelve “advanced” postures. Illustrated with photos of constructed and decorated gingerbread people. An early Valentine’s Day gift. Audience and level of use: the curious, gift book for the foodie who loves to play with food. Some interesting or unusual recipes: just one recipe for gingerbread people. It’s the forms that matter. What I don’t like about this book: the French leaves are not attractive on a book this small. I guess French letters would be out of the question… What I do like about this book: its uniqueness. Not for the faint at heart. Quality/Price Ratio: this gets an X rating of 69. 9. GOOD DAY FOR A PICNIC; simple food that travels well (William Morrow, 2005, 214 pages, ISBN 0-06-072680-6, $32.50 hard covers) is by Jeremy Jackson, a food writer whose “The Cornbread Book” was nominated for an IACP award in 2003. The 120 recipes here are good for parks, patios, backyards and beaches, or simply dining al fresco anywhere. He gives a history of picnic books, as well as material on food safety. It is all arranged from appetizers to desserts, with drinks and wine choices suggested (usually fragrant and fruity, lightish wines). All measurements are by volume; there is metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: intermediate, adventuresome. Some interesting or unusual recipes: walnut and feta micro-quiches, roasted potato salad with crème fraiche, chilled avocado and cucumber soup, plum tart, tuna cakes, rotini with feta. What I don’t like about this book: needs more coverage of how much slogging a picnic is, directing traffic, etc. It helps to have NO kids about. What I do like about this book: there’s a section on what not to bring, such as cell phones. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 10. COCKTAILS 2005 (American Express Publishing, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 231 pages, ISBN 1-932624-02-3, $21.95 paper covers) is by the editors of Food & Wine magazine. There is no indication that this is the beginning of an annual series. But since there is a date in the title and since there is a selection of the best drinks (however defined) from US hottest bars, restaurants, and lounges, it looks like it will come out again next year. There are the usual definitive recipes for the classics plus the latest trendy drinks. Each chapter focuses on one spirit (vodka, gin, whisky, et al). Each recipe identifies its source, with a separate section for the nightlife’s name and address and website (this is almost a free advert). There is a pitcher drink section that covers punches and party pleasers. Each prep makes eight drinks or more. The editorial team has prepared a cocktail clinic on mixology basics. There is a conversion chart for the innumerate, because it just converts ounces to cups; there is no metric used elsewhere. Audience and level of use: cooking and wine schools, cocktail lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: for flavoured-powder rims, use Tang or chili powder. What I don’t like about this book: the drink index is only by spirit – that’s also the chapter arrangement, so we haven’t gained anything. What I do like about this book: handy small compact format. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 11. EAT CARIBBEAN (Simon & Schuster, 2005, 240 pages, ISBN 0-743-25949- 1, $36 paper covers) is by Virginia Burke, a Jamaican now centered in London. She has written other Caribbean food books and articles. This book was originally published in the UK. The preps are robust and spicy, but not all are hot. She has traditional and updated and new takes on jerks, vegetarian dishes, and desserts. All of her courses have separate sections, including a special one for jerk (17 recipes). He also details menus, party planning, four sample menus, entertainment advice, plus “cooks notes”. The majority of Caribbean ingredients can be found in the larger urban supermarkets. She admits to a preponderance of Jamaican recipes because they are what she knows best: peasant food, street food, celebratory food, drinks. Some of her recipes are sourced as to origin (e.g., blackbean dip from Cuba, cornmeal pumpkin fritters from Jamaica). Her recipes use both metric and volume measurements form each ingredient listed. Audience and level of use: adventuresome, ethnic cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: grilled coconut shrimp, sweet plantain and ginger flan, smoked marlin salad, spiced duck with tamarind sauce, jerk mixed grill, ackee rice. What I don’t like about this book: there are only four menus. A book like this one needs more. Also, the different coloured pages of the text is wearing after awhile. What I do like about this book: glossary of foods descriptions and terms. The menus do have page references indicated, for easier retrieval of the preps. Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 12. MATCHING FOOD & WINE; classic and not so classic combinations (Weidenfeld & Nicholson; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 0-297-84379-6, $42.95 hard covers) is by Michel Roux, Jr., marathon runner and owner of La Gavroche in London. He has also written other cookbooks. Here he has 120 recipes plus serving suggestions, for a range of creative and complex dishes from appetizers through entrees to 33 desserts. All of the preps have wine recommendations, for the “ideal” wine (two or three suggestions for each plate). He also gives the rationale behind his choices. He even gives us a chapter where he selects 15 world class wines and then designs meals around them, such as Opus One with venison haunch and Chateau Latour 1982 with a very simple roasted veal rib. He has an engaging wine commentary and advice, giving the principles of matching food and wine. Some of these are classic, such as stilton and port, tapas and manzanilla, pasta and white truffles with Barolo. The metric scale is used in the recipes. At the back of the book, there is a wine directory of high class wines used. These are mostly from France, but there are others from Europe. Only a handful come from the New World. Audience and level of use: celebrity cook collectors, wine and food matchers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: celeriac remoulade and smoked duck, lyonnais onion soup, aioli with clams, smoked eel with beetroot, fennel boats and grilled goat cheese. What I don’t like about this book: somehow roquefort and Chateau D’Yquem is considered a not so classic combo. Also, roast turkey and pinot noir is not so classic. What I do like about this book: the rationales are very insightful and useful. Good hook for a book. Quality/Price Ratio: 87, 13. THE BREWMASTER’S TABLE; discovering the pleasures of real beer with real food (Ecco, 2005, 372 pages, ISBN 0-06-000571-8, $23.95 paper covers) is by Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery in New York City. He has also appeared on many TV shows and has written articles about beer. This is the paperback reissue of the 2003 hardback book. It is described as an “intelligent tome to foam” as it matches beer with food. It was a winner of an IACP Award and it was nominated for a James Beard Award. The general introduction includes a history and background of beer making. Then Oliver stresses the principles of matching beer with food. He identifies forty different beers to match up with food (Schwarzbier, old ale, Vienna-style, ESB, etc.) with a description and some typical producers for each style. He also covers the traditions established in Germany and Britain and Belgium, with material on Abbey beer, wheat beer and lager. Near the end he has a reference chart matching food with beer. Unfortunately, there’s lots of pub grub here as well as street food as beers work best with fatty foods. The book concludes with fifty pages of US craft breweries, but none on Canadian. Audience and level of use: literate beer lovers, foodies, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: apple pie goes with Imperial stout, strong Baltic porter, and cream stout. I guess that also includes apple pie with cheddar cheese. What I don’t like about this book: too many puffy colour photos. What I do like about this book: colour photos of the beer process, chapter endnotes which update the book from 2003. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 14. TURNING THE TABLES; restaurants from the inside out (HarperCollins, 2005, 216 pages, ISBN 0-06-073780-8, $34.95 hard covers) is by Steven A. Shaw, the founder of www.egullet.org, a James Beard Award-winning food critic, and a magazine food features writer. His basic attempt is to make sure that people are neither intimidated nor overwhelmed when dining out. But anybody who can afford to eat out in the food palaces surely must not be self-effacing, unless one only has “inherited money”. Shaw’s main point is that restaurants are businesses first, and that means that he usually takes the side of the owner rather than the chef or the critic. His scope of activity is mainly New York City. Celebrity chefs and the cult of personality are not everything, unless the chef also owns the operation. This is a largely anecdotal book, covering how to get a reservation in a hot new trendy spot (grovel), how the food gets to the table, how to get the best service and food when dining out, how to fins a perfect place for every event, how to read between the lines of a restaurant review. The tips and advice cover all types of restaurants (small to large) and activities (dates, power lunches, etc.). While there are many behind the scenes stories of food preps, I find that I can get most of this material from the likes of eGullet or Chowhound, for free. There is a bibliography of resources such as books, food magazines, the Internet, and articles. Audience and level of use: the curious diner, cooking schools, restaurant owners, foodies. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The most widely utilized restaurant information sources in America are the Zagat surveys, the best selling guides to restaurants in 45 cities worldwide.” What I don’t like about this book: slim book, fewer than 200 pages on the restaurant scene, with lots of leading and large type. His bibliography does NOT list the compelling “Wife of the Chef”, a good “tell-all” book. And while he talks about the Internet, there is nothing about television! What I do like about this book: “Turning the Tables” would work as a paperback, for half the going price. Quality/Price Ratio: 70. 15. A VERY GOOD YEAR; the journey of a California wine from vine to table (Gotham Books, 2005; distr. Penguin, 278 pages, ISBN 1-592-40129- 5, $36 hard covers) is by Mike Weiss, a writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. This is a look at the 2002 Fume Blanc made by Ferrari-Carano Vineyards in Sonoma County (13.7% alcohol, sauvignon blanc grapes; 70,000 cases, $14 retail, the winery’s best selling wine). The look includes the bottle, the cork, the label, the marketing campaign, etc. It begins with the first grapes picked by Mexican migrant workers through to the initial public tastings at the Four Seasons in New York City. Weiss’s work was originally a 60,000 word series of articles in the San Francisco Chronicle, and then it got turned into a book. From November 2001 through March 2002 Weiss describes what the vines did, the terroir of the region and its history, rootstocks and grafting, the wine industry in context of the F-C winery. From the bud break on March 22 through to the harvest of September 13, Weiss covers the weather and growing conditions for the six vineyards involved. Much of this involved hanging out with the viticulturalist and the workers. September and October were months for vinification, fermentation and the barreling process. Weiss here begins a discourse on the oak treatment and the yeasts used (e.g., some yeasts promote grassiness). Second year French oak barrels are used for partial Barrel Fermentation. November 2002 to January 2003 is dedicated to marketing, distribution and restaurants, following up with sales meetings and discounting issues. The final blend of 23 lots comes in March 2003, along with filtration and stabilization. The rest of the spring is spent seeking press reviews and tastings. This is really a good account of a year in the life of a winery. Audience and level of use: the serious wine collector who is fascinated by these accounts, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: The marketing director says “One of the things I hope you don’t spill the beans on is we’re as large as we are. A lot of people who buy our wines think we’re a 25,000 case winery. Every winery wants to be perceived as small”. F-C produces over 200,000 cases of wine a year. What I don’t like about this book: there is one major fault: no index! It is exceedingly difficult to retrieve information. He also uses a too-cute industry insider called “Deep Cork”. And personally, I would have chosen a red wine to follow. Then, we’d have a more complex story. What I do like about this book: his reasons for picking the Fume Blanc in the first place. He also has a section on the power of the Wine Spectator (they scored the F-C Fume Blanc at 85). Parker is almost never mentioned since he has never reviewed any F-C wines. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 16. WINDOWS ON THE WORLD COMPLETE WINE COURSE: 2006 edition (Sterling Publishing, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 276 pages, ISBN 1-4027- 2639-2, $35.95 hard covers) is by Kevin Zraly, an award winning wine expert and long-time sommelier of that late, lamented restaurant atop the (no more) World Trade Center. This has been newly revised and expanded for its twentieth anniversary edition. Indeed, it has even come down three dollars in price! (I last reviewed this book in 2002). It has frequently been revised since its first edition in 1985. Now it has been redesigned in layout, has 32 pages of brand new material, and more recommendations in his tour of the latest vintages. Over 20,000 students have taken Zraly's courses and workshops. This is the text that comes with the courses, and as such, it serves as a suitable book for almost any introductory wine course. It certainly does address the needs of students and beginners: the style-format is "question and answer", on what wine is, tasting wine (how to taste wine over sixty seconds), wine service at home and in restaurants, storage and cellaring. He avoids the markup controversies; however, one can compare a number of different sections and conclude that he favours 3 to 4 times the wholesale price. The bulk of the arrangement is by "classes", with ones for white wine, red wines, champagne, fortified, and wines from outside France and the United States -- still in the Q & A format, augmented by a continuous stream of sidebars and tidbits which extend the answers. There is a chapter co-written with Andrea Immer on matching wines with foods. Throughout, too, there are full-colour reproductions of wine labels. The book concludes with a glossary and a pronunciation key, as well as bibliographic notes for further reference reading. Audience: the learner, also restaurant personnel (a big chunk of this book deals with restaurant service and pricing). What I do not like about this book: his recommendations for everyday, once a week, and once a month wines (all based on price) are a bit out of whack with reality. People do drink better wines at home. The everyday wines are $10 and under. With US discounting, this comes in at about $7 apiece. These are guzzling wines, patios, parties, etc. Not “everyday” for home. His everyday wines should really be the “once a week” at the $10 – 20 level. Anybody who’ll be buying this book is a serious wine drinker. What I do like about this book: all of the tidbits are mostly indexed, and all of the basics are covered. Quality/Price Ratio: 90 17. INDOOR GRILLING; 50 recipes for electric grills, stovetop grills, and smokers (Quarry Press, 2005; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 128 pages, ISBN 1-59253-205-5, $23.99 paper covers) is by Dwayne Ridgeway, a food and beverage consultant and author who specializes in niche cookbooks such as this one. He has others on lasagna, panini, and pizza. His 50 recipes here follow the commercial success of many indoor grills. As he points out, grilling is economical, flavourful, and relatively healthy. With electric and stovetop cookers and wood-chip smokers, grilling can be done year round inside the home. His techniques involve different kinds of pans and shavings. His recipes include all courses, even vegetables and desserts. Sauces and marinades are vital here, to protect the food from drying out. Each recipe has BOTH volume and metric measurements for each ingredient, which is great. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes: smoked sweet potato mash, grilled honey pepper scallops with wild rice risotto, griddle cakes with cherry-smoked salmon, grilled chicken wings with dipping sauce, grilled pressed pastrami on rye. What I don’t like about this book: houses still need proper venting hoods. More recipes would have been useful. What I do like about this book: pretty basic stuff. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 18. CHEESE; a connoisseur’s guide to the world’s best (Clarkson Potter, 2005, 304 pages, ISBN 1-4000-5034-0, $45 hard covers) is by Max McCalman and David Gibbons. McCalman is associated with the Artisanal Cheese Center in NYC; Gibbons is a focusing food and wine writer. Their earlier book, “The Cheese Plate” was nominated for both James Beard and IACP awards. This is a handbook to 200 best varieties. Each ranked at or near the top of a 100-point quality scale. (McCalman, in doing a Parker, will now be responsible for the globalization of cheese!! – there’s even a blurb by Parker on the dust jacket. The arrangement is alphabetical by name of the cheese. Each entry has notes on history, provenance, producers, production (how made), appearance, strength, and quality. There is also a pronunciation guide for each. The authors make recommendations for the best possible wine pairings for each cheese. In addition, the book has tips and advice on shopping, storage, and assembling a cheese platter. The principles of cheese tasting are also explained. In case you are interested, Roquefort gets a 98, Parmigiano- Reggiano is 97, Stilton is 95, Caerphilly is 93, and Brie de Melun is 87. I have a basic conflict here since my nephew’s cheeses are listed (Fort Collins, Colorado). There is an index to cheeses by country and a general index. Audience and level of use: cheese lovers, hospitality schools, upscale restaurants. Some interesting or unusual facts: three cheeses are here from Quebec: Chaput Vacherin Mont D’Or, Le Chevre Noir, and Foin d’Odeur. What I don’t like about this book: they recommend California Zinfandel as a marriage made in heave for Zamorano cheese, yet it is just sixth in a list under the name of the cheese. There is NO explanation of the 100 point system, or of strength codes: there is just a statement in the Introduction that 100 points will be used, and no statement on Strength. Neither the point system nor the strength system are indexed. What I do like about this book: great close-ups of the cheeses, showing ripeness and runniness. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 19. OLIVIER ROELLINGER’S CONTEMPORARY FRENCH CUISINE; fifty recipes inspired by the sea (Flammarion, 2005; distr. by Random House, 240 pages, ISBN 2-080-30488-7, $70 hard covers) is by the Michelin-starred chef of Les Maisons de Bricourt in Brittany. He has published several books in French on food and Brittany. In this one, he has 49 food recipes plus 4 drinks. The emphasis is on seafood using 18 specific ingredients from abroad, to show cross-cultural influences. Thus, there are about three recipes for each ingredient (chili peppers, pineapples, cloves, cumin, artichokes, and tomatoes). His signature dish is scallops with 14 exotic spices, as prepared in 18th century Brittany. He has his own sources of supply, and sells his own blends of spices. This is more of an art book, with great looking photos and sketches. A galley motif is used throughout, such as employing “rigging” for equipment needed, “cruising time” for prep and cooking times, “from the ship’s hold” for a choice from the wine cellar, “provisions” for the list of ingredients, “setting the course” for cooking instructions, and “landfall” for how long the dish will keep. It all gets wearing after awhile. Some metric measurements are used. Audience and level of use: cult chefs, celebrity cook collectors, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: lobster pieces and pineapple and salted butter, wild salmon with raw apple and nutmeg and mace, foie gras and squid with fennel apple, fresh goat cheese with bell peppers and chili peppers and angelica oil, fresh oysters and asparagus with puffed linseeds and turmeric, artichokes and scallops with apples. What I don’t like about this book: a heavy book, with many gratuitous photos. The index is only by course. What I do like about this book: unique presentation, a useful contribution to a limited area. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 20. 4000 CHAMPAGNES (Flammarion, 2004; distr. by Random House, 384 pages, ISBN 2-080-30470-4, $84 hard covers) is by Richard Juhlin, a Swedish champagne expert and author of other champagne books. This current work contains more than 4000 tasting notes. Part one deals with the culture and history of the region and wine production. One hundred pages run through food matches, labels, towns in the area, and some grudging (I can feel it) notes on sparkling wines from other regions in eight pages, four of which detail other parts of France! Part two are the tasting notes. He describes each house, gives each a rating, and then the notes (each note is dated). These 250 pages form a buying and tasting guide. He has several lists of top or best champagnes, names and addresses, phone numbers, statistics, glossary. He’s tough as nails: there are no notes for wines scored under 79. Audience and level of use: champagne lovers, collectors, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: Cordon Negro is a “grapey wine that suffers from a repulsive chemical odour: half hair treatment half burnt plastic” (p.112) His 100 best champagnes are all vintaged dated. What I don’t like about this book: since the book is about French champagne, why bother with the eight pages dealing with non-Champagnes? No purchaser of an $84 book is really interested in Spanish Cava, German sekt, etc. What I do like about this book: the best NV champagnes that we have here for Ontario purchase are Henriot B de B (85), Gosset Grand Reserve (83), Bollinger (82), Roederer (82), Pol Roger (80) and Veuve Cliquot (79). Quality/Price Ratio: 84, dollar a point. 21. CHOCOLATE; discovering, exploring, enjoying (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-960-4, $16.95 hard covers) is by Sara Jayne Stanes, is both a chocolatier and an award-winning UK food writer. The basics here are how to buy it, cook it, and enjoy it. There is an opening chapter on chocolate’s history from its origins in Mexico. Types covered are dark, milk, white, pralines, truffles, and, of course, hot chocolate. There are reproductions of older advertisements. She has a basic recipe section, with 10 preps on ice creams, brownies, cakes. The resource list is all US, and there are metric conversion charts for the US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: the chocolate lover. Some interesting or unusual facts: the cocoa bean is very complex – it has 300 different flavours and 400 aromas. What I don’t like about this book: the “Business Credits” at the end smacks of advertising and paybacks. What I do like about this book: there is a discussion on organic chocolate, which is variable in flavours. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 22. ON TOAST (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-956-6, $16.95 hard covers) is by Susannah Blake, a food writer. This engaging little book of some 27 recipes covers breakfast, brunch, lunch and light dinners, as well as snacks and desserts. There are also four basic toast recipes. Basic stuff is covered, such as mushrooms on toast (also known as SOS, Sh*t on a Shingle). There are metric conversion charts for the US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: beginners, singles. Some interesting or unusual recipes: toasted brioche with lemon cream and raspberries, marinated red onions and anchovies on focaccia fingers, grilled zucchini and feta on crisp ciabatta, caramelized shallots on parmesan toasts, beets and sour cream on crunchy rye, giant prosciutto and brie and tomato toasts. What I don’t like about this book: could be bigger, with more recipes. What I do like about this book: nice idea for a sort of unique book. Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 23. PARTY COCKTAILS (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-970-1, $13.95 hard covers) And 24. HANGOVER CURES (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-972-8, $13.95 hard covers) are both by Ben Reed, a British bartender and beverage writer-consultant. Both are slim books. The Party book has recipes for one, with no punches and no wine drinks (just champagne). What’s a party without a big drink bucket somewhere for people to help themselves? The host shouldn’t have to make individual drinks all night long. There are 34 alcoholic and 4 non-alcoholic drinks in this book. The Hangover book tells you what to do before drinking and after a party. There are 28 hangover cures, and most involve more liquor. The overall idea, of course, since alcohol dehydrates, is to get more liquid into your system. Reed also gives some antidotes to nausea and headaches. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual facts: in France, the hangover cure is to drink hot onion soup the morning after. What I don’t like about this book: really too brief a treatment for a hard back book. What I do like about this book: metric conversion charts. The Hangover books has cures from around the world. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 25. SPANISH COUNTRY KITCHEN; traditional recipes for the home cook (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1- 84172-946-9, $34.95 hard covers) is by Linda Tubby, a UK food writer and stylist. These 62 recipes cover a wide range from tapas through soups and meats and seafood and desserts. It is one of a series from this publisher dealing with family dining restaurants, such as “Bistro” and “Trattoria” (can “Taverna” for Greek food be far behind?). The classics are all here: gazpacho, garlic soup, paella, garlic shrimp, tortilla, fried cheese. There is a section on mail orders, specialist suppliers, and websites, all (unfortunately for us) in the US. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes: potato fritters with chorizo, orange and potato salad, pomegranate salad with frisee leaves, el cocido, and chicken empanada. What I don’t like about this book: all sources are US, and there is no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: good close up photos (Tubby did her own food styling). Quality/Price Ratio: 80. 26. EASY ITALIAN; simple recipes for every occasion (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 240 pages, ISBN 1-84172-950-7, $27.95 hard covers) is by Maxine Clark, a UK food writer and teacher who spends time in Sicily and Tuscany. 13 preps come from Silvana Frano who is not identified. Most of the 100 recipes here cover pasta, pizza and sweets. All courses are covered (antipasti, soup, through meats and desserts). These are the basics, such as bruschetta and ribollita soup. There is a metric conversion chart for the volume measurements. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes: spinach with anchovies and pine nuts, Sicilian chickpea and rosemary fritters, mushroom mezzaluna, cannelloni, pasta with creamy salmon sauce, soft polenta with ragu sauce. What I don’t like about this book: Italian cooking is, by definition, already “easy”. So what’s the point? A better title might have been “Simple Italian”. What I do like about this book: well-developed index. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. 27. ALL ABOUT WINE (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2005; distr. by T. Allen, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84172-966-3, $34.95 hard covers) is by Jonathan Ray, a UK wine writer and Wine Editor of the Daily Telegraph. Some of this text was previously published in his earlier, smaller books. Basics are discussed: why wine tastes the way it does; the various red and white grape varieties; the grape growing regions; how to choose wine; and matching food with wine. There is a glossary of terms. Websites are indicated for both UK and the US, including Jancis Robinson, Robert Parker, Decanter, Wine Spectator, plus a handful of merchants. Audience and level of use: beginners Some interesting or unusual facts: unlike France, both Spain and Italy designate their “reserve” wines to indicate a certain period in oak. What I don’t like about this book: tries to cover too much and makes jumps and conclusions such as on page 28 with New World and Old World pinot noir. What I do like about this book: economical style. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. 28. THE SEXY BITCH’S PARTY; living it, throwing it, and being it (Ulysses Press, 2005; distr. by Raincoast, 162 pages, ISBN 1-56975-474- 8, $16.50 paper covers) is by Lulu Davidson, who teaches writing in the Pacific Northwest. This is an attitude book, and more power to it. Here are bona fide party ideas, hangover helpers, and party crisis management advice. Other topics covered include unconventional places to party, nights out on the town, how to party all year long, suggestions for theme parties, plus the usual girls’ night parties. There are details on various games, as well as food and cocktail recipes, such as the Titanic salad (sits aboard a pile of iceberg lettuce) and Lord of the Calamari Rings. A fun book. Audience and level of use: for the hostess with the mostest fun and the leastest work, a perfect gift book. Some interesting or unusual facts: grrls just wanna have fun What I don’t like about this book: no index What I do like about this book: quizzes (multiple choices) Quality/Price Ratio: 89. AS AN ADDDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR AUGUST 2005 ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! But first, these two “visual” and “audio” resources – 1. DVD: MONDOVINO (ThinkFilm, 2005, $34.99 SRP, Catalogue No. TF-53455, 135 minutes, 16:9 anamorphic widescreen, English and French (plus relevant sub-titles) also includes 50 more minutes (actually, it is “part six” of the director’s 10-part documentary skedded for TV and a future DVD release) plus director Jonathan Nossiter’s commentary. As most of us know by now, the 135 minute documentary (out of 500 hours shot) concerns the globalization of wine, with notes on the major players in Europe and America. The European section is mostly winemakers and owners; the USA section is mostly PR flacks, wine importers, and wine writers. There is also a lot of mutual sneering. Bulk wines are not covered. Mondovino was filmed over three years, and it has a definite point of view (POV). But then, all documentaries should have a point of view. In the original doc, over 22 dogs were introduced to the screen. In the 50-minute extra, three more dogs were added. The extra covers some nice bits about Parker and the Burgundy lawsuit. We are also introduced to more people NOT in the main film, such as the Wine Spectator offices and a plastic surgeon. Mondovino was shot with a digital camera, and in the transfer to DVD it seems to have lost its graininess, and this is a good thing. The picture is clearer, and the subtitles run through ok. In fact the subtitles in the main film are far better than the titles in the extra. If you have NEVER seen Mondovino before, it makes more sense to see the film for the first time with the director’s commentary ON. Most of the film is in non-English, and thus there are plenty of sub-titles to read. The commentary acts as a voiceover, which I thought that the original film badly needed. Nossiter explains here what micro-oxygenate means (the botox of wine, to artificially make wine taste better). Nossiter also clarifies what Aime Guibert from Mas de Daumas Gassac said (he had stated that “great wines can be made anywhere”, when he actually meant to say “good wines can be made anywhere”: he misspoke and wanted to take it back, but the camera never lies). Michel Rolland regrets having spoken so badly about Languedoc wines and people; he also claims that he never said certain things nor laughed the way he did. But the camera never lies. Nossiter – and others – objected to Michael Mondavi’s description of the mayor (in Languedoc, who tossed the Mondavis out) as being a “communist mayor”, but that’s what he was: a member of the French Communist Party. There is nothing inherently bad in being a member of the French Communist Party. It might have been more objectionable if Mondavi had said “communistic mayor” (with a sneer). But he didn’t, and he didn’t sneer when he said “communist mayor”. It was the same tone as “liberal Prime Minister Martin”. Anyway, nothing sells as well as controversy! Nossiter brings us uptodate, as of last year, on the activities of the Mondavis and the Europeans. Time moves on, of course, and the antagonisms between Rolland and the Antinoris have mysteriously disappeared: it was announced in July 2005 that Rolland has signed on to be a consultant on some joint ventures with the Antinoris. The individuality of the wines is a reflection of the individuality of the people concerned. There are just as many mass marketers in Europe as in North America, but they seem to be presented here in a more humane fashion. The POV again. Ultimately, the “good” or “great” wines want you to be able to taste the terroir: this is Burgundy, this is Bordeaux, this is Napa, this is Barolo, and this is Chianti. All the bulk or inexpensive wines can be made anywhere, and there is no sense of place. Does any of this matter? A wine is just a drink, but should a great wine only be known by the territory it sprung from? In many cases, it’s just an ego trip for the winemakers or owners, to have their wines acknowledged as BEING MADE BY THEM and nobody else. This is an Antinori, this is a Gaja, this is a Mondavi and so forth. To serve as a memorial, to perpetuate their memory, the cypress trees of the wine world. Buy the DVD and see for yourself… Audience and level of use: anybody the least bit curious about wine. Some interesting or unusual facts: this wine culture film features interviews with Michel Rolland, Robert Parker, Hubert de Montille, Aime Guibert, Robert Mondavi, and many others. What I don’t like about this DVD: the portrayal of Italian dogs – they were vicious. Seriously, I thought the doc needed more commentary on the impact of wine writers, and on the lack of impact of wine writers. Wine merchants were ignored. What I do like about this DVD: good POV coverage, an effective case was made, lots of interviews in which people came across as they really were in life. I cannot wait for the large ten-parter to come out. Quality/Price Ratio: hard to beat for the price, say 95. 2. SPOKEN WORD CD: ** NOTE: This is a major conflict-of-interest since Ann Tudor is my wife. It is a descriptive annotation, not a review. ** TALES FROM MY TABLE; food for thought (Molten Gold, 2005, ISBN 0- 920003-04-4, running time of 75 minutes, audio-book CD with 13 “opinionated” recipes, $17.50 includes taxes, shipping and handling from ann@anntudor.ca or at www.anntudor.ca; send your shipping address, and she will confirm by return email) is written and narrated by Ann Tudor, a Toronto writer of creative non-fiction. This is her third CD, and the first of a series about food in her life. It is a collection of 12 true stories exploring the way food influences our lives and our memories, the thrill of eating what you love to eat and cooking what you love to cook: Anne Lamott meets Garrison Keillor. Each piece is bracketed by a short musical sketch that reflects the mood of the story. The suggested audience includes anyone who likes spoken-word CDs, especially cooks listening in the kitchen while working and drivers motoring through traffic. The CD-ROM portion of the disc includes 13 recipes related to the stories, for guacamole, pea salad, dried tomatoes, et al. * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. THE EMPEROR OF WINE; the rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the reign of American taste (Ecco, 2005; distr. HarperCollins, 342 pages, ISBN 0- 06-009368-4, $36.95 hard covers) is by Elin McCoy, who has been writing about wine for about 30 years. She is currently the wine and spirits columnist for “Bloomberg Markets”. She also had full access to Parker during the writing of this book (by telephone, in his home, and on the road). This is the first (and hopefully only) book to chronicle the rise of Robert Parker, the world’s most powerful wine writer. His newsletter “The Wine Advocate” (45,000 subscribers plus shelf talkers) is the single most significant influence on consumers’ wine buying habits around the world. He has ruled the wine world, as Emperor, for the past 20 years. His power has established US tastes. His methods? His simple, unabashed enthusiasms, plus consumer crusades and high moral principles, were numerically rated on your basic high school grading system. This “aw shucks” style, Ralph Nader approach, no conflicts-of-interest attitude, and the numbers were things that most Americans could identify with. He is also polite: I remember viewing a video shot in the 1980s, about tasting Burgundies. Robert Joseph, Clive Coates, and others were swirling, tasting and spitting before commenting on a dozen wines. Parker, in one of his first public appearances, never spat, and as he progressed through the wines his face became more and more flushed. McCoy takes us through the early newsletter years and the vapid competition of other wine publications, the Brit writers who couldn’t stand the “holier-than-thou” Parker crusades (mainly against their conflicts-of-interest), his overthetop love for the 1982 Bordeaux wines (it is interesting that only three North American writers tasted the 1982 futures by March 1983: Robert Finigan didn’t like them, and soon after, his newsletter declined in influence), the book writing, the Faiveley lawsuit, the tasting circuit and his quickness to feel slighted. The book is also about the rise of the globalization of wine: what sells well are “fruit bomb” wines that Parker raves about. The easy solution is to make wines that Parker likes. Thus, fruit bombs dominate the marketplace – no matter what the country of origin. Terroir loses as every wine begins to taste the same. Parker’s main problem? His unbridled enthusiasm in the 1970s and 1980s turned off many people everywhere (US, France, UK, Italy). In reading through this book I was struck by the tremendous amount of jealousy, the love-hate relationships, the finger-pointing, and the pissing contests. It’s a male thing, and it is all about power. It is also compounded by the fact that Parker is hypersensitive. Yet it is one of the Laws of Journalism that writers absolutely MUST have a thick skin. McCoy’s book gives a good context and history of wine writing and appreciation in the U.S. before Parker’s emergence; she brings back memories for me as I had written about this period in my 1975 book. The book concludes with a wine tasting glossary, a bibliography of Parker’s writings, and a bibliography of general wine books, magazines, articles, and websites. Audience and level of use: anyone interested in the fascinating world of wine writing and wine criticism. It’s all about power. Some interesting or unusual facts: From Parker: “until 1978 most wine writers were essentially on the take”. From McCoy: “the Parker of the twenty-first century now routinely praised over-the-top Cabernets that the sideburned publisher a quarter-century before would have slammed as overly alcoholic, corpulent Bordeaux wannabes.”(p.278). “So much of what Parker says he stands for cause the opposite to happen.” (p.298), and she then proceeds to list seven of them. From Michel Bettane (a major French wine writer): “Parker is just doing his job as a wine writer. The [Bordeaux] wine trade helped create the problem. When he helped them with the 2000 vintage no one complained. Now he says the prices are too high, don’t buy, so he’s a bad guy.” What I don’t like about this book: I wished that McCoy had explored more about the authenticity of barrel samples. The subject was alluded to in the book a few times, and she may have been constrained by the libel chill of the Faiveley lawsuit. Nossiter, in his audio commentary for the Mondovino DVD, says that no one in Burgundy would talk to McCoy about the case. McCoy also mentions (once) that Parker is a “lefty”, without exploring the phenomenon that there are more left-handed people who are wine writers than the proportion of 10% within the general population. Indeed, anecdotal evidence suggests that up to 30% of wine writers are lefties. Creativity? The bibliography of articles is difficult to use since it is arranged by title and not by author. Some entries are vague, e.g., ““Letters to the Editor”, Decanter, many issues” is totally useless. At one point she describes a twice a month newspaper column as “bimonthly” (it should be “semi-monthly”). What I do like about this book: the Emperor has no clothes? Read the book, especially in conjunction with the Mondovino DVD. Particularly note the differences between McCoy’s account of Parker visiting Staglin Winery in Napa, and Nossiter’s visit to the same place. It is all about power (or did I mention that already?). Quality/Price Ratio: 95 (hey, that’s a Parker number!) * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 4. VEGETARIAN SUPPERS FROM DEBORAH MADISON’S KITCHEN (Broadway Books, 2005; distr. Random House Canada, 228 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1627-1, $39.95 hard covers) is by the renowned Julia Child and James Beard multiple award winner. Madison is just about the best vegetarian cookbook writer in the world. This is her first collection of a wide variety of mains, more than 100 of them. The range is from quick meals for weekdays to leisurely meals for weekends. The contents range from savoury pies, gratins, stews, pastas, crepes, fritters, tofu and tempeh, through to egg dishes and sandwiches. All seasons are in play, with the lighter meals for summer and heartier ones for winter. She gives several great ideas for making supper more enjoyable, some of the more intangibles. Vegan variations are listed. It comes at a price: you must have a decent pantry of items such as canned organic beans and tomatoes, organic milk and cheese, eggs, organic frozen peas, corn and spinach, dried and fresh mushrooms, capers, and olive oil. Of course, she has many suggestions for side dishes and desserts, and these are drawn from recipes in her other books (which you’ll need, and of course you’ll already have them!). Audience and level of use: just about everyone, cooking schools, hospitality trade chefs wishing to add some vegetable main courses to their menus. Some interesting or unusual recipes: onion and rosemary tart with fromage blanc, chard and onion torta, crookneck squash and rice gratin, winter squash green curry, spinach crepe cake, red sweet potato curry with bok choy and shallots. What I don’t like about this book: U.S. volume measurements, but with no metric equivalents tables. What I do like about this book: She also lists some wine recommendations, which are also useful. There is a long, extended index. Quality/Price Ratio: 93. 5. TRUE BLUEBERRY; delicious recipes for every meal (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, ISBN 1-58479-417-8, 128 pages, $31.50 hard covers) is by Linda Dannenberg, food and travel magazine writer, author of “Perfect Vinaigrettes”. The stress is on the healthy side of blueberries. Never mind that they cost a lot of money: blueberries have been proven to fight cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, and memory loss. She has a chapter on the health – low carb side (fibre, anti-oxidant, etc.). A cup a day is beneficial, but ideally you should be gobbling them down by the basket. These 80 recipes come from home cooks, diners, and celebrity cooks, and cover the range from dips to desserts. She uses cultivated, wild, fresh, frozen, and dried. But not canned. U.S. measurements are used, but there is a metric conversion chart. She also has a nifty resources list – all U.S. – for blueberry products via mail order. Audience and level of use: blueberry fans Some interesting or unusual recipes: blueberry beet borscht, blueberry buttermilk biscuits, roast marinated duck with blueberry sauce, lobster dipped in blueberry glaze. What I don’t like about this book: the paper is excessively heavy; there is a curious bibliography of five items, some really old books. What I do like about this book: useful single ingredient book. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 6. SALMON (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 192 pages, ISBN 0- 8118-4212-6, $24.95 paper covers) is by Diane Morgan, who has authored many cookbooks for Chronicle Books. She gives a decent guide to salmon lore (salmon family members, wild versus farmed, health and environment information) as well as data on storing, filleting, curing, smoking, poaching, sautéing, pan-roasting, frilling and BBQ. A full range of dishes covers all courses: there are 10 apps, 7 soups, 11 pasta/grains, 10 main salads, 16 mains, 9 brunch dishes (omelets, frittata, blintz, pie, quiche, hash, etc.). U.S. volume measurements are used, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Each recipe gets two pages, and –- oh joy – there are wine recommendations for each course. The resource list is all US except for one from Scotland and one from Ireland. Audience and level of use: food people, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Vietnamese salad rolls, grilled salmon tacos with chipotle sauce, pan-roasted salmon with warm French lentil salad, spicy corn stew with salmon, hot smoked salmon salad. What I don’t like about this book: there’s no mention of Willy Krauch salmon from Nova Scotia. The page references are in the gutter margin, making it difficult to find a page number while flipping the leaves. What I do like about this book: excellent layout. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 7. WINE INVESTMENT FOR PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION; how collecting fine wines can yield greater returns than stocks and bonds (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2005, 179 pages, ISBN 1-891267-84-1, $58 hard covers) is by Mahesh Kumar, MBA, currently teaching finance at Mount Royal College in Calgary. The major problem with this book is that everybody KNOWS wine increases in value and that greater yields are possible. That has been anecdotally known for some time: that fine wine has a higher expected return relative to its overall contribution of risk (it is not as volatile). Kumar proves it using Markowitz Theory, but so what? The resulting technical book has a U.S. and U.K. investor focus. Kumar point out, quite rightly, that the stock market dive of 2000/2002 reminded all of us of the importance of portfolio diversification. Don’t put your money into only one thing (that includes wine). Don’t churn, to avoid sales premiums at auctions. Invest for the long term, as people did with gold in the 1970s and real estate in the 1980s. He has developed a “Fine Wine 50 Index” of 10 red Bordeaux from different vintages. There are 101 pages of text, followed by appendices of thirty tables of returns and ratios. Many people (including wine writers) react negatively to the thought of wine investments, claiming wine is hedonistic pleasure and not crass commercial marketplace material. Personally, I have used the Broadbent approach (see below) but I won’t be selling my wines; I am now enjoying my investments, such as a Cote Rotie 1985 with my dinner tonight…The book concludes with end notes, bibliographies, and internet sites. Bottom line: holding fine wine as part of a diversified portfolio of traditional financial assets (equities and bonds) enhances expected returns. Audience and level of use: investors, speculators. Some interesting or unusual facts: From Michael Broadbent – “My advice is to buy the wines you particularly like, of good vintages only – and with your own money – and look forward to enjoying them when mature. With luck and good management you might have the additional benefit of reselling the stock surplus of your drinking requirements at a price that reflects its enhanced quality and diminished availability”. What I don’t like about this book: limited value to Canadians unless they go for off-shore storage and sales. There is no guarantee that the LCBO will continue to have sales auctions twenty years from now. What I do like about this book: useful for estate planning and valuation. He has a good discussion on “alternative investments” (fine wine, fine art, antiques). Broadbent’s introduction furnishes an engaging history of Christie’s Fine Wine Auctions. Quality/Price Ratio: to convince non-wine lovers, 88. 8. IT’S ABOUT TIME; great recipes for everyday life (Steerforth Press, 2005, distr. Random House Canada, 232 pages, ISBN 1-58642-087-9, $50 hard covers) is by Michael Schlow, awarded many accolades from the James Beard Foundation, magazines and even Robert Mondavi winery. He is currently the executive chef and co-owner of three restaurants in Boston. The 150 recipes cover a broad compass of basic food (30 minute meals that are mainly salads, or pasta or cold foods; BBQ; and entertaining meals) with informative sidebars and some helpful advice. He has a special chapter on spending an entire day in the kitchen, with a bottle of wine and some music to ease the stress of cooking. He tries to give the reader some culinary therapy and advice on how to eat well at all times, even on the go. This is commendable, and for the most part it succeeds. His emphasis is on slow cooking at 300 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. This is almost slow food. He presents some winter tasting menus (feasts) and some spring tasting menus (luncheons). As is too common with many of these books from south of the border, all the recipes are in U.S. volume measurements with NO tables of metric equivalents. By now we should have learned to post a photocopy of such tables on our fridge: but where would the family pictures go? Audience and level of use: the time-challenged home cook, celebrity chef collector. Some interesting or unusual recipes: gnocchi with vegetable pearls, loin of lamb with quick ratatouille, red wine-braised brisket, broccolini with spicy soy and orange zest, grilled fennel sausages, cassoulet. What I don’t like about this book: there’s an awful lot of introductory matter on Schlow himself. What I do like about this book: clear layout of the recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 9. HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING: BITTMAN TAKES ON AMERICA’S CHEFS (Wiley Publishing, 2005, 260 pages, ISBN 0-7645-7014-5, $35.99 hard covers) is by Mark Bittman, author of the “How to Cook” series. This current book accompanies the PBS television series of the same name. Here, Bittman goes mano a mano with 13 celebrity chefs and their sophisticated creations. There are 120 recipes, arranged by course. Each recipe gives a chef’s version followed by Bittman’s simpler construction. Cooking and prep times are indicated. Bittman has observations, cooking tips, and FYIs scattered throughout. There are the obligatory photos of the chefs and Bittman in action: Jean-Georges Vongerichten (NY) with tart tatin spin-offs, Daniel Boulud (NY) with lamb (stuffed saddle vs. Bittman’s stuffed shoulder), Suzanne Goin (LA) with bread pudding (brioche vs. easy), and Gary Danko (SF) with persimmons, and others. On one level, there is no denying that Bittman’s deconstructions are easier to do, and just as tasty – but still…. Audience and level of use: TV chefs, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: see above. What I don’t like about this book: photos don’t really show much. Also, the U.S. volume measurements have no tables of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: This is a great idea for a fun cookbook. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 10. CRAVE; the feast of the 5ive senses (Regan Books, 2005; distr. HarperCollins, 252 pages, ISBN 0-06-001285-4, $64.95 hard covers) is by Ludo Lefebvre, who trained at Michelin three star French restos (including Pierre Gagnaire), rising to executive chef at Los Angeles’s L’Orangerie. He is now executive chef at Bastide in L.A. These guys get around. Martin Booe is the focusing writer. The 100 recipes come in a coffee table-sized book (just add screw-in legs). The emphasis is on senses: taste for balance and contrast, hear sound for differences, touch for testing food, sight for appearance, and smell for timing. Recipes are arranged by sense, with two pages for each prep. There is also some extravagance, such as using a half-bottle of cognac in his lobster stock. Since his book is part biographical, there is quite a lot of text. He emphasizes two fundamentals: how to market and how to choose spices and herbs. U.S. volume measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: intermediate to advanced home cooks, cookbook collectors, cult chefs, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: braised veal shank with honey- artichokes-swiss chard, carpaccio of broccoli with saffron oil, eggs on toast with porcini mushroom coulis and truffle sauce, green apple and calvados granite, fried candied milk with green cardamom, whole dorade with salt crust. What I don’t like about this book: there are way too many pictures of Ludo. And in half of his pix, he’s wearing a nose stud (and none in the other half). The resources guide is mostly Californian. What I do like about this book: he uses a fair bit of lemon verbena and verjus. There is also a fairly well-developed index. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 11. A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 6 GLASSES (Doubleday Canada, 2005, 311 pages, ISBN 0-385-66086-3, $32.95 hard covers) is by Tom Standage, technology editor at “The Economist”. He tells the story of civilization (in about 275 pages) through the study of six drinks and their influence on humanity: beer in Mesopotamia and Egypt, wine in Greece and Rome, spirits in England and Colonial America, coffee in the Age of Reason, tea and the British Empire, Coca-Cola and US imperialism. Of course, it is popular history, especially since these are “God Given Drinks”. But it is a good handle and hook for a social and business history, to tie in how alcohol and caffeine (three of each type) drives the world. Each beverage advances culture and civilization; all are celebratory and are storage replacements for water. We learn that beer was used to pay wages in Mesopotamia and Egypt; wine was the main export of Greece; spirits fortified sailors and drove the slave trade; coffee was the beverage of choice in the (focusing) Age of Reason; tea trade dictated British foreign policy in the 19th century; cola becomes a symbol of globalization and the U.S. leading export. Appendices detail how you can try to recreate some ancient drinks of the time (Egyptian beers, Roman wine, English tea). For example, coffee should be two days old and over-percolated. Not in my house….At the back, he has research end notes and a bibliography of sources. Audience and level of use: young people, inexperienced readers. Some interesting or unusual facts: while wine culture was important in religion (Greece, Rome, Hebrew, Christian but opposed by Islam), “to serve a modern wine in the Greek or Roman manner, the main thing is to remember to dilute it with water”. Also: several contemporary firms still make specialty colas using old-fashioned recipes (Fentiman’s Curiosity Cola has extract of guavana berries and catuaba bark). What I don’t like about this book: broad sweeping statements are mainly summaries. There is no real mention of spirits in Europe, such as gin or Scotch in the U.K. The black and white photos and reproductions are somewhat murky. There are only 29 lines of type per page, lots of leading, making it seem as if there is lots of text. What I do like about this book: good quotes to illustrate his themes Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 12. LA COCINA DE MAMA; the great home cooking of Spain (Broadway Books, 2005; distr. Random House Canada, 308 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1222-5, $42 hard covers) is by Penelope Casas, probably America’s foremost Spanish cuisine expert through her tours, magazine articles, and cook books (e.g., Tapas). This book has 175 recipes of Spanish home cooking at its best. All regions and all courses (tapas to desserts) are covered, and the recipes are both sourced and credited to chefs and cooks. Spanish food has been influenced by the Romans, the Moors, and the peasants; it uses lots of garlic, olive oil, leans meats and veggies. Casas presents sidebars for more details on ingredients and local traditions, as well as specific notes on the Spanish pantry, cheeses and wines. She uses U.S. measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. As well, she has a source list for Spanish products with US addresses only. Audience and level of use: Spanish food lovers, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Catalan fish and potatoes with alioli, Manchego cheese canapés with olives and piquillos, Basque red bean stew, chickpea stew with bolos, baked stuffed squid in almond sauce, almond and egg yolk tart. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine recommendations. The colour bars at the top of pages are used to indicate how far ahead you can make a dish, but they are hard to read, and in fact, they look too much like just plain layout decorations. This needs a re-think. What I do like about this book: the index is in both English and Spanish, for both recipes and ingredients. The photos, while apart from the dish they describe, do have page references to the recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 13. THE TROUT POINT LODGE COOKBOOK; creole cuisine from New Orleans to Nova Scotia (Random House Canada, 2004. 235 pages, ISBN 0-679-31247-1, $45 hard covers) is by Daniel Abel, Charles Leary, and Vaughn Perret, founders of the Lodge and the Inn at Coyote Mountain in Costa Rica. Collectively, the trio have won numerous awards during their 15 years as food entrepreneurs, covering cheese making, cooking schools, farms, restaurants, chefing, Food Network, and magazine article writing. Currently, they divide their time between Nova Scotia, Louisiana, Spain and Costa Rica. Trout Point Lodge is in Yarmouth County (Nova Scotia) which has the province’s largest French-speaking Acadian community; it is a combination cooking school, farm, inn, and restaurant, initially scouted in 1997. Some historical and cultural details are given. The cuisine here is based on local seafood, vegetables, cheese, and wild foods, derived from Creole and Acadian traditions. The book has no pork, beef, or chicken, although chicken stock is used. Typical contents include how to forage for wild mushrooms, how to smoke fish (extensive notes here), how to use a brick oven fired by wood. In the recipes, the ingredients are sidebarred and screened, but there is a large typeface used. The team gives five suggested menus (with page references) for creole meals and Nova Scotia meals, all using seafood and vegetables. Audience and level of use: visitors to Trout Lodge, meatless cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: wild mushroom pate, saffron seafood gnocchi, caramelized fennel and goat cheese, lime-grilled cattail root, shiitake mushrooms Rockefeller, smoked trout cakes, chilled blueberry soup. What I don’t like about this book: a fair number of pastoral pix scenes. What I do like about this book: menus have page references. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 14. SERVSAFE ALCOHOL™; fundamentals of responsible alcohol service (National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, 2005; distr. Wiley, various paginations, ISBN 0-471-71135-7, paper covers) is “designed to train all members of an establishment including servers, hosts, valets, bouncers, coat checkers, etc.” It is U.S. based, and thus adheres to U.S. legislation. But apart from that, much of the book is relevant to Canadian servers. The contents cover U.S. alcohol regulations for servers and sellers, roles of liquor authority, laws restricting alcohol service, recognizing and presenting intoxication, how to assess drunkenness, checking ID, dealing with fake ID, handling difficult situations, and documenting incidents. Each chapter has a section “how this relates to me” with blank spaces to fill in. It is entirely dependent on what state/province and local community one works in. Judging by the number of pages and index entries, the top concerns are ID and intoxication. This may not be a problem with fine dining. The title is setup as a workbook with exercise for self-teaching. Audience and level of use: hospitality industry and schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: only the liver can break down alcohol. What I don’t like about this book: need some Canadian data, which would only be a couple of pages. What I do like about this book: book could not be simpler. Even an underage person should be able to understand it. Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 15. FOR THE LOVE OF… GARLIC; the complete guide to garlic cuisine (Square One, 2005; distr. by U of T Press, 195 pages, ISBN 0-7570-0087- 8, $13.95US paper covers) is by Victoria Renoux, a multiple cookbook author specializing in natural foods. This book is one of a series (such as the olive book) in a standard format. Part one looks at history, lore, health – even how to grow your own. Part two is the recipe section: 60 preps for all types of savoury dishes. She has a good section on garlic varieties and what to look for (garlic tasting party anyone?). U.S. volume measurements are complemented by metric conversion charts. There’s a list of garlic farms, garlic information websites, and garlic festivals. Audience and level of use: garlic lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: vegetable pot-au-feu, polenta stuffed Portobello mushrooms, Provencal soup, garlicky guacamole, Tunisian eggplant salad, black bean stuffed yellow peppers. What I don’t like about this book: there are no illustrations of the various garlic families (hardneck, softneck), and the index has no entries for food ingredients. What I do like about this book: there are details on how to braid garlic, how to peel garlic. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 16. THE GARDEN-FRESH VEGETABLE COOKBOOK (Storey Publishing, 2005; distr. Thomas Allen, 501 pages, ISBN 1-58017-534-1, $34.95 hard covers) is by Andrea Chesman, a James Beard Award nominee specializing in vegetable cookbooks. There are 175 recipes here, which follow the growing season and harvest. The hook here is what to do with a bountiful crop. These recipes are good for mass processing of bushels of veggies, to help you eat locally and seasonally. Thirty-four veggies in all, arranged by season. Thus, in spring, we have asparagus spears, summer has broccoli, beets, snap beans, Swiss chard, corn, eggplant. Lots of advice and FYIs strewn over the book, especially on how to handle surpluses. She gives us 14 master recipes for whatever is in the basket, using basic preps as blanching, steaming, grilling, roasting, stir-frying, and braising. Audience and level of use: cooks who garden, hospitality schools Some interesting or unusual recipes: mixed roasted summer vegetables, mixed grilled summer vegetables, sautéed vegetable medley with fresh herbs, eggplant lasagna, and Japanese pickles. What I don’t like about this book: U.S. volume measurements have no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: extensive index with cross-references. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 17. KILLER COCKTAILS; an intoxicating guide to sophisticated drinking (HarperResource, 2005, 128 pages, ISBN 0-06-074072-8, $24.95 spiral bound) is by David Wondrich, a free-lance writer and editor in the area of spirits. His first book was “Esquire Drinks”. This current book is in a hands-free format, with the spiral pages mounted on a free- standing board. This easel format leaves your hands free to follow the step-by-step instructions. This is a great angle (pun intended) for the book. Here are the classics and some contemporaries, but no flaming drinks. It covers the usual basics of mixology, bar gear, cocktail ingredients. There are 10 master recipes for martini, gin fizz, daiquiri, plus variations for mint julep, negroni, sidecar, tom and jerry, stinger, etc. Eighty drinks in all. Several pages are devoted to how to physically handle drinks and mixes (stirred, shaken, bruising, straining, cracked ice). There is a drinks index and an ingredients index, as well as a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: novitiates. Some interesting or unusual facts: most drinks do not need garnishes beyond a twist. What I don’t like about this book: there is a full page reproduction of drinks, and this is wasted space. What I do like about this book: easel format Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 18. THE PERFECT BUZZ; the essential guide to boozing, bars, and bad behaviour (HarperResource, 2005, 143 pages, ISBN 0-06-077970-5, $19.95 hard covers) is by an editorial team assembled by Quid Publishing in the UK. The book is about one-upmanship, but in a subtle way. There are sections on how to improve your dating technique with dozens of pickup lines. There are rules for pool, darts, Foosball, poker and dominoes. “In the UK, dominoes is still traditionally played in pubs by very old men with hairy ears, sporting flat caps, and all are called Stanley” Yep, that’ll be it…There are 28 bar tricks (levitating olive, rising beer bottle) and 15 drinking games (shotpool, beer pong). Plus the inevitable basic description of all types of beers, spirits, liqueurs, and wines (in that order), naming some of the more important brands and furnishing some pronunciation guidance. A glossary and a series of synonyms to describe a drunk complete the package of this UK-based tool. Audience and level of use: pub crawlers, game players, hospitality schools, bars. Some interesting or unusual facts: all beer brewed and drunk around the world was ale until the 1830s when the Germans isolated a strain of yeast that produced a lighter, more carbonated beer with a drier flavour (i.e., lager) What I don’t like about this book: some minor typos intrude. What I do like about this book: how to order a beer in 25 languages (includes pronunciation). Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 19 FAMILIES OF THE VINE; seasons among the winemakers of Southwest France (HarperCollins, 2005, 265 pages, ISBN 0-06-055964-0, $34.95 hard covers) is by Michael S. Sanders, author of the marvelous “From Here, You Can’t See Paris” (which dealt with a restaurant in Southwest France). This current book is based on two years spent among French winemakers and malbec vineyards in the Cahors region; it covers from vine to wine. A lot of the owners are English, Dutch and Danish. He also covers social history, terroir, viticultural and vinicultural processes. It is chronologically arranged by the season, mostly for the 2003 year – the long hot summer of dense fruity wines. This includes the harvest. But, then, he had to go elsewhere, and so his actual winemaking notes are from the 2002 vintage. He talked to French coopers and French sommeliers as well as winemakers. Specific chapters deal with the Jouffreau family at Clos de Gamos, Bernede at Clos la Coutale, Baldes at Clos Triguedina. The tasting notes are by the producers or sommeliers themselves. Audience and level of use: the wine lover-reader, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: Cahors has three terroirs: valley lands at 300 – 500 feet, chalk plateau at 1000 feet, and slopes (coteaux). The best wines come from the slopes. What I don’t like about this book: alas, no index. What I do like about this book: tasting menus are given, as well as short notes on where to taste in Cahors (three dozen or so vineyards, with phone numbers) plus tourist stuff on the region (restaurants and accommodations). Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 20. THE RUSTIC TABLE; simple fare from the world’s kitchens (William Morrow, 2005, 358 pages, ISBN 0-06-056717-1, $34.95 hard covers) is by Constance Snow, New Orleans food writer with two columns a week in the Times-Picayune. She has also contributed many food and travel stories to other magazines and newspapers. Her “Gulf Coast Kitchens” won an IACP Cookbook Award in the American category. Cooks used to call this “peasant” food, but that’s politically incorrect these days. The earthy, rustic, rural, thrifty ingredients are cheap (oops, I mean “inexpensive”), easy to find, and quick or easy to prepare. Here are 200 recipes, enough for a full load of starters, sides, desserts, and entrees from 25 countries, all arranged by course. Included are sections on hearty breakfasts and breads plus the inevitable one-pot meals. Classic dishes dominate. With this kind of food, mistakes can be forgiven and buried, and quantities/ingredients need not be precise. U.S. volume measurements are used. Audience and level of use: great for the first-time cook. Some interesting or unusual recipes: West African mixed grill, almond cookies with Chinese five-spice powder, potato latkes with chunky applesauce, frittata with spring vegetables, Chinese rice porridge, Asian-style noodle salad with sesame dressing. What I don’t like about this book: there is no metric conversion table. What I do like about this book: big typeface, with some of it in bold, and it is all readable. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 21. THE SOPHISTICATED OLIVE; the complete guide to olive cuisine (Square One, 2004; distr. by U of T Press, 193 pages, ISBN 0-7570-0024- X, $13.95US paper covers) is by Marie Nadine Antol, a Los Angeles-based food writer. This book is one of a series (such as the garlic book above) in a standard format. Part one looks at history, lore, health – even how to grow and nurture your own olive grove. There are a dozen recipes for health aspects, such as reducing sinus congestion (it works). Part two is the recipe section: 80 preps for all types of savoury dishes plus dessert. She has a section on home curing, and gives some preps for beverages, tapenades, infused oils, as well as soups-entrees-sides. She also has information on how to conduct an olive oil tasting. U.S. volume measurements are complemented by metric conversion charts. There is also a resource list, all U.S. Audience and level of use: olive fanatics, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Arabian olive-onion-orange salad, spicy marinated olives, olive oil refrigerator pickles, provencal caviar (old-style French tapenade, antipasto sandwich, olive butter. What I don’t like about this book: historical black and white (or olive and white) pictures are small and murky. No ingredients are indexed, only the title or course of the recipe. What I do like about this book: good typeface and layout Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 22. MOLTO ITALIANO; 327 simple Italian recipes to cook at home (Ecco, 2005; distr. HarperCollins, 522 pages, ISBN 0-06-073492-2, $44.95 hard covers) is by prolific celebrity chef Mario Batali, who also plays a chef on TV. He is now one of three Iron Chefs in the U.S.A. appearing on the Food Network. This book (his fourth), value driven with 327 recipes, accompanies his new series on TV. Some of the recipes are from his eight years of the “Molto Mario” TV show. All the recipes concentrate on simplifying and shortening prep times. He emphasizes pre-production and countdown schedules for holiday meals. All courses are presented, from most regions of Italy, plus sides and desserts. There are many basic recipes and classic recipes in this all-purpose book: 67 antipasti, 50 pasta dishes, 34 veggie recipes, plus informative and engaging sidebars. Each recipe is headed with a provenance of the sorts, and most are accompanied by first-rate photography. U.S. volume measurements are used, but with no table of metric equivalents. He has a glossary and a pantry list, along with an equipment list. The resource list is all USA. Audience and level of use: basic book, celebrity chef collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Sardinian ravioli cookies (sebadas), pici with lamb sauce, pappardelle with boar ragu, herb sandwich from Parma, polenta with capocollo and ramps, radicchio pancakes. What I don’t like about this book: while wine is used in quite a few dishes (most times unspecified as to varietal) and while there are six pages of wine notes, there are no recommendations with each recipe. There are some general recommendations within the free-standing wine notes. But these are not indexed. Also, Batali owns part of a wine importing concern, so it is to his advantage to cite wines. What I do like about this book: indexes are in both Italian and English names and ingredients. Quality/Price Ratio: yet another Italian book? 85. 23 CHILEAN WINE; the heritage – a journey from the origins of the vine to the present (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2005, 206 pages, ISBN 1- 891267-77-4, $ hard covers) is by Rodrigo Alvarado, a Chilean enologist, wine writer and wine historian. It was originally published in Spanish in Chile in 2004. Actually, it is a history of the vine around the world, clearly showing the heritage of wines in Chile (the subtitle is, after all, “heritage”), not Chilean wines per se. We don’t really get to Chile and its history until p.115. The translation/proofreading may leave something to be desired: on page 142 we read about “vitivinicultural cannons”. An explosive issue, I’d imagine. He presents tables with DOC areas and regions, statistics (but no export figures), along with a bibliography and a basic index. Audience and level of use: readers interested in Chilean wine history. Some interesting or unusual facts: The railroad was decisive for the development of the Chilean wine industry. What I don’t like about this book: I’m not sure why we needed over half the book to retell the history of non-Chilean wines of the world. What I do like about this book: charts of production figures, grape varieties, and timeline charts. Quality/Price Ratio: 76, 24. RETRO FIESTA; a gringo’s guide to Mexican party planning (Collectors Press, 2005; distr. Ten Speed Press, 127 pages, ISBN 1- 933112-01-8, $24.95 hard covers) is by Geraldine Duncann, a California food writer. This is one of a series (Retro Breakfasts, Retro Pies, Retro Barbecue) dealing with foods from the fifties. Duncann here presents an American version of Mexican food: chips and salsa are the new fries and ketchup. There are 100 recipes and many menu suggestions. Party ideas (e.g., how to make a piñata) and decorations have their separate sections, as do serving ideas and table settings. There are over 20 days each year to celebrate Mexican events, including of course the Cinco de Mayo. Salsas and margaritas are presented. The book is like roaming through Sunset magazine of the past. All the illustrations come from the 1950s. Audience and level of use: party lovers, food culturalists. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Do It Yourself burrito buffet, nachos, guacamole, queso fresca dips, bean dip, chorizo and bean filling, masa balls, tortilla ball soup. What I don’t like about this book: there are no music recommendations, beyond a few words on Latin dances in general. The index is only by course. No table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: well-worth the money, great reproductions. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 25. AGAINST THE GRAIN; 150 good carb Mediterranean recipes (William Morrow, 2005, 274 pages, ISBN 0-06-072579-2, $32.95 hard covers) is by Diane Kochilas, multiple cookbook author on Greek themes (and an IACP Cookbook winner). These are robust meals, with carbohydrate counts per serving. The bad news is that the Atkins diet and similar fads seem to be in decline. Good carbs, the complex carbs of whole grains, are stressed. The book contains no pasta and no couscous preps, but some recipes call for bulgur, brown rice or wild rice, and barley. For this kind of cooking, a pantry is essential: canned fish (tuna, anchovies), capers, charcuterie, cured fish (smoked, pickled), dairy, fruit, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, and olive oil. Meze, egg dishes, and vegetable courses are also covered, but no desserts. Once again, there are U.S. measurements but no metric tables. Check her website for more details: www.cuisineinternational.com Audience and level of use: dieters Some interesting or unusual recipes: cod fillets with orange and cracked green olive salsa, tomatoes stuffed with pureed cauliflower and feta, spinach salad with ricotta salmon-olives-pine nuts-tomatoes, Israeli coffee chicken, Greek lamb with spinach, Iman Bayaldi. What I don’t like about this book: it has the appearance of reformatted Mediterranean food. Med food is good for you anyway, but I guess it gets even better when you drop the simple carbohydrates. What I do like about this book: most of the recipes come from the Eastern end of the Mediterranean. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 26. THE ONE-POT GOURMET 125 simply delicious dinners (Lark Books, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 1-57990-647-8, $21.95 paper covers) is by Pat Dailey; it was originally published in 1996 as “One Pot Sunday Suppers”. These 125 recipes are mainly for casserole- type dishes. She also has vegetarian standards as well. Prep times, cooking times, substitutions, and quantities served are all clearly up front and noticeable. There are the usual hearty soups, gumbos, chilies, meats-seafood-poultry, plus ideas for “dinner in a hurry”. But no slow cookers are here. She has a variety of FYI sidebars. There are comprehensive metric conversion charts for various weights, volumes, heat, length. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes: risotto with asparagus-mushrooms- smoked trout, seafood and sausage gumbo, Lebanese chicken with bulgur salad, Asian oxtails, Mediterranean beef stew with olives and prunes, ratatouille boats with goat cheese-olives-capers. What I don’t like about this book: the soup section stretches it a bit. Any hearty soup can be a one-pot wonder. What I do like about this book: three great indexes to recipes, ingredients, and techniques. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 27. THE ACCIDENTAL VEGETARIAN; delicious and eclectic food without meat (Cassell Illustrated, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84403-276-0, $25.95 paper covers) is by TV chef and vegetarian restaurant owner (Greens) Simon Rimmer. It was originally published last year in the UK. The 140 recipes run from dips to desserts, with an emphasis on world cuisine. This is pretty basic stuff, like gruyere- filled beefsteak tomatoes and many pasta/rice/potato entrees for the hearty “male” eater. One recipe calls for “vegetable suet”, which is mainly coconut palm oil in solid form, and hence shreddable. But you’ll have to go to England to find a can, or check out a British import store. He also uses the word “polenta” for corn meal. To us, Italians or North Americans, polenta is “cooked corn meal”. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there are no metric conversion tables. Audience and level of use: those thinking about vegetarianism. Some interesting or unusual recipes: spicy beetroot and coconut soup, blinis with sour cream and roasted bell peppers, sweet potato and pineapple sandwich, asparagus-potato-fennel salad, red Thai bean curry, gnocchi with wild mushroom and rosemary ragu. What I don’t like about this book: tiny print size for the index. Also, it is incomplete. For example, “steamed sweet pudding” is not indexed under steamed, sweet, nor pudding. What I do like about this book: nice photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 78. 28. LEBANESE FOOD (New Holland, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 160 pages, ISBN 1-84537-187-9, $35.95 paper covers) is by Cassie Maroun- Paladin, and it was originally published in the UK in 2001. These are the author’s family recipes, passed down from her grandmother. Lebanon represents the crossroads of Middle Eastern, African, and Mediterranean foods. Its contents cover pickles, breads, yogurts, rice, fish, eggs, meats, veggies, sweets and beverages. Lots of sweets and beverages. She also has seven recipes for kibbi, the national dish of Lebanon (ground raw lamb eaten either raw or cooked). Both metric and Imperial measurements are given, side by side. She also has material on menu planning, as well as a glossary. Audience and level of use: good intermediate level. Some interesting or unusual recipes: green bean stew with lamb, mountain bread (you’ll need to be energetic), baked fish in sesame sauce, rhubarb sherbet, semolina sweets, eggplant with chickpeas. What I don’t like about this book: index is only by course, not by ingredient. There is no index to indigenous names of recipes. What I do like about this book: lots of close-up photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 81. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS -- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JULY 2005 ============================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * (actually, whiskey this time) ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. WHISKEY; the definitive world guide (DK, 2005, 288 pages, ISBN 0- 7894-9710-7, $50 hard covers) is by (who else?) Michael Jackson, with contributions from nine other named gentlemen. For example, Stuart Ramsay writes about Canada (Glenora, Canada Club, Kittling Ridge). This is another “tell all” book, international in scope. It is comprehensive and somewhat authoritative, with 67 pages on single-malts, three for Irish, 12 on Canada, 24 on the USA, five for Japan, 13 for the rest of Europe, and six for Australasia. The authors clearly show the impact of climate, water, heather, sea breeze, barley, peat, malting techniques, distillation processes, type of wood used for storage, maturation periods. General sections cover aromas and flavours, peats and bogs, regions, terroirs – with lots of illustrations and diagrams. There are short sections on whiskey cocktails (with recipes), food and whiskey pairing, and cooking with whiskey (with recipes). But this is principally a directory to some of the finest distilled grain-based spirits in the world. After the first 85 pages of general materials, the country-by-country arrangement begins with Scotland, of course. The guide to the major producers of single-malt scotch, small batch bourbons, and pure pot Irish includes contact details and label reproductions. There is also a concluding bibliography of books, magazines, and websites. Audience and level of use: wine schools, whiskey lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Islay’s constant wind carries a mist of sweet, salt-laden air, the whiff of the sea, the coconut aroma of a hot gorse, a hint of peat smoke and bog myrtle, and the smell of a just-spent fire on the beach. All the notes you pick up in its malts are there, floating in the Atlantic wind”. What I don’t like about this book: it is hard to fault, but maybe a pronunciation guide could have been useful. More maps would also have engaged me. What I do like about this book: good thick paper. There are tasting notes and good descriptions of vatted malts plus the top 15 sellers of Scottish blends. Quality/Price Ratio: 93. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * (actually, a collectible) 2. MILLER’S KITCHENWARE BUYER’S GUIDE (Miller’s, 2005, distr. McArthur, 320 pages, ISBN 1-84533-071-4, $39.95 hard covers) is the latest in the series of guides published by Mitchell Beazley. This first edition has some material previously published in “Miller’s Collecting Kitchenware” and “Miller’s Antiques Price Guide”. All of the Miller guides are full- coloured texts dedicated to popular collecting subjects in the UK. This kitchen guide has twelve named contributors to assemble the two main parts. The first part is “What to Look For” in care and display, with a short history of the kitchenware involved and notes on US and UK manufacturers. For each type of product, there are also suggestions for further readings. The “What to Pay” section has the bulk of the illustrations, with prices given in sterling, Euros, and U.S. dollars, based on prices obtained at auction. The major topics for kitchenware are storage, dairy, baking, moulds, cookware, utensils, tableware, scullery, and books (four pages for the latter). So we can see a variety of jelly moulds, biscuit barrels, chopping boards, and book covers. There are colour tabs for cross-referencing back and forth between the two sections. The descriptions, prices and marketing information for each item is extremely useful, especially as the prices charged for the item are based on location, condition and provenance. One direct impact of the Internet has been the exposure of the collectible to a wider audience. This always increases the price, sometimes by more than double…The basic use: if you are looking for a particular item, check the contents list; if you are looking for a particular factory or maker, check the index. The publisher claims 2500 colour photos, and I believe it. Other valuable reference material here: a glossary, a directory of specialist stores in the UK plus 7 in the U.S.A., a directory of clubs, museums and website, and markets to sell (with 9 in the U.S.A.), a general bibliography, and, of course, an index. No Canadian content, but many items were exported from the UK to Canada over the past 200 years, and they turn up from time to time in various auctions and flea markets in Canada. Audience and level of use: the food collector, food historians. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Much of the appeal for kitchenware is that the items can have a variety of uses. For example, bread boards are very decorative and can be used as place mats of even for cutting bread on – these are particularly popular in the U.S. and Japan. Milk churns are also very popular for the garden today.” What I don’t like about this book: I’m not sure why the two major sections are separated from each other; I’m sure that there is a reason but the publisher doesn’t say so in the book itself. What I do like about this book: bargain price for the photos, and the glossary of terms. Quality/Price Ratio: 92. 3. THE WINE LOVER’S GUIDE TO THE WINE COUNTRY; the best of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 320 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4242-8, $26.95 paper covers) is by Lori Lyn Narlock and Nancy Garfinkel. Narlock has also written “The Food Lover’s Companion to the Napa Valley”, while Garfinkel co-wrote a season of the US Food Network’s “The Melting Pot”. The work is a collection of the wine resources from Northern California: tours, tasting bars, wine shops, meals, purchases, picnic stops, museums, inns, libraries, wine schools, accommodation, et al. They try to answer the question: “If you only had one day in the wine country, where would you want to spend it?” Wine culture of the region is explored, as well as a wine tasting primer. It is arranged by county, and then by appellation and winery (the best, followed by the others). Each winery has the usual contact data, website, history, tours and hours, plus what to see and do nearby. Mendocino gets 10 pages, and is described as a rustic place, off the beaten path. But it does have Fetzer and Roederer Estate. Audience and level of use: travelers and tourists. Some interesting or unusual facts: “What we’ve deliberately omitted is much of the rich history and many of the unique stories that characterize the places we write about.” You’ll have to do this on your own once you are down there. What I don’t like about this book: the index is to names (mainly). There are no tasting notes, and only simple black and white photos. What I do like about this book: Mendocino is covered, and there is a chart of driving distances (e.g., it is three hours from San Francisco to redwood Valley in Mendocino). Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 4. SENSATIONAL SALADS (Stewart, Chang & Tabori, 2005; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 144 pages, ISBN 1-58479-418-6, $31.50 hard covers) is by Barbara Scott-Goodman, a New York-based food writer and art director. These 80 preps emphasize low-calorie, high-flavour complex carbohydrates, mainly by including fish, fowl, and farm animals. Salads are divided into appetizers, side dishes, and main entrees. There are the usual vinaigrette and dressing preps, plus other variations. She has a section on how to select and use the wide variety of greens found in today’s market. The overall arrangement of the book is by principal ingredient. Audience and level of use: home cooks, buffet specialists. Some interesting or unusual recipes: mixed greens with roasted fennel and pears and parmesan cheese, roasted cauliflower salad, caponata salad, spicy soba noodle salad, roasted fig and greens and stilton, black bean and roasted sweet potato salad. What I don’t like about this book: only U.S. volume measurements, with no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: she details menu planning, and the index has see also references which are always useful. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 5. THE WELL-DRESSED SALAD; contemporary, delicious and satisfying recipes for salads (Whitecap, 2004, 160 pages, ISBN 1-55285-673-9, $29.95 paper covers) is by UK food writer, food teacher and food broadcaster Jennifer Joyce. It was originally published in 2004 in the UK. These 80 recipes are the classics and beyond, with an emphasis on fusion dishes, covering the Mediterranean-Asian-Latin American spheres. Chapters are organized by major ingredient: legumes, grains, tomatoes, leaves, veggies, pasta/rice, meats, and fruit. There are notes on how to organize oneself. She also has two dozen recipes for dressings. Ingredients are expressed in both metric and imperial measurements. Audience and level of use: intermediate level, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: arugula salad with crostini, roasted red peppers with honey and pine nuts, tabbouleh with preserved lemon, puntarelle salad with anchovy dressing, figs-mozzarella-basil- prosciutto and balsamic. What I don’t like about this book: it needs fewer illustrations and more recipes, say topped off at 100. What I do like about this book: there are plenty of variations. There is also a good section on flavours of the world, oils and vinegars. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 6. AN INVITATION TO ITALIAN COOKING (Headline, 2005; distr. McArthur, 224 pages, ISBN 0-7472-7591-2, $29.95 paper covers) is by Antonio Carluccio, an old-style Italian food writer. It was originally published in hard covers in the UK 2002, and this is the paperback reprint now available in Canada. There are about 150 recipes, scattered over all the regions. And 7. PASSIONE; the Italian cookbook (Headline, 2005; distr. McArthur, 256 pages, ISBN 0-7553-1119-1, $29.95 paper covers) is by Gennaro Contaldo, head chef at London’s Passione restaurant. It was originally published in hard covers in the UK 2003, and this is the paperback reprint now available in Canada. He has almost 200 recipes and many more photos than Carluccio has. Some of the recipes are also more contemporary and/or exciting. Both books use metric measurements in addition to a few Imperial equivalents spelled out in the recipe. Audience and level of use: beginner to intermediate. Some interesting or unusual recipes: (Carluccio: marinated eel, agnolotti with butter and sage, little fried calzone, raspberry tart; Contaldo: baked pasta shells with cheese, timbale of mushrooms, leek and omelette rolls in a Parmesan crust, lemon tart.) What I don’t like about this book: both books are pretty basic but each will find its audience. What I do like about this book: both books have the ingredients scaled. Quality/Price Ratio: 81. 8. VINEYARD HARVEST; a year of good food on Martha’s Vineyard (Broadway Books, 2005, 258 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1833-9, $47 hard covers) is by Tina Miller, an owner-chef-caterer in the Vineyard, and Christie Matheson, a food writer. Here are 100 recipes using mainly fresh local produce and seafood, organically derived whenever possible. But not always: she also uses bananas, key limes, avocado, and shrimp. So it is not an entirely self-contained book about the region’s food. Nevertheless, it is arranged by season, with local recipes and family preps. She comments on local farms, the people, and the markets. Miller opens with a section on pantry/larder and equipment, and concludes with 12 menus (three per season, three course each, with page references to the recipes). U.S. volume measurements are employed, with, unfortunately, no metric tables of equivalents. The list of resources is all from Massachusetts. Audience and level of use: cookbook collectors, arm chair travelers, chefs. Some interesting or unusual recipes: corn-crusted calamari, arugula salad, shiitake stuffed salmon, broccoli soup with morels, lam shanks with carrots and onion wedges. What I don’t like about this book: there are a not of non-food photos. There are no wine recommendations, and indeed only two recipes include red wine in their ingredient lists. What I do like about this book: extensive, nicely laid-out index. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 9. THE BEST OF GOURMET (Random House, 2005, 304 pages, ISBN 1-4000- 6364-7, ISSN 1046-1760, $55 hard covers) is by the editors of Gourmet Magazine. The book was first issued annually 20 years ago, and the magazine is using the occasion to freshen it up with a new topic: celebrations. 325 previously published preps make it into this year’s edition, re-arranged by occasion. The first section presents nine menus for special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, reunions), along with the relevant recipes. The next section is the “Menu Collection” for other entertaining ideas (brunches, weekend entertaining). The third section is a compendium of recipes grouped by type (soups, meats, desserts). As in the magazine, there are photos of table settings. All the recipes use US volume measurements. Because of the variety of recipes included, one can safely not bother to subscribe to Gourmet Magazine anymore, and just await the annual. Hey, no more ads! Audience and level of use: intermediate level, cookbook collectors, Gourmet subscribers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: lamb and orzo stuffed bell peppers, lobster-avocado-grapefruit salad, cardamom butter squares, caraway and prune ice cream, vegetable couscous with beets and goat cheese. What I don’t like about this book: no metric equivalent tables, sources/equipment lists are all US. What I do like about this book: the extensive index includes bold heads for ingredients and an indication of whether the recipe is a quick prep and/or a lighter or leaner dish. And there are wine recommendations. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 10. GREETINGS FROM THE FINGER LAKES; a food and wine lover’s companion (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 200 pages, ISBN 1-58008-607-1, $24.95 paper covers) is by Michael Turback, an Ithacan restaurant owner on the scene of the wine trails in upstate New York. The wine routes, arranged by lake, are broadly defined, and of course include wineries, dairies, organic farms, orchards, restaurants, markets, breweries, cideries, pick your owns – even CSA farms. Professional wine tours are noted. Overall, according to my count, there are 35 restaurants, 49 wineries, and 38 farms and food producers. The package is completed with 22 local recipes. Scattered throughout are interviews and black and white photos. Each winery gets a short profile (and contact data) plus a description of what’s within the surrounding area, such as museums, spas, hot air balloons. At the end, there is a short list of accommodations drawn from the separate chapters with contact data and websites (no prices, meagre description). Audience and level of use: tourists, wine aficionados Some interesting or unusual facts: the grape variety vignoles predominates in the production of stickies. The Finger Lakes is New York’s second largest tourist destination after New York City, and the largest wine region in the U.S. outside of California (85 million bottles). What I don’t like about this book: there are only a few but rough sketch maps, and there are no real tasting notes. What I do like about this book: very useful for Ontario tourists who take the ferry to Rochester. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 11. COOKING FOR CROWDS FOR DUMMIES (Wiley Publishing Inc., 2005, 330 pages, ISBN 0-7645-8469-3, $25.99 paper covers) is by Dawn Simmons, a caterer and cooking teaching, and Curt Simmons, a focusing writer. The main concentration here is on a series of recipes and advice for a stress-free kitchen. This is catering for home cooks: family reunions, graduations, weddings. They have a step-by-step guide to setting up the kitchen, planning the menu, estimating food quantities (there are tables for appetizers, drinks, mains, desserts, etc.: spreadsheet software could be useful here), food safety requirements, scheduling food prep routines. All the recipes indicate prep times, cooking times, and yields, along with nutritional data. In the appendices, there is a metric conversion guide, websites for recipes (illustrated with screen shots), and a nifty section on how to make and use garnishes. Audience and level of use: home cooks, caterers too. Some interesting or unusual recipes: BBQ brisket, lasagna soup, peanut butter brownies, summer broccoli salad, seafood chowder. What I don’t like about this book: no spreadsheet software is indicated for calculating changes to recipes. What I do like about this book: the cooking tricks, such as stifling the smell of onions, cleaning up a too greasy soup or too salty dish. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 12. THE MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT KITCHEN GARDEN; creative gardening for the adventurous cook (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 294 pages, ISBN 1-58008-666-7, $26.95 paper covers) is by David Hirsch, a member of the Moosewood Collective since 1976. The book first appeared in 1992 (published by Simon and Schuster), and this is a revision. 75 vegetables, herbs and edible flowers are covered in three chapters, each section having its own alphabetical arrangement. Hirsch gives details on how to grow and harvest them all, along with cooking tips and anecdotes. The recipe chapter has 70 preps, but this is mainly a gardening book. U.S. volume measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The resource list includes U.S. mail order and websites, except for Richter’s in Canada. Lee Valley is also listed, but the U.S. site is quoted. The book concludes with a useful bibliography of gardening books and cook books. Audience and level of use: gardeners, chefs with gardens. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Portuguese kale soup, corn salsa, vegetable lasagna, tarragon pesto, summer garden fajitas. What I don’t like about this book: there are different typefaces in the “Resources” chapter, and this looks very jarring, almost as if they were recommendations. What I do like about this book: the growing patterns are for the Northeast US, which fits in with Southern Ontario. There is also a good discussion on biodynamics. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 13. TRADER VIC’S TIKI PARTY; cocktails & food to share with friends (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 184 pages, ISBN 1-58008-556-3, $26.95 hard covers) is by Steve Siegelman, a focusing food writer for many authors and a TV script writer for some food personalities. The 100 cocktails and after dinner drinks, and the 35 food recipes for pupus, tidbits, finger food, dipping sauces and batters, were furnished by the company which has 21 locations around the world. This is definitely retro food, for tiki party times. The food is basically pan-Asian small plates and nibbles, but there are some entrees and some desserts. Siegelman wrote the surround material on decorating and entertaining ideas, plus music choices. Some possible motivation for the book: there is a new 235 seat flagship in San Francisco which opened in October 2004 – and there are the possibilities of book sales in all of the restaurants. The opening chapter has the basics of bartending and equipment. Most drinks are rum-based, including the original Mai Tai, created in 1944 by founder Vic Bergeron. At the end, there is a resources list (websites) on where to get all that tiki farm stuff needed for a party. But the major problem with the book is not obtaining all the theme materials, but deciding what to do with it afterwards. How many tiki farm parties do you need to amortize their cost? Audience and level of use: theme-based caterers, restaurants, home party givers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: jalapeno cheese balls, cha sin pork, BBQ spareribs, tuna cakes, spiced chicken wings, mimosa prawns. What I don’t like about this book: there are US volume measurements only, with no metric conversion charts. Also, there is some product placement of Trade Vic Rum lines. What I do like about this book: there is a good discussion about ice and garnishes, and a short illustrated history of Trader Vic and his empire. Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 14. AUTHENTIC RECIPES FROM THE PHILIPPINES (Periplus, 2005; distr. by Raincoast, 112 pages, ISBN 0-7946-0238-X, $16.95 hard covers) has recipes by Reynaldo Alejandro. Three other writers and a photographer contribute text and visuals. This is pretty basic stuff, redeemed by the low-price (the book has oversized pages); it is also one of series covering China, Thailand, Japan, and India. 81 recipes here show the influence of spicy Mexican and Spanish cooking, with the sometime addition of coconut milk. Of course, the national dishes are here: adobo sauce, lechon (liver) sauce, and sinangag (fried rice). All preps, covering all regions and generally two to a page with illustrations, include preparation times and cooking times. Measurements in the book are by volumes, but there are conversion charts, as well as a list of international mail order and online sources. Audience and level of use: ethnic and regional cuisines, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes: eggplant sauce, Filipino style beef steak, oxtail and vegetable stew, stewed pork knuckle, yam pudding with coconut cream topping. What I don’t like about this book: the index has only one entry per recipe. You get “Philippine Fried Rice” and nothing under “rice” nor “fried”, and no cross-reference to or from sinangag. What I do like about this book: affordable basics, good pictures. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 15. PETER GORDON’S WORLD KITCHEN (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 224 pages, ISBN 1-58008-679-9, $50 hard covers) is by a London restaurant chef- owner who has also worked in Australia and New Zealand. The fairly eclectic 200 recipes here work well for the jaded cook. They were originally published as part of his column over the previous six years in “New Zealand House and Garden” magazine, although a few come from his current restaurant. This is global fusion at its best, arranged by course and endorsed by Charlie Trotter on the back cover. But the book could use some wine recommendations for the dishes. U.S. volume measurements are used, but there are no tables of metric equivalents. He concludes with a glossary of ingredients and a useful index. Audience and level of use: chef collectors Some interesting or unusual recipes: poached egg on crumbled feta and butternut squash dice, pumpkin and spinach tortilla, spicy roasted apricots, Thai beef salad with lime dressing, spiced fennel-lemon- sesame cookies. What I don’t like about this book: I’m not a fan of the use of reverse colours (white text on pastel) which is used for almost half the recipes. Also, no wine recommendations. What I do like about this book: good ideas, good layout, straight forward approach, excellent photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 16. DISCOVERING WINE COUNTRY: SOUTH OF FRANCE (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84533-037-4, $29.95 paper covers) is one of a travel series, with the emphasis on little known wines in well known regions. It purports to give us the inside information, “how to find great wines off the beaten track”. This one is by Jonathan Healey, a wine writer who lives in Roussillon. The range is from the Pyrenees to the Alps, passing through Provence, Languedoc (North and South), and Roussillon – as the book is arranged. All of the diverse wine-making styles are covered. Healey takes us through the history, geography and culture, progressing through the wine routes (bicycle, canals), the local wine bureaus, price information, festivals, meals and accommodation. He has sidebars galore, covering a range of topics and anecdotes such as biodynamic viticulture. There is a section on the top producers, e.g., Chateau de Bellet in Nice. And the index covers grape varieties and proper names. Audience and level of use: wine travelers Some interesting or unusual facts: “Today there are around 200 Australians producing wine in the region…they look around the world for new markets.” What I don’t like about this book: it seems a little brief, but all of the basics are covered. What I do like about this book: a great idea for traveling. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 17. CHOCOLATE; the sweet history (Collectors Press, distr. by Ten Speed Press, 176 pages, ISBN 1-933112-04-2, $55.95 hard covers) is by Beth Kimmerle, curator of the American Museum of Candy History in NYC. Her sweet tooth also showed in her earlier book, “Candy; the sweet history”; she also regularly appears as a candy expert on television. This book too is U.S. based, and is setup and styled much like her previous book on candy, with lavish vintage illustrations. After a general history, she gives a chocolate timeline with highlights of events in the chocolate industry. She has individual historical profiles of chocolate companies and chocolatiers, with names we’d recognize in Canada: Fannie Farmer, Lowney’s, Baker’s, Callebaut, Cadbury, Fry, Ghirardelli, Hershey, Mars, Nestle, Suchard, and World’s Finest. Each company’s pages have photos of vintage packaging, factories, candy graphics, and logos. She has a chapter on working with chocolate in the food preparation area. There is a small recipe section, with 17 preps for classic confections, cookies, cakes, and beverages. U.S. volume measurements are used in these recipes. The package is completed with a bibliography, a U.S. resources list, and an index to mainly proper names. Audience and level of use: food historians with a sweet tooth. Some interesting or unusual recipes: chocolate buttermilk olive oil cake, Fannie Farmer’s chocolate meringue cookies, dark chocolate crème brulee. What I don’t like about this book: recipes are not indexed, but then, there are so few of them. What I do like about this book: interesting illustrations Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 18. THE STRESS-FREE TRAVELER; simple exercises and stretches to keep your cool on planes, trains and automobiles (McGraw-Hill, 2005, 118 pages, ISBN 0-07-145605-8, $16.95 paper covers) is by Sandy Paton, a freelance writer and yoga instructor. This portable paperback is also useful for daily commuters behind a wheel or on a train/bus (or even in a car pool). Her exercises, based on kundalini yoga, are designed to accommodate the limited range of movement one has when traveling. She even has some remedies for motion sickness. The book is comprised of a variety: breathing exercises, unloading your mind, shoulder shrugs and rotations, head rolls and turns, spinal flexes, eyes rests, self- massages, body pumps, and local movement. Along the way, she delves into soothing headaches, resting your eyes, recharging your batteries, loosen tightness, and eliminate travel rage. The latter is hard to do if you don’t recognize it for what it is…This is a great book if you are constantly on fam tours. Audience and level of use: fam tour participants, business travelers Some interesting or unusual facts: travel exacts a toll. If passengers around you are put off as you go through the exercises, then ask them to join you. Either they will or they’ll move away, giving you even more room to relieve stiff muscles. What I don’t like about this book: no index, and a bit pricey. What I do like about this book: tips on what to pack for a trip (water, loose clothes, spray bottle, salt, and food) Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 19. DISH; memories, recipes and delicious bites (Whitecap, 2005, 304 pages, ISBN 1-55285-646-1, $24.95 hard covers) is by Canadian food writer Marion Kane, food editor of the Toronto Star for 11 years and now its main food columnist. In fact, this is a collection of her favourite columns from the Toronto Star (albeit, all undated). At the end of June, she left her permanent residence in Toronto for Stratford, but she’ll continue to write. Her 76 columns (and 110 recipes here) explore the role that food plays in our lives. The diverse topics over the years cover BBQ, raw food, Quebecois cooking, Barbadian cooking, other food writers (Child, Trillin) and chefs (Bocuse), vegetarian cooking, British cooking, Jewish cooking, hated foods, dieting, food banks, and the movie “Big Night”. The book documents food in Toronto over the past two decades, as well as documenting Kane herself through memoirs. The recipes come from all over (other cooks, other writers, restaurants) but have been kitchen tested and modified for home use. Each prep has both imperial and metric measurements for each ingredient. Audience and level of use: fans, home cooks, students of local food history. Some interesting or unusual recipes: potatoes Chanteduc, cheese shortbreads, roasted herb chicken, ricotta lemon parmesan tortellini, lemon surprise pudding. What I don’t like about this book: the columns would have been more useful if they had a publication date attached…Big Night was obviously 1996, and I can figure out some more dates by how old her daughter Ruthie was. What I do like about this book: hey, there’s an index to both her thoughts and the recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 20. COOKING MOROCCAN (Whitecap, 2005, 192 pages, ISBN 1-55285-643-7, $29.95 paper covers) and 21. COOKING SPANISH (Whitecap, 2005, 192 pages, ISBN 1-55285-672-0, $29.95 paper covers) are also both published this year by Murdoch Books, a reputable book packager. As such, both books were done by committee, and share similar philosophy, graphic and layout characteristics. The oversized paperbacks concentrate on the basics of both countries, which guard the entrance to the Mediterranean, and are related in that sense plus the Moorish cooking prevalent in both countries. The recipes from Spain come from tapas bars, seaside taverns, country inns and home taverns. The recipes are suitable for all levels of skills and all occasions, featuring popular classics and regional specialties. Think tapas, gazpacho, paella, chicken saffron stew. There is a chapter on ingredients and techniques unique to Spain, augmented by step-by-step photos. For Morocco, with no drinking establishments, the food comes from street stalls, regal dining from the upper crust, and home kitchens. Think lamb tagines, couscous, and bisteeya. Recipes are expressed in both metric and volume measurements, with some weights also being scaled, so read the recipes carefully. Under 100 recipes in each book. Audience and level of use: home use, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: from Morocco, try fish tagine, trout stuffed with dates, watermelon juice with rosewater, steamed lamb with cumin, and tuna brik. From Spain, try sardinas murcianas, caldo gallego, chicken with raisins and pine nuts, churros and hot chocolate. What I don’t like about this book: both try to be all things to all people for Spain and Morocco; they need a closer focus. What I do like about this book: recipe indexes are in both English and local language. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 22. THE SPICY FOOD LOVER’S BIBLE; the ultimate guide to buying, growing, storing and using the key ingredients that give food spice, with more than 250 recipes from around the world (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 424 pages, ISBN 1-58479- 411-9, $43.95 hard covers) is by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach, co- authors of “The Whole Chile Pepper Book”. They are also experienced cookbook authors, magazine editors, and food columnists, specializing in spicy and hot foods for over two decades. The first 100 pages here cover the details on history and horticulture of hot spices, how to grow and/or purchase, and how to use. We’re talking about roots, pods, seeds, and blended powders such as chilies, peppers, mustard seeds, garam masala, curry, ginger, habaneros, and wasabi. They have guidelines for putting together meals by combining flavours, colours, and textures. This culminates in some festive menus (with page references) for a Hindu wedding, a South African Christmas, a Chinese New Year, a summer BBQ, a New Orleans Mardi Gras, and Oktoberfest, and others. The recipes cover seasonings, sauces and condiments, running through all courses (including some desserts), and finishing with spicy beverages. The preps range from mildly piquant through to hot, and each recipe is indicated with a scale of hotness. U.S. volume measurements are employed, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Reference material includes an international source list for buying spices, with websites (Vancouver has a listing), an extended bibliography of articles and books and website, and an index which has recipes listed in both the original language and in English. You can find more about the authors’ passions for hot food (plus recipes) at www.fiery- foods.com. Audience and level of use: cooking schools, chefs, adventuresome home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: tortilla rollups, horseradish soup with toasted pumpernickel, maghreb chicken, marinated grilled fish with Malaysian spice paste, peppercorn pilaf, sesame dan dan noodles, Taos corn husk muffins with chipotle and cheese. What I don’t like about this book: mildly piquant recipes? Why bother? To answer the question about what wines and beers should be served with hot foods, they cop out by saying “serve a selection”. We need more research in this area… What I do like about this book: sections on complements and cool downs. Also, while many recipes can be found elsewhere, it is good that many hot dishes from around the world are together under one cover. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 23. VANCOUVER COOKS (Douglas & McIntyre, 2004, 218 pages, ISBN 1-55365- 028-X, $40 paper covers) is edited by Jamie Maw, food editor of Vancouver magazine and a founding member of the Chef’s Table Society of British Columbia, for whom the book is meant as a fund raiser. All proceeds go to a Scholarship and Bursary Fund to help young chefs committed to the development of regional cuisine. The Society is dedicated to using local ingredients in regional cooking, and to that end, all recipes have wine notes and recommendations based on B.C. wines. Here are over 100 recipes contributed by about 50 chefs (their pictures are all on the title pages; their biographies are at the back of the book) working in the GVA: restaurants of Vancouver, southern Vancouver Island, Whistler, and the Okanagan Valley. Thus, wine country is included. This is mainly Asian and native and fusion foods with the laidback West Coast style. Joan Cross kitchen tested the recipes for home cooking consistency. Arrangement of the book is alphabetical by restaurant name, but there is a listing at the front of all the recipes, re-sorted by course, and an index to ingredients at the rear. Audience and level of use: cookbook collectors, Vancouver foodies, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pan-roasted Ling Cod with clam vinaigrette (Don Letendre), vacherin with blood orange sorbet (Christophe Letard), smoked tuna broth with seared tuna (James Walt), birch syrup-glazed pacific wild salmon (Robert Clark), baked cornbread and quinoa pudding (Bernard Casavant), asian pears in phyllo (Sean Cousins). What I don’t like about this book: there are no menus; it would have been a great opportunity to construct a few. Also, only volume measurements are used but without metric equivalents table. What I do like about this book: great photos of the dishes; great database of local recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: it may mean more to Vancouver, say 93. Otherwise, 90. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS -- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JUNE 2005 ============================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE WINES OF CANADA (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 307 pages, ISBN 1-84533-007-2, $39.95 hard covers) is by John Schreiner, a well-known Canadian wine writer with a half-dozen or so Canadian wine books under his belt. A few years back he wrote the definitive book on Icewine, and “The World of Canadian Wine”. In fact, he had just revised his book on B.C. wines for Whitecap (my wine book of the month for April 2005), so many of his comments on B.C. wines have unfortunately been duplicated here. The book is in a (by now) standard format for the Mitchell Beazley wine library: some sketch maps, vintage charts, production figures, no illustrations, a history of the industry, the different grape varieties, the terroirs and wine styles, and a division of wineries into top level and all the rest (giving for each some directory information such as names, addresses, websites, description of the winery, some biographical data about the owner and/or winemaker). There are also star ratings on wine quality but no tasting notes. Schreiner, like the other authors, contributes some opinions about current trends. He also adds a chapter on Vincor and its role on the international wine scene. They currently have significant investments and alliances, such as the one with Boisset of Burgundy in Ontario and with Taillan of Bordeaux in B.C. Totally unique in this book is the section on icewines. Schreiner also adds fruit wines, ciders and meads, for winemaking in Canada is still a small industry. There are only about 135 licenses in B.C., slightly fewer in Ontario, and only a handful in the other provinces (mostly fruit and cideries). Since my detailed knowledge of Canadian wines is greater than my detailed knowledge of the wines of other countries, I came across some errors of fact (Salmon River is not a winery; it is just a label), some errors related to elapsed time (Alliance is no longer being made, St.Jacob’s Winery and Cidery is no longer around, GrapeTree Wines has ceased production yet still has a website unchanged since 2002), and some typos (“remaned” for “renamed”, “diamon” for “diamond”). Audience and level of use: lovers of Canadian wines, wine schools, wine professionals. Some interesting or unusual facts: About Thirty Bench wines, he says “This is a winery where three heads are better than one.” But now the winery has been sold, and the three heads are no more. In fact, there have been severe changes in the Canadian wine industry over the past year, and it is impossible to be uptodate everywhere. What I don’t like about this book: there are no tasting notes, just overall quality assessments. What I do like about this book: fruit wineries and cideries are included, and there are internal page references. Quality/Price Ratio: 92.. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. VEGETARIAN TIMES COMPLETE COOKBOOK (Wiley Publishing, 2005, 490 pages, ISBN 0-7645-5959-1, $44.99 hard covers) is from the magazine “Vegetarian Times” which has been publishing since 1974. This book was originally published in 1995; this is its second edition. Six hundred recipes cover all courses, and embraces all forms of vegetarianism, from part timers to vegans. There is a useful “Fast Food Chapter” (30 minutes or less), a holiday section for festive meals, and a child- friendly chapter of recipes. The first fifty pages have data on a vegetarian diet and general nutrition. Each recipe has particular nutritional information; there are two recipes to a page, in general. The measurements are by U.S. volume. Other good sections include 63 menus, mail order sources (all U.S.), and a pronouncing glossary. In a book this size, there are bound to be errors. For example, the recipe for Apache polenta calls for four poblanos. But the instructions neglect to tell us what to do with them, or where they go. Audience and level of use: caterers, restaurants, cooking schools, and vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes: vegan maple cheese pie, straw and hay pasta, ricotta strawberry breakfast cakes, quinoa and black bean salad, capellini-tomato pie, Swiss rarebit. What I don’t like about this book: the USDA Food Guide pyramid has been superseded. The type size of the fractions for measuring ingredients is way too tiny (e.g. 1/8 cup vinegar: what’s wrong with two tablespoons?). What I do like about this book: it is endorsed by Deborah Madison. The menus have page references, and there is an extensive index. Quality/Price Ratio: 93. 3. OZ CLARKE’S AUSTRALIAN WINE COMPANION; an essential guide for all lovers of Australian wine (Harcourt. Inc., 2004; distr. Raincoast, 176 pages, ISBN 0-15-603025-X, $26.95 paper covers) is by the well-known and popular eponymous author of several award-winning books. With a name like Oz, he’s a natural here…It’s in an easy, readable, laid-back style, for those who drink easy laid wines. He begins with a section on Oz wine styles and wine tourism. Six regions are covered: he manages to find nine wineries in Queensland. Then he has profiles of some 160 top producers. For each, there is a textual description, some indication of strengths and weaknesses, the best varietals grown by the winery, reproduction of some labels, and photos of personnel, mostly owners or winemakers. The top vineyard areas are illustrated with panoramic maps. Wine vintages are described for each region, and there are vintage charts. The section on “who owns what” is now really out of date because of the many changes in the past year. There are indexes to the main wines and to (mostly) proper names. Audience and level of use: travelers, interested drinkers, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: Four major wine groups (Southcorp, Hardy’s, Orlando-Wyndham and Beringer Blass make 60% of the Oz wine. With the sale of Southcorp to Foster’s, they are now in the same camp as Beringer Blass What I don’t like about this book: there are no tasting notes. What I do like about this book: good list of wine producers. Good production values in the book. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 4. INDIAN IN SIX; 100 irresistible recipes that use 6 ingredients or less (Kyle Cathie, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-85626-558- 7, $24.95 paper covers) is by Monisha Bharadwaj, an award-winning UK cookbook author and magazine food writer. This is another helpful book for quick and easy Indian preps, especially since there is only a minimal larder to maintain. She cheats on the “six” ingredients: she also calls for a garlic-ginger paste, sunflower oil, and salt and pepper. But no matter: the recipes come from Royal India, North and South regional specialties, and families. Included are appetizers, fish, meat, veggies, lentils and sprouts, chutneys and relishes, and breads, covering breakfast, BBQs, drinks and desserts – in addition to the regular food courses. Vegetarian-only dishes are indexed, and both prep and cooking times are indicated. As well, she writes out both metric and imperial measurements. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: chicken and coconut stir fry, BBQ corn on the cob with chili and lemon, egg-stuffed bread, watermelon pancakes, chickpeas and sausage stew. What I don’t like about this book: the index is only by major ingredient. What I do like about this book: major ingredients are scaled, and she makes effective use of garlic-ginger paste. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 5. SIMPLE INDIAN COOKERY; step by step to everyone’s favourite Indian recipes (BBC Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 127 pages, ISBN 0-563- 52183-X, $24.95 paper covers) is by Madhur Jaffrey, who has written over a dozen Indian cookbooks. This one was first published in 2001 as a hardback, “Foolproof Indian Cookery”. This is just a straight paperback reissue of the forty classics, with step by step photos and instructions. She has data on ingredients, equipment and menu-planning. Prep and cooking times are indicated. Her menus range from a meal for four up to a buffet for 20. The measurements are a mix of Imperial and metric forms, a no – no. The publisher’s blurb says: “the only Indian cookbook you’ll ever need”, but for only 40 recipes? I think not… Audience and level of use: beginner. Some interesting or unusual recipes: yoghurt soup, mulligatawny soup, tandoori-style chicken, moghlai lamb korma. What I don’t like about this book: the seven menus have no page references, and the suppliers are all in the UK. What I do like about this book: basic stuff, large typeface. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. 6. ASIAN TAPAS; small bites, big flavors (Periplus, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 176 pages, ISBN 0-7946-0314-9, $32.95 hard covers) is by Christophe Megel and Anton Kilayko. Megel is an executive chef of Singapore’s Ritz Carlton, where Kilayko is PR director. The material is inspired by Bali, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. Several dishes can be used for one meal, and you can certainly mix and match cuisines. There are 70 savouries here, plus six sweets. In these dishes, presentation is important as Megal melds his Asiatic flavours. Each recipe is illustrated with a dazzling photo. Both Imperial and metric measurements are used for each of the ingredients. Megel gives a glossary of ingredients. Audience and level of use: intermediate level, caterers, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: crispy lobster and scallop nests with garlic sauce, foie gras fried rice, savory lemongrass mousse, tropical mango sushi, crisp star fruit and asparagus salad. What I don’t like about this book: type is a bit teeny for me, What I do like about this book: uses scaled ingredients. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 7. COOKING SCHOOL SECRETS FOR REAL WORLD COOKS (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 352 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4243-6, $29.95 paper covers) is by Linda Carruci, a chef and culinary consultant named Cooking Teacher of the Year for 2002 by the IACP. Thus named, she began work on a student manual, full of knife skills, mise en place, seasonal cooking, spicing, brining, tasting, menu planning, as well as ingredients, equipment and presentation in general. Most of her techniques are illustrated. The 100 recipes here are arranged by course, beginning with stocks and soups, salads, grains, through desserts. These are the basics. She also has 12 seasonal menus, an upscale and a downscale menu for six events such as Mother’s Day or the Fall. There are page references to the recipes and an indication of what is a quick prep, a makeahead, or a last minute dish. She even has substitutions listed for vegetarian equivalents. This is, naturally, a cooking course text. She has a sources list, with websites, but unfortunately for us in Canada, it is all US. The measurements are U.S. too, but there is a table of equivalents at the back of the book. Audience and level of use: caterers, cooking schools Some interesting or unusual recipes: risotto primavera with wild salmon, grilled shrimp with Romanesco sauce, turkey piccata, braised summer squash with sweet peppers, lemon marzipan cake. What I don’t like about this book: no separate heading for “vegetables”: they are just used as sides, about 20 of them – which seems overlarge to be without a specific heading. Plus there is gross overuse of the word “secret”. Sometimes it seems as if we are part of a coven. What I do like about this book: she has a bibliography for further reading. She also admits she’s too cheap to buy some organic foods. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 8. WORKING WITH BACCHUS; adventures of an impassioned Scot in an Italian vineyard (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 208 pages, ISBN 1-84533-092-7, $34.95 hard covers) is by Colin Fraser, an established author who decided to change his lifestyle. This memoir is an account of him buying land and making wine in the high Sabine Hills northeast of Rome. It is also a book about rural Italian life and Italian society. He not-so-subtly reveals the frustrations of operating a business under the Italian bureaucracy and Italian legislation. He also shows the peasant conservatism and xenophobia. As well, he tells us about his frustrations in introducing modern ways to the area. He bought seven hectares of abandoned land in 1974, which also came with an abandoned house. Both have been replanted and rebuilt, respectively, and they are now 30 years old. He uses Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes and Sangiovese. The wine is a basic vino da tavola, named Poggio Fenice. A fascinating read through Italian life…. Audience and level of use: good for any one drawn to life or wine in Italy, entrepreneurs who wish to do business in Europe. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Italy is rather strict about applying the privacy law that limits the use of people’s real names, unless it is “in the public interest” to do so. I have therefore changed the names of most of the people who figure in the book”. What I don’t like about this book: there is index, which limits its usefulness. What I do like about this book: Fraser is a good writer. There are nice pictures of the winery and property in various stages of its development, in a free-standing picture section. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 9. ITALIAN DIABETIC MEALS IN 30 MINUTES – OR LESS! (American Diabetes Association, 2005; distr. by McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 174 pages, ISBN 1- 58040-220-8, $21.95 paper covers) is by Robyn Webb who specializes in the 30 minute cookbook for the ADA (see my review from last month); she has written seven such books since 1996. Okay, so here are 100 plus favourite Italian recipes, given some pizzazz with Italian names. Most are low in carb content. Each recipe has a nutritional analysis with exchanges as substitutes. But there is no glycemic index. Most of the preps are Tuscan in style: pastas, meats, beans, vegetables, fruit and desserts. And most recipe instructions are two steps, and only need a standard skillet and a sharp knife. While the ingredient list for each recipe is short, you’ll still need a larder (olive oils, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, cheeses). You’ll also need a mise en place to have everything chopped and ready to roll. U.S. measurements are used. Audience and level of use: diabetics, caterers, dieters. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Venetian lamb chops, orecchiette with broccoli-bacon-garlic, balsamic chicken and tomato, veal with leeks and mushrooms. What I don’t like about this book: a Glycemic Index might have been useful, especially since it is the latest buzz word. There is no metric conversion chart. What I do like about this book: large print, two indexes (one alphabetical for recipes, one by ingredients in bold face). Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 10. IN 3 EASY STEPS; fabulous food without the fuss (Kyle Cathie, 2005; distr. by Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-85626-572-2, $24.95 paper covers) is by Conrad Gallagher, now an executive chef in South Africa, but formerly owner-chef of a variety of restaurants in Dublin and New York City. This is his third such book for cooking quick and easy restaurant food at home. The others concerned one pots and six ingredients. Here, he breaks down the 110 recipes and recombines them. All courses are covered, from apps to nuts. Both Imperial and metric measurements are given for the recipes. There is some fudging to keep the techniques at three steps. For instance, at step three for the blood orange soufflé we are instructed to: a) butter the ramekins, b) pour the mixture into them, c) cook in a preheated over for 10 minutes, and d) dust with icing sugar. That’s four distinct actions. It might be more truthful to say “3 easy acts”, with the acts broken into scenes…. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: salmon with smoked chicken-mango- white asparagus, roasted rack of lamb with minted sourdough, roasted monkfish in eggplant skins, African braised oxtail with wine-onions- sweet potatoes, blue cheese and bacon risotto. What I don’t like about this book: the index indents are wrong, which can be confusing to some people. Also, it would have been useful to have some wine recommendations. What I do like about this book: All the major ingredients are scaled by weight. The main item in each recipe is indicated in bold type. The photos look great. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 11. THE WINE LOVER COOKS ITALIAN; pairing great recipes with a perfect glass of wine (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4100-6, $32.95 paper covers) is by Brian St. Pierre, an American wine writer (NY Times, Gourmet, Wine Spectator), now living in London and writing regularly for Decanter. This is a wine expert’s advice on matching Italian wine to Italian food. Chapters cover the different winegrowing regions, with data on wines being broken down into red, white, and sparkling for each area. He tries to stress the differences in gastronomy and culture between each province. Italian olive oil and cheeses are also presented, Wines are listed in order of their prominence; most are with notes on style and food matches. This is more a wine book than a recipe book. Each food preparation has a listing for a “recommended wine” and for an “alternative” or two by way of choices. U.S. volume measurements are used, with a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: the serious foodie, winelovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pasta with chicken-spinach-and herb sauce, panettone raisin custard, mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese and pesto, vincisgrassi, herbed fish with zucchini timballo. What I don’t like about this book: lots of white space, could have been fleshed out with more notes. What I do like about this book: glossary of Italian wine terms. The index to recipes and ingredients has the recipe “bulleted”. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 12. FLAVOURS (Kyle Cathie, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 184 pages, ISBN 1- 85626-606-0, $24.95 paper covers) is by Paul Gayler, It was first published in 2002 in the UK. The recipes are arranged by flavours: six herbs, eight spices, six fruit and vegetables (garlic, chile, lemon and lime, olives, tamarind, vanilla), and five condiments (balsamic, coffee, honey, salt, chocolate). He explains what each flavour is, gives about five recipes each (total of 125) plus paged cross- references to other recipes using that flavour in other sections (e.g., for coriander, there are five main recipes plus nine others). He offers the usual set of tips and advice on how to buy, store and use. Gayler also contributes a listing of complementary flavours. Metric and Imperial measurements are listed for the recipes. Audience and level of use: cooking schools, restaurants, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Aztec eggs, coriander-lime grilled figs, lemon grass soy chicken skewers, minted chicken and eggplant salad, andalusian fish soup with saffron aioli. What I don’t like about this book: type size for instructions is a tad small. What I do like about this book: good in depth index. The recipes are scaled for ingredients. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 13. RISOTTO WITH VEGETABLES, SEAFOOD, MEAT AND MORE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T.Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-812-8, $36.95 hard covers) is by Maxine Clark, a cooking teacher and writer who specializes in Italian food. She has also written other such books for Ryland in the past. Beginning with the basics (white risotto step-by- step, broths), she continues with sections on Best Broths, Useful Ingredients, Websites, and U>S. mail order sources. There is a vegetarian section, but of course risottos deal mostly with cheese, egg, poultry, meats, and seafood. There are 46 recipes here plus six others (e.g., “barlotto” barley risotto, arancine di riso, and desserts). The book has metric conversion charts for the U.S. volume measurements. Audience and level of use: home cooks, those who only want the basics. Some interesting or unusual recipes: gelato di riso, fennel and black olive risotto, pesto risotto, chicken confit risotto, beet risotto. What I don’t like about this book: a bit short in the recipe count, needs more. What I do like about this book: each recipe illustrated with a lush presentation photo. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 14. CRUSH ON NIAGARA; the definitive wine tour guide (Whitecap, 2005, 160 pages, ISBN 1-55285-660-7, $19.95 paper covers) is by Andrew Brooks, a sommelier who not only owns a Niagara vineyard but also a wine tour company (Crush on Niagara Wine Tours. He profiles 56 wineries in the Niagara Peninsula, from the smallest (Domaine Vagners, 1000 litres) to the largest. But the industry continues to shake out with several mergers and acquisitions announced after his book was put to bed. The directory data includes winery hours, contact information, annual production, acreage (not hectares), and where to purchase the wine. Other basic contents include wine serving and wine pairing suggestions, glassware tips, accommodation, shopping, and eating places. The book is very useful for information about the smaller and newer wineries, such as Caroline Cellars, Palatine Hills, and the organic Frogpond Farm. Each profile gets two pages, accompanied by photos. There is even one fruit (non-grape) winery. Chase gives an assessment of the better wines and his recommendations (“Sommelier’s picks”). Audience and level of use: Ontario wine lover, traveler. Some interesting or unusual facts: “From Grimsby to Niagara-on-the- Lake, this 40-kilometre stretch of land represents approximately 16,000 acres of vines, with hundreds of new vineyards being planted annually.” What I don’t like about this book: the photos are often small and dark. There are no real Tasting Notes. What I do like about this book: front and back covers have page references to wineries, listed in alphabetical order. There is a good chapter on tips on buying Niagara wines. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 15. 101 THINGS TO DO WITH A TORTILLA (Gibbs Smith, 2005, 123 pages, ISBN 1-58685-469-0, $12.95 spiral bound) is by Stephanie Ashcraft and Donna Kelly, both enthusiastic cooks. This is one of series of “101 Things to Do With A…” First, there are about 20 recipes here for corn tortilla chips (which is sort of cheating in the count) and only 20 recipes for corn tortillas themselves. No substitutions are even hinted at. All courses are family style, with appetizers, wraps, kids, snacks, soups and salads. Convenience food are used (jars, cans, powders). Audience and level of use: beginner. Some interesting or unusual recipes: southwest egg rolls, chicken enchilada soup, creamy turkey tortilla soup, seafood tostada salad, breakfast tostada, green chile eggs benedict, huevos rancheros stacks. What I don’t like about this book: there are too many flour tortilla preps and there is no index What I do like about this book: bargain price, spiral binding. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. 16. THE WINES OF THE NAPA VALLEY (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 264 pages, ISBN 1-84000-994-2, $39.95 hard covers) is by Larry Walker, a food and wine writer based in San Francisco. He covers the grape varieties (cabernet sauvignon is best, of course) and the major viticulture issues, winemaking techniques, history and culture. Most of the book is a directory of top wine producers with profiles of the estates and their wines. The top wines — the A list – are covered in 70 pages, along with area demarcations (Stags Leap, Atlas Peak, Carneros, Chiles, Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, etc.). He has the usual names and numbers, production figures, vintages, acid and alcohol levels. There is a good section on phylloxera and the AxR-1 rootstock. The positive side effects of phylloxera: growers took a closer look at rootstocks, trellising, pruning, shoot positioning, terroir, and clone selection for replacement vines. Walker also gives us some short notes on where to eat and stay. The index is mainly to names plus a few topics. Audience and level of use: Napa collectors, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Napa wine is very much a moving target, caught up by profound changes in the vineyard and in wine- making techniques”. To which I would add: and by changes in ownership. What I don’t like about this book: at least one major misspelling (Madeline Kamin?), only one basic line sketch map, a brief bibliography of only seven books, no mention of the movie “Mondovino” (the globalization of wine) nor the problems that owners and residents of Napa have with tourists. What I do like about this book: there are some tasting notes. Vintage notes are from 1973 through 2004. There is a hilarious description of an early dinner at Bouchon, where the author was at a table not far from Robert Mondavi and some UK wine writers, headed “the Mondavis perform”. Quality/Price Ratio: 92. 17. OMELETS & FRITTATAS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T.Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-818-7, $19.95 hard covers) is by Jennie Shapter, a food stylist and food writer. These are ideas for a handful of basic, quick meals. As a rule, eggs plus leftovers work rather well in preps. The omelets section here has the basic summer herbs omelet, and the adventuresome Italian Frittatas and Spanish Tortillas chapters have more bold presentations. There are sections on breakfasts and brunches, and the emphasis is definitely on savouries. Shapter makes good use of the omelet pan, a required piece of equipment. While there are US volume measurements, there is a metric conversion chart at the back. Audience and level of use: beginners, leftover lovers (like me) Some interesting or unusual recipes: caramelized onion and blue cheese omelet, feta cheese and tomato open omelet, porcini frittata, grilled bell pepper frittata, chickpea tortilla. What I don’t like about this book: a bit pricey, and there are no sweets. What I do like about this book: good photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 81. 18. VATCH’S THAI KITCHEN; Thai dishes to cook at home (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-808-X, $24.95 hard covers) is by Vatcharin Bhumichitr, a well-known chef and author of several eponymous Thai cookbooks. These recipes here use commonly available ingredients, written with the westerner in mind. Coverage is from apps to sweets, with curries and relishes and beverages. He presents a list of ingredients for the pantry and the utensils needed. The websites and mail order sources are all U.S., and there are metric conversion charts for the U.S. measurements. Audience and level of use: beginner level. Some interesting or unusual recipes: shrimp wrapped in crispy noodles, chicken wings with lemongrass, cauliflower-mushroom-coconut soup, vermicelli salad, mussel pancake. What I don’t like about this book: I think he needs more recipes, although all of the basic dishes are here. What I do like about this book: he indicates which dishes are suitable for vegetarians. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 19. TASTES OF NORTH AFRICA; recipes from Morocco to the Mediterranean (Kyle Cathie, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 1-85626-602-8, $24.95) is by Sarah Woodward, who has written similar cookbooks. It was originally published in 1998 as “Moorish Food”; this is a revised edition but with the original photos. Here are 100 recipes, with historical contexts for food and spices and styles of eating. The regions include Morocco, Andalusia, Sicily, Catalonia, Provence, and Valencia. Most people think of Morocco as the home of tagine, couscous, and sticky almond pastries. Of course, there is more, although both chicken and lamb dishes dominate. Woodward says that most of her recipes in this book were originally “picked up on the road” from local markets, people and restaurants. The range is all courses, and both Imperial and metric measurements are listed. Audience and level of use: home cooks, travelers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: sweet tagine of lamb with raisins and almonds, Sicilian couscous with fish stew, chicken-lemon and mint soup, salad of oranges and olives, monkfish kebabs. What I don’t like about this book: needs more photos of food and fewer photos of travel. What I do like about this book: ingredients are scaled. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 20. MAMBO MIXERS; recipes for 50 luscious Latin cocktails and 20 tantalizing tapas (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 120 pages, ISBN 1-58479-398-8, $23.95 hard covers) is by Arlen Gargagliano, a food writer specializing in new Latin cuisines. It is a straightforward book for “hora de cocteles” (cocktail hour in Latin America). She covers the bars, homes, parties, Mexico, Peru, Cuba, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean, et al. There are serving suggestions and make ahead ideas. Five basic sections cover champagne (4 recipes plus two tapas), classics and variations (18 preps plus 8 tapas), martini variations, punches, coffee and dessert drinks. US volume measurements are employed, but there is a handy conversion chart. Audience and level of use: bars, party givers Some interesting or unusual recipes: empanaditas de carne, Brazilian cheese puffs, Peruvian skewered beef, guacamole with grapes and nuts, toasted butternut squash salad. What I don’t like about this book: too short, we need more drinks and tapas. What I do like about this book: surprisingly, a full index. Great photos of drinks and food combos. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 21. CHEESE FROM FONDUE TO CHEESECAKE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-810-1, $36.95 hard covers) is by “contributing editor” Fiona Beckett, who did three of the recipes here. She coordinated the production with a stable of Ryland Peters & Small writers such as Maxine Clark (who contributes most of the preps), Louise Pickford, Jane Noraika and nine others. Some of the text about cheese was also previously published. The 50 recipes cover all the basics plus all the courses. There is material on cheese types, how to cook with what cheese, cheese and wine, strong cheeses and blues. Basically, the book says you can cook with soft, hard, blue, goat, and feta cheeses. The other cheeses are for you to serve on your own. U.S. volume measurements are used, with metric conversion charts. Audience and level of use: beginners, cheese lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: parmesan chips, pear-pecorino-pea crostini, spinach-blue cheese phyllo, warm chocolate mascarpone cheesecake, potatoes baked with roblochon. What I don’t like about this book: some ingredients in the recipes are not indexed. Also, this is a collection of previously published recipes and texts offered for sale at a high price. What I do like about this book: the basics are covered, and the photos are, of course, yummy. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. 22. PIZZA; 50 traditional and alternative recipes for the oven and grill (Quarry Books, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 128 pages, ISBN 1-59253-154-7, $22.95 paper covers) And 23. SANDWICHES, PANINI AND WRAPS; recipes for the “anytime, anywhere” meal (Quarry Books, 2005; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 128 pages, ISBN 1-59253-153-9, $22.95 paper covers) Are both by Dwayne Ridgaway, a chef, caterer, food writer, and multiple cookbook author. The major difference is that the first book is “open” while the second book is “covered”. In the Pizza book, she has sauces, doughs, toppings, and cheeses. She gives the principles plus details of how pizza should look and how to serve it. She has the classics, contemporary, salad pizzas, grilled pizzas, dessert pizzas. Plus a good chapter on using lavash bread as a surface. The Sandwiches book includes recipes for condiments, spreads, salads, sides and desserts. She deconstructs a sandwich so that you can build your own according to the principles. There are 43 hot and cold sandwiches, most with a photo shot to see all the trimmings. Both US and metric measurements are used by side by side in the recipes. Audience and level of use: beginner, caterers, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: beef panini with black bean pesto, crab cake panini with grilled onion relish, California bagel sandwich, ciabatta pizza loaves, grilled pizza with fried calamari, apricot and blackberry pizza with camembert and sweet ricotta cheese. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine suggestions, nor are there any suggestions for non-wheat flours. Tiny font sizes are used for the ingredient listings in the recipes. The one calzone in the Pizza book could have been better served in the Sandwich book. What I do like about this book: there are bread recipes (ciabatta, white loaf, cracked wheat, pita, rolls, baguettes, and seven kinds of pizza doughs. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR MAY 2005 =========================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. A DOUBLE SCOTCH; how Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet became global icons (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 290 pages, ISBN 0-471-66271-2, $35.99 hard covers) is by F. Paul Pacult, a free-lance beer and spirits writer who also has had his own successful newsletter for over 15 years. He also authored “American Still Life: the Jim Beam story”. This is an insider’s look at Chivas Regal (a best selling blend) and The Glenlivet (the best selling single malt). At one point, Chivas got most of its malted scotch from The Glenlivet. Eventually, Chivas was owned by Seagram and then in 1978 Seagram’s purchased The Glenlivet. Pernod Ricard bought them both in 2002 when Diageo and PR split the brands of now-defunct Seagram Liquors. Pacult begins with a brief history of Scotch, followed by a corporate history of the two companies, and then he progresses through competition, government regulations, illicit distilling, rioting, smuggling, murder, wars and Prohibition. The Glenlivet was licensed in 1824, to George and John Gordon Smith, Highland farmers, from Glenlivet and Speyside. Blended scotches began in the 1830s, and the Chivas brothers (James and John, both upscale Aberdeen grocers who never owned or operated a distillery) started selling a blend. Later, Seagram bought them both, first Chivas and then The Glenlivet. So this book is about three different families and their marketing development. There are black and white historical photographs, and reproductions of documents. There is also bibliography of sources, plus a detailed index. For me, one of the more interesting parts of this book are the appendices, wherein Pacult interviews Colin Scott, the master blender of Chivas, and Jim Cryle, the master distiller of The Glenlivet. It is good to read their takes on their products. This followed by a series of tasting notes from Pacult’s newsletter. He reviews five Chivas Regal blends and 13 The Glenlivet single malts, all of various ages. Audience and level of use: the interested scotch collector., schools of hospitality, marketing programs. Some interesting or unusual facts: on page 266, “One Scotch whisky was designed and born as a deluxe blend in the backroom of an Aberdeen grocery store; the other was conceived in a picturesque natural trough in the Grampian Highlands that was once Scotland’s most notorious hotbed of illicit distilling. One became the unrivalled darling of an irascible Canadian liquor industry baron who took his masterpiece to the world market through guile and organization; the other became the archetype of its class, yet remained within the founding family through four generations spanning a century and a half.” What I don’t like about this book: it’s a tad dry, chock full of names and dates and places. You’ll need a scorecard to plot the characters, especially since two separate companies are involved. Also, there is a slight feeling of subsidized PR here since there is nothing in the book that is critical about Pernod, Seagram, Chivas or The Glenlivet. The approach is soft. What I do like about this book: despite what I said above, the book must be seen as authoritative in that it was issued with a “Foreword” by the CEO of Pernod Ricard. Pacult had access to company archives, public relations staff, executives, distillery employees. Quality/Price Ratio: 93. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE WEEKEND BAKER; irresistible recipes, simple techniques, and stress-free strategies for busy people (W.W.Norton, 2005, 384 pages, ISBN 0-393-05883-2, $44 hard cover) is by Abigail Johnson Dodge, a baking writer with “Fine Cooking” and author of several other baked goods books. Her recipes are divided into three sections, according to the time they take to make. First up is “baker’s express”, ten minutes to an hour in prep time, with few ingredients, simple techniques, to produce quick food. Next is “baking in stages”, with plenty of “Do Aheads” which precede each recipe, so it can fit tour schedule by the day or by the week. The finished products here keep a week in the fridge or more in the freezer. This section also includes make ahead crusts and grain mixtures. Section three is the “productions”, mainly for a celebration (birthdays, holidays), glam efforts that can be made over time. In all, there are 150 recipes here, plus the basic introduction to baking. Many of the preps are for desserts; there are a few bread recipes. The ingredients are listed by US volume, by weight, and by metric weights. Still, you’ll need to have a good pantry and equipment. Audience and level of use: weekend bakers, busy people. Some interesting or unusual recipes: emergency blender cupcakes, warm cinnamon-spiced blueberry cake, apricot-pistachio biscotti, double- ginger ricotta tart, old fashioned ice cream sandwiches. What I don’t like about this book: some indexing problems, such as “Uncomplicated Fruit-Topped Yellow Cake” is not indexed under “Fruit”. What I do like about this book: the photo section has page references. The print is large. She emphasizes that ingredients must be scaled. The index has titles and ingredients indexed, as well as separate entries for the three large categories. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 3. WINES OF AUSTRALIA; new and revised edition (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 212 pages, ISBN 1-84533-057-9, $21.95 hard cover) is by James Halliday, well-known wine writer and consultant in Australia. and 4. WINES OF BURGUNDY; new and revised edition (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 232 pages, ISBN 1-84533-019-6, $21.95 hard cover) is by Serena Sutcliffe, British MW and writer, with the revision help of Neil Beckett. and 5. WINES OF SPAIN; new and revised edition (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 208 pages, ISBN 1-84533-018-8, $21.95 hard cover) is by Jan Read, leading authority and writer on Spanish wines. All three books are part of the Mitchell Beazley Wine Guides (formerly the pocket guides) and are regularly revised every two years. The publisher has maintained the old prices, the colours on the dust jackets have changed, and all three now say “New and Revised Edition”. Also, Sutcliffe’s reviser has changed from Patrick Matthews to Neil Beckett, with no further explanations. The index in the Burgundy shows that “weather” has been added, but no longer discussed are weed killers, wood aging, and yeasts. The section on “terroir” is now titled “Climate, Soil and Topography” (why the change? I liked terroir, such a nice French word for a French region: they invented the word!). The Spanish book has more notes on changes in the laws and more bodegas which are producing. The Australian book has dropped its two star categorization (two stars = “hard to recommend”). And there are lots and lots of changes in ownership, new wineries, mergers and acquisitions in this exploding country. Take the “Y” index: gone are Yaldara Wines (bought by Simeon), Yandoit Hills Vineyard, Yarramar Road Estate, Yass Valley Wines, Yunbar Estate. Say hello to: Yalumba The Menzies, Yangarra Estate, Yarramon Estate, Yilgarnia. All three books have updated facts, figures and vintage charts, reflecting changes in production, plus address changes, etc. in the directory section. These books are a must purchase. Quality/Price Ratio: 95. 6. EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES: ITALIAN RIVIERA (DK Books, 2005, 224 pages, ISBN 0756609119, $30 paper covers) was originally published in Italy in 2003, in the UK in 2004, and now in North America this year. It is one of over 90 titles in the “Eyewitness Travel” guides series, which emphasizes a lot of colourful photographs. Coverage is extended to beaches, architecture, restaurants and accommodation, churches, museums, festivals, parks. The Italian Riviera is Genoa, east and west of Genoa, and for all these there are over 600 photos and illustrations and maps. Every area has small road maps and street maps. Audience and level of use: travelers. Some interesting or unusual facts: Liguria has the lowest birth rate in Italy, making it the lowest in Europe. What I don’t like about this book: there is no index. Also, the book is heavy to lift because of all the illustrative pages. What I do like about this book: good section on useful phrases, plus floor plans and cutaways for all major sites/sights. There are also walks, thematic tours, and scenic routes. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 7. ROSE; a guide to the world’s most versatile wine (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 120 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4355-6, $26.95 hard cover) is by Jeff Morgan, a wine and food writer who also makes dry rose under the SoloRosa label. Often described as “summer in a glass”, rose wine is quite often used as an aperitif or sparkler, and then quickly forgotten. Morgan attempts to prove that theory wrong, by taking us on a tour through Provence, Australia, Spain, Italy, with notes on history and culture, production methods (e.g., saignee), styles of sweet or dry or sparkling. Morgan also gives us some 13 food recipes to accompany roses, such as pissaladiere, prosciutto sandwich, fish soup, and fried oysters. The tasting guide at the end covers about 200 wines, with country/region of origin, name, a tasting note, but no prices. There are US volume measurements and a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginning wine drinkers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Rose is best with a good meal”. What I don’t like about this book: a bit slim. What I do like about this book: rose, rosado, rosato – whatever you call them, they are the ultimate fresh and fruity wine. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 8. TORONTO; DK eyewitness top 10 travel guides (DK, 2005, 128 pages, ISBN 0-7566-0903-8, $15 paper covers) is by Lorraine Johnson and Barbara Hopkinson, both unidentified until the very last page (travel experts and editors). And 9. TORONTO FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 300 pages, ISBN 0-470- 83398-X, $ 25.99 paper covers) is by Michael Kelly, a seasoned American-born traveler and writer, now living in Canada. Top Ten is done in Top Ten list style, as a guide to all the sites/sights in town. It is one of a series to many cities and regions of the world, and it has both current and useful information, such as (from the world of Toronto food) the ten best liveliest bars and clubs, ten best restaurants for each area of town, ten best ethnic restaurants, ten best snacks, ten best brunches, ten best wineries to tour. There are lots of maps and colour photos, with a street index to the downtown area, TTC maps for the subway, and some road maps for beyond Toronto. As uptodate as it might be, there are changes: SkyDome is now Rogers Centre, and at least one brunch place has closed. The Dummies book has tips and recommendations from the Frommer’s teams, with good travel advice for subway and streetcars. It presents the basic facts and history, and gives daytrips to Stratford and Niagara. The huge dining section is pretty comprehensive. Kelly gives details for the restaurants plus websites for discovering more of them (e.g., Chowhound). There is a map and a description of the PATH underground walkway system. The yellow paged appendix details toll-free numbers and other websites. Some changes: Greg’s ice cream may have a Spadina address, but it fronts on Bloor and this needs to be noted, in order to eliminate confusion. You’ll probably need both books, the Top Ten once you get to Toronto. Audience and level of use: travelers Some interesting or unusual facts: St.Lawrence Market is considered by gastronomes around the globe as one of the world’s best markets. What I don’t like about this book: Top Ten could be limiting, and stretching it a bit to cover ten places. The cover says “ten best street snacks”, but really it is just “ten best snacks” and covers food not found in the outdoors or on the “street”. Also, while there is a section headed “Toronto East”, there is no comparable section for “Toronto West”. The Dummies book gives a whole pile of restaurant recommendations for Stratford, but only two for the Niagara region. What I do like about this book: Top Ten has foldable maps in the cover. Dummies book has separate Accommodations and Restaurant indexes. Quality/Price Ratio: Top Ten gets 84; Dummies gets 85. 10. GRAZING; portable snacks and finger foods for anytime, anywhere (One Smart Cookie, 2005; distr. Whitecap, 195 pages, ISBN 0-9687563-1- X, $19.99 paper covers) is by Julie Van Rosendaal, a free-lance food writer and cooking school chef who also published a baking book, “One Smart Cookie”. This book is all about street food and party food. It has biscuits, crunchy foods, crisp foods, dips, food on a stick, parcels, and desserts – over 250 of them, mostly quick and easy, with an emphasis on low fat. Each preparation has nutritional data (calories, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, cholesterol, fibre counts). There is the temptation to eat ONLY this food, especially if you are a solo cook. There are US volume measurements, but unfortunately no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: young folks, beginners Some interesting or unusual recipes: sweet potato oven fries, flavoured popcorn, flaxseed wafers, pork satay, berry oat squares, peanut brittle. What I don’t like about this book: there are no page references for the photos, the book’s binding is not secure, the index is only by course or product name (and not also by ingredient: hence “Radish & Roasted Red Pepper Dip” is NOT in the roasted red pepper sequence). What I do like about this book: excellent graphics and layout, despite some gratuitous screened black and white photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 11. 200 HEALTHY RECIPES IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS (Small Steps Press, 2005; distr. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 268 pages, ISBN 1-58040-226-7, $22.95 paper covers) is by Robyn Webb, associate editor of “Diabetes Forecast” and author of six other American Diabetes Association cookbooks. In fact, this book was formerly published by the ADA under different titles in 1996, 1997, and 1999. Here, much has been updated and combined. Food types include pasta, rice, poultry, meat, seafood, sides for all courses. And it’s a smart move to take these low-fat and low- carbohydrate dishes OUT of the realm of a “diabetes” diet and drop it into the low-carb, low-fat diet arena (South Beach, Atkins, ad nauseum)…To keep everything down to 30 minutes, Webb emphasizes meal planning, kitchen organization, and maintaining a larder/pantry. Each recipe has substitutions and exchanges and nutritional data. Audience and level of use: beginner, dieter, caterers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: New England mini corn cakes, ginger and lime salmon, grilled chicken with herbs, chocolate spice pudding. What I don’t like about this book: recipes names lack some pizzazz (glamour) What I do like about this book: good value book with lots of recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 92. 12. ENOTECA; simple, delicious recipes in the Italian wine bar tradition (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 196 pages, ISBN 0- 8118-4737-3, $22.95 paper covers) is by Joyce Goldstein, a Mediterranean-cooking expert and food author. It was originally published in 2001, and this its paperback reissue. There is material about the history of the tavernae in Italy. The recipes have all been sourced from restaurants in Italy, and thus are regional. The appetizers have been deliberately chosen to be light and simple, for cocktail parties or luncheons or as first courses. The wine recommendations for each dish include both an Italian wine and an alternate wine or region. For example, with a cornmeal raisin cookie, you could try Torcolato (Italy) or Tokay (Hungary). Four or five wines are normally recommended, and they come with food-pairing notes. US volume measurements (with a metric equivalents table) are used, and there is even a bibliography. Audience and level of use: intermediate, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: harvest grape focaccia, pasta gratin with leeks and sausages and mushrooms, duck breast with balsamic vinegar and orange, Sicilian swordfish rolls, pork and borlotti bean stew. What I don’t like about this book: bibliography not updated after 1999. What I do like about this book: the wine recommendations. There are good food notes too. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 13. PUNCH (Chronicle Books, 2005; distr. Raincoast, 96 pages, ISBN 0- 8118-4177-4, $19.95 hard cover) is by Colleen Mullaney, formerly editor for “Family Circle Home Crafts”. Here are 35 classic and exotic punches, with and without alcohol: fruity concoctions, tropical drinks, sparkling punches, teas and lemonades. Mullaney gives some advice on choosing liquor, which punch bowl to use, ideas for decorative ice rings and cubes. Audience and level of use: beginner, sunshine lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Panch” (Hindi) means five, referring to the five ingredients originally used (limes, sugar, spices, water, and arrack rum). What I don’t like about this book: photos for presentation ideas don’t show much. There’s no appeal in looking at a routine glass or pitcher. What I do like about this book: punches are celebrations in a bowl. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 14. DAVID ROSENGARTEN ENTERTAINS; fabulous parties for food lovers (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 394 pages, ISBN 0-471-461-98-9, $50.99 hard cover) is by the well-known multiple award winning food and wine writer (book, TV, newspaper, magazine). His book is based on his newsletter “The Rosengarten Report”. Here are sixteen finely crafted blueprints for dinner parties centering on a specific theme or food. The full range of courses include apps, mains, sides, desserts, and beverages. He suggests a tempura party for six people (the rest of the meals are for 12), a Texas BBQ, a Mexican street party, Greek grill, Cassoulet, suckling pig, couscous party, Bouillabaisse party, and a Devon Cream Tea. For the tapas party, you’ll need to reproduce a tapas bar in your home, and he gives directions on how to do it, with or without the whole leg of Spanish jamon. Every theme comes with his planning notes, presentation, table settings, beverages, and music. He even has a “where to find it section” for each theme; this is useful only for Americans. He uses US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: for those who want some adventure in their lives. Some interesting or unusual recipes: gazpacho in a pitcher, polenta cookies with chopped pistachio nuts, deep-fried brik with tuna and capers and egg, pepper jack corn bread, apple mostardo. What I don’t like about this book: some of the photos look ordinary, e.g., the green tea ice cream. There is no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: the photo sections have page references to the recipes. There is a bold typeface used when the ingredients are listed. Quality/Price Ratio: 84 15. THE BEST LOW-CARB COOKBOOK (Robert Rose, 2005, 381 pages, ISBN 0- 7788-0117-9, $24.95 paper covers) is an in-house production from the Canadian cookbook publisher Robert Rose. There doesn’t seem to be anyone credited with organizing the book, not even a committee. There are “contributing authors” and some books from Robert Rose listed at the back, with page references to the recipes. But the recipes themselves are not sourced on their page. Thirteen cookbook authors (Julia Aitken, Johanna Burkhard, Linda Stephen, Byron Ayanoglu, Rose Murray, et al) donated 475 recipes for the cause of insulin resistance and the Glycemic Index. There is a short introduction on how to handle carbohydrates, both inside and outside the home. All courses, from soup to nuts, are here, with separate tables of contents for each course. There are usually one or two recipes on a page. And as a Canadian book, it has both Imperial measurements AND metric measurements in two columns in the same recipe. Each recipe has a nutritional analysis for calories, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, fibre, fat and sodium. Audience and level of use: beginner, anyone with health concerns, caterers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: creamy mustard chicken, red snapper with broccoli and dill cheese sauce, greens with strawberries, smoked turkey toss, pecan biscotti. What I don’t like about this book: the binding seems insecure, and the book (because of its size) may not hold up. What I do like about this book: good database, 475 recipes. The colour photos of plated dishes have page references. Quality/Price Ratio: 93. 16. ESSENTIAL WINETASTING; the complete practical winetasting course (Mitchell Beazley, 2005; distr. McArthur, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84533-020- X, $29.95 paper covers) is the reissued 2000 hardbound edition, but in paperback. Author Michael Schuster is a well-renowned UK wine educator and wine writer (Decanter, Wine International); he has been described as a first-rate wine teacher. This basic book has won three major writing prizes. Tasting techniques and the basics of viticulture/viniculture/regions/varieties are laid out. He offers nine practical tastings, to show the differences or influences with terroir, Old versus New world reds and whites. All the major wine styles and grape varieties are tasted. Every wine educator could use this book as an introductory model. Schuster has maps, a glossary of tasting terms, vintage charts, and bibliography. Audience and level of use: beginner tasters. Some interesting or unusual facts: www.michaelschusterwine.com keeps the book up-to-date. What I don’t like about this book: it needs updating – the vintage charts go as far as 1999, the production figures to 1996/98, and the bibliography is equally old. What I do like about this book: good writing style. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 17. NEW GREEK CUISINE (HarperCollins, 2005, 184 pages, ISBN 0-00- 639456-6, $26.95 paper covers) is by Aristedes Pasparakis and Byron Ayanoglu. Pasparakis has opened, sold and closed scores of restaurants (in Toronto, Aristedes, Temporary Calamari Joint, and Ouzeri); he now consults in Athens on restaurant concept. Ayanoglu is a cookbook author, once in Toronto but now living in Montreal. They describe seven categories of Greek cooking: lemon-flavoured, cooked in wine, cooked in olive oil, flavoured with yoghurt, sweet and sour, et al. And at the same time, they are promoting healthy Greek cooking. Many of the dishes here can be done in 30 minutes or less, with one blender (or food processor) and two non-stick pans. No fat is used in the sautéing process, and only small amounts of olive oil are used to flavour sauces. New versions of classics are included plus modern foods. Chapters run through the meal, beginning with mezedes and dips, soups, salads, through to desserts. About 150 recipes plus a Greek larder section (filo dough, cheeses, quince, raki, olive oil, pine nuts, etc.) are complemented by a photo section. Audience and level of use: the curious, fans of Aristedes Some interesting or unusual recipes: skordalia garlic dip, kakavias fish soup, eggplant with figs on greens, bulgur lamb pilaf, pork and leeks on celery-lemon custard. What I don’t like about this book: no metric measurements or even a table of equivalents in a Canadian book? Shame. Mass distribution dictates that this book be the same production throughout North America. What I do like about this book: there are page references to recipes given in the photo section. I also have my doubts about not frying some foods: you’ll not get the same texture (e.g., croquettes) Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 18. ITALIAN VEGETABLES; delicious recipes for appetizers and sides (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-820-9, $19.95 hard covers) is by Maxine Clark, a food writer and cooking school chef specializing in Italian cooking and cookbooks. The 29 preparations are only for the apps and accompaniments. Contents are for salads, legumes (peas/beans/lentils), roots and mushrooms, nightshades (tomato/eggplant), and squash. US measurements are used; there is a metric conversion chart at the end. Audience and level of use: beginner. Some interesting or unusual recipes: asparagus with parmesan and chopped eggs, fennel and leeks braised in cream and lemon, sautéed pumpkin with rosemary and balsamic, beet and wheat and arugula salad. What I don’t like about this book: too short. What I do like about this book: great layout and photos of finished platings Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 19. PICNICS; simple recipes for eating outdoors (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-816-0, $19.95 hard covers) is from four UK food writers, principally Louise Pickford. The stress is on two principles: make it yourself and/or get it from a market (bread, cheeses, cold cuts, desserts). The emphasis in the 34 recipes is for “great ingredients simply prepared”; the style is for fresh tasting and room temperature foods that are easily portable. Contents covers salads, vegetables, breads and dips, meat and poultry, and sweets. US measurements are used; there is a metric conversion chart at the end. Audience and level of use: beginner. Some interesting or unusual recipes: chick pea and tomato and bell pepper salad, pan bagnat, mini-pork and apple pies, souvlaki with cracked wheat salad. What I don’t like about this book: there is no wine coverage, nor wine recommendations for accompanying beverages. Also, the book is short. What I do like about this book: good layout. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 20. COGNAC; the seductive saga of the world’s most coveted spirit (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 244 pages, ISBN 0-471-45944-5, $35.99 hard covers) is by Kyle Jarrard, a senior editor at the International Herald Tribune in Paris. He has written often on his in-laws’ family roots in Cognac. This is the first major book on cognac to come along in quite some time. The publisher claims that this is the first comprehensive history of Cognac, but what about Cyril Ray’s “Cognac” (1973) and a lot of other books only available in French. Jarrard begins in the 1500s with a history and then discussion of terroir, proceeding apace through distillers, wars and peace (peaces?). The focus is definitely on the cognac trade as he gives a behind the scenes look at Hennessy (number one in production), Remy Martin (number two), Courvoisier and Martell (both tied for number three). These top four houses control 74% of the market; the total market is about 110 million bottles, estimated at less than 2% of the total spirits sold around the world! Jarrard also looks at a prominent small house, Delamain, to see how it handles activities. He deals with “Napoleon Brandy”, phylloxera and rootstock from Texas (actually, Denison, Texas and Cognac, France are twinned cities), the various legal changes to appellations (VSOP, XO, etc.), the two world wars, the decline of Cognac consumption, and then the massive export market to Asia. There’s some interesting material about viticulture, viniculture, and marketing. Jarrard interviewed scores of people on a friendly basis with ease of access; he was almost one of them (remember his in-laws?). There are even some food notes for dishes that go with cognac, or are of the region. His few tasting notes, really only comments, come from the company personnel. There are black and white historical photographs, reproductions of labels, maps, and pictures of current people in the business. Audience and level of use: the committed cognac drinker, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Cognac is the fruit of an incredible set of circumstances: the gentle climate of southwest France that makes grape growing the natural thing to do, easy access via the Charente River to the Atlantic for shipping Cognac to points north in Europe or to ports half a world away, and the proximity of great oak forests out of which to fashion venerable barrels without which Cognac wouldn’t exist at all.” What I don’t like about this book: no real tasting notes. What I do like about this book: good bibliography, especially of the French books. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 21. PROFESSIONAL BAKING; fourth edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 701 pages, ISBN 0-471-46427-9, $93.99 hard covers) is by Wayne Gisslen, and features recipes from Le Cordon Bleu (Paris). It comes with a CD- ROM (ChefTec software) with over 750 recipes, and a Student Workbook (ISBN 0-471-47781-8, available separately). Cordon Bleu contributed 175 recipes with variations, and these are carefully indicated with a blue typeface. What’s new this time out is the material on artisan breads (natural fermentation, hand crafting), new information on wheat flours, new plating techniques for desserts, new colour photographs, and new equipment models. There is a recipe contents page which explores yeast doughs, quick breads, doughnuts and crepes, syrups, pies, tarts, cakes, decorating, cookies, custards, frozen desserts, fruits, chocolate and marzipan. Everything here in this book is clear, precise, non-nonsense, practical and methodical. Both US volume and metric measurements are given in side-by-side columns. The CD-ROM has all the recipes from the text, with options to modify, to scale, resize, to cost, to print, to invoice, to track costs, to produce shopping lists and purchase orders. Nutritional values have been pre-calculated, and as you change ingredients or quantities, they change. There is more tangential material about this book at www.wiley.com/go/gisslen Audience and level of use: cooking schools, restaurants, hotels, large hospitality establishment. Some interesting or unusual facts: The prevention of staling is important because baked goods lose quality rapidly (there is a whole section on this, with preventions). What I don’t like about this book: you cannot add the recipes on the CD-ROM to any existing ChefTec database on your computer…you’ve got to delete the other database first. What I do like about this book: there is an instructor guide and a student workbook. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 22. SO YOU WANT TO BE A CHEF? Your guide to culinary careers (John Wiley & Sons, 2006, i.e. 2005, 375 pages, ISBN 0-471-64691-1, $ paper covers) is by Lisa Brefere, Karen Drummond and Brad Barnes, all US authors and teachers in the cooking arena. It comes with a CD-ROM containing templates and worksheets, sample resumes and portfolios, forms and slides. Working in the hospitality area (some may say “arena”) is appealing to young people, and this book certainly shows options available for cooking. It has discussions on employment as chefs in restaurants, hotels, cruise liners, clubs, catering, and supermarkets. As well, there are chances in mass feeding (universities, schools, health centres, armed forces) plus related areas of research development, private and personal chefs, food writers, food stylists, food photographers, and public relations work. There is one paragraph on “celebrity chefs” (did you know that there actually is an employment category here?). For each type of chef or cook or employment, there are sub-sections on a day in the life, reality, pay, organizations, and job descriptions. Plus the book has another 100 pages on resume writing, job portfolios, contacting employers, interviewing, and career advancement. The appendix details some culinary professional organizations; 40 are listed, described, given addresses and websites and phone numbers. Audience and level of use: chef bound students, hospitality schools. What I don’t like about this book: too US based for Canadians, especially in the legal and addresses section. What I do like about this book: good advice. Quality/Price Ratio: unrated 23. THE COOK’S COMPANION (Robson Books, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 158 pages, ISBN 1-86105-772-5, $23.95 hard covers) is a miscellany about food, mostly weird and absurd. It’s been edited by Jo Swinnerton, one of the principals of “The Companion” series (there are also books on bird watching, movies, gardening, golfing, about 14 in all). It is loaded with hundreds of facts, quotes, anecdotes, histories, myths, hints and tips, trivia -— even rhyming cockney. And all crammed in with small typeface. Each page number (at the bottom of the page) is supported by a fact using that number. For example, on page 10, it says “10 cost in millions of pounds of UK organic potatoes sold in 2003”. It even has a bookmark ribbon. The bibliography is a hodge podge of books. Audience and level of use: foodies, the curious. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The first tin can opener was invented in 1855 – 45 years after the tin can was invented”….Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? What I don’t like about this book: for Canadians, it has too much of a British slant. The index is laughable (four columns for names and a few facts: why did they even bother?) What I do like about this book: very entertaining. It has the answers to the questions you have never thought to ask. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR APRIL 2005 ============================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE WINERIES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA; rev. and updated edition (Whitecap, 2004, 375 pages, ISBN 1-55285-603-8, $22.95 paper covers) is by John Schreiner, a longtime BC wine writer. It first appeared in 1994, a decade ago. Then, it covered 40 wineries (2 of which never opened). Today, it covers 126 wineries (grape, apple, other fruit, and honey) with an indication of more in development. Schreiner speculates on what shaped the industry. He alludes to the Vancouver Playhouse festival, and then goes on to correctly identify the real shaper: the threat of competition from our free trade agreement with the US, which diminished our government-regulated preferred status. The same thing happened with the Ontario wine industry. Apart from a short history of BC wines in general, his book is a directory account of the wineries of BC. Each winery is alphabetically arranged, from Adora Estate through Winchester Cellars. The directory component gives addresses, contact data, hours and tours information. The text, mainly based on researched interviews with owners and winemakers, notes awards and recommended wines. While he has three types of recommendations (wine for special occasions, memorable wine to share with good friends, and well-made wine), he has no real tasting notes. Most of the TNs come out of the interviews with the biased winemaker or owner. Nevertheless, there is much good descriptive material about the wineries. There is a separate chapter at the end for eight new or pending wineries; this is a great idea to keep the book up-to-date as of publication. Note that many of these wines are not available in most of Canada. This book is a major contribution to Canadian wine knowledge. Audience and level of use: dedicated wine lovers, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: In 1978, the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival began as a showcase for California wine, and then expanded to domestic and other imported wines, elevating the profile of the domestic wine industry in BC to a higher level of recognition. What I don’t like about this book: only 81 wineries are on the map inside the front cover – where are the other forty five or so? The table of grape varieties on page 11 has no heading; you’ll have to read about it within the text on page 12. Also, it is just a list with no figures. What I do like about this book: short introduction, more space for the winery listings. Quality/Price Ratio: 96. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. COOK LIKE A CHEF; techniques, tips and secrets from the professional kitchen to your (Whitecap, 2004, 264 pages, ISBN 1-55285-612-7, $34.95 paper covers) is by Chris Knight, the executive producer of the popular eponymous Food Network Canada series (its longest running show; over 185 were taped). The 200 recipes come from a variety of chefs who have appeared on the shows (Ned Bell, Michael Bonacini, Liz Manville, and six others). Thus, there is much variety here, and I certainly found more than a handful of recipes to store away. Ultimately, this is an upscale textbook, a cooking 101 to show you techniques and tools from the big boys. Its fourteen chapters cover the basic recipe foundations, soups, entrees, desserts. The emphasis, as with many of these books, is on fresh, local, seasonal, specialist stores, and best ingredients. Preparation levels are indicated (whether the recipe is easy or moderate, etc.), the recipes are all sourced by chef, and both metric and imperial measurements are given side by side. Audience and level of use: novices, cooking schools, followers of celebrity chefs. Some interesting or unusual recipes: poached pear and gorgonzola salad, stovetop coq au vin, prosciutto-wrapped turkey breast with tangerine cranberry sauce, crown roast of lamb with mustard rub, potato confit en sous-vide, coeurs a la crème. What I don’t like about this book: there is some pretty rare stuff for beginners: veal kidneys in Calvados? I think not. What I do like about this book: common sense beginning – read the recipe from beginning to end (twice), temperature times, do a mise en place, etc. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 3. IN THE HEAT OF THE KITCHEN (John Wiley & Sons, 2004, 244 pages, ISBN 0-7645-8834-6, $42.99 paper covers) is by British bad boy Gordon Ramsay, the only London chef to hold three Michelin stars. He also runs other eponymous restaurants, and has authored several cookbooks. He is currently on North American TV with “Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox). Roz Denny and Mark Sargeant have helped with this current book, which was originally published in the UK in 2003. It has been “Americanized” with US measurements. Ramsay’s book is essentially full of techniques, shortcuts and tips, a sort of primer to fine cooking, more than 100 recipes in all. There are also many fine photos illustrating these techniques and the finished platings. It does have a slight UK bent (e.g., smoked haddock), but this is okay for Canada. And it has both US and metric measurements in the recipes, so the home cook can choose which system to use. Audience and level of use: for followers of celebrity chefs, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: lobster-potato-arugula salad, aromatic steamed cod, guinea hen with pomegranate, lamb crepinettes in lettuce, fondue of lettuce, pain perdu with roasted peaches. What I don’t like about this book: teeny tiny print used in the index makes it very difficult to read. What I do like about this book: his emphasis on always having sharp knives available. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 4. WINE BUYERS’ GUIDE 2005 (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. McArthur, 368 pages, ISBN 1-84533-090-0, $14.95 paper covers) is by the noted UK wine writer Robert Joseph. It is a guide based on the 2500 wines judged by over 500 experts at the annual International Wine Challenge (UK) which is run by Wine International magazine (www.wineint.com). The bulk of the book, about the 2500 gold-silver-bronze medal winners, is bracketed by an introduction to the basics (written by Joseph) and a list of UK stores which carry stock. The winners are all listed by country and region, award, and price – and not by style. The descriptions have been culled from tasting panel notes. There are more data at robertjoseph-onwine.com. The competition started in 1984, and in April 2004 (twentieth anniversary), there were 9000 wines entered for the 400 tasters to judge. Joseph has a section on the “best” wines, such as Champagne (Charles Heidsieck Brut 1989), Port (Taylor’s 40 Year Old Tawny), Sweet White (Inniskillin Oak Aged Vidal Icewine 2002), plus the best wines by country, grape, and so forth. All prices are in sterling. Audience and level of use: for the serious wine lover, although agents and suppliers in Canada can use the list to ensure that they derive marketing value or even import wines that are not currently listed by the LCBO. Some interesting or unusual facts: Expensive wines don’t enter competitions. What I don’t like about this book: for North America use, we don’t need a list of UK stores, nor do we need wine basics. There is no overarching index, so the book must be perused. What I do like about this book: pocket sized, cheap enough for the list and short notes alone. A great listing of wines that should/could be in the Canadian marketplace. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 5. KINKEAD’S COOKBOOK; recipes from Washington, D.C.’s premier seafood restaurant (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 278 pages, ISBN 1-58008-522-9, $57.95 hard covers) is by Bob Kinkead, an award-winning chef who opened Kinkead’s (Foggy Bottom) in 1993 to great acclaim (Gourmet, James Beard Award, etc.). All courses are covered, with details on shopping for the home. Most of the recipes are for seafood, but there are eight preps for lamb and game, as well as desserts and sides. And there are some wine tips, but no recommendations. Emphasis appears to be on locally available seafood and fish. US volume measurements are used. Audience and level of use: restaurant chef book. Some interesting or unusual recipes: escalivada, shad roe with grits and ham, Portuguese fisherman stew with chorizo and Romesco sauce, mussels with grainy mustard and garlic cream, poached tilefish with cauliflower puree. What I don’t like about this book: no metric equivalent tables, no wine recommendations. What I do like about this book: extensive chapter on fish shopping for home preps. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 6. AUTHENTIC RECIPES FROM KOREA (Periplus Editions, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 112 pages, ISBN 0-7946-0288-6, $16.95 hard covers) has been put together by a team of three Korean writers and three photographer- food stylists. AND 7. EATING KOREAN; from barbecue to kimchi, recipes from my home (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 259 pages, ISBN 0-7645-4078-5, $39.99 hard covers) is by Cecilia Hae Jin-Lee, a Korean-American award-winning food writer. “Authentic” shows the varied cuisine, with cultural notes and location photos. These are sixty recipes – for all courses -- from the Sorabol Restaurant in Shilla Hotel, Seoul. They are fairly upscale, but doable by North Americans. Prep and cooking times are indicated, as well as information on all the native ingredients. Both metric and US measurements are in the recipe, side by side, and there are US mail sources indicated (alas, nothing for Canada). “Eating” is more for the home cook, with some historical details but also a lot of family memoirs. With 100 recipes plus variations for all types of courses, Jin-Lee also covers (in 26 pages) special occasions and holidays. She has a section on special tools and implements, with an extensive and defining ingredients listing. There is also a guide to the Korean language and pronunciation. Unfortunately, the huge resource list for online and freestanding grocery stores applies to the US only. Audience and level of use: those interested in Korean cuisine. Some interesting or unusual recipes: “Authentic” has abalone rice porridge, fish and vegetable hotpots, fried kimchi rice with beef, and Korean Festive cakes. “Eating” has dough flake soup with potatoes, seafood pancakes, five meat. What I don’t like about this book: the black and white photos in “Eating” are too grey, and there are too many family shots. What I do like about this book: there is good photography in “Authentic”, but “Eating” has a better index, particularly the recipe list by Korean name, with page references, separately indexed. Quality/Price Ratio: I’d give the nod to “Authentic” because of its recipe/price ratio (89), but both books are fine in content. “Eating” gets 87. 8. SMALL-BATCH BAKING (Workman, 2004; distr. Thomas Allen, 452 pages, ISBN 0-7611-3035-7, $19.95 paper covers) is by Debby Maugans Nakos, a food writer living in Alabama. The basic premise here for the 225 recipes is the small yield: just about everything serves two or three. And baking includes cakes, pies, tarts, cobblers, cookies, biscuits, muffins, etc. Yeast and non-yeast. Her list of equipment is novel, since you’ll need small containers such as a 14 ounce soup can, a small loaf pan, a jumbo muffin tin for a pie. Small batches don’t take up much time or space. And you don’t feel like you have to eat it all at once. There is a section on holiday preps, should you be by yourself or with one other person. The instructions are all detailed. And there is a US/UK/metric conversion table. Audience and level of use: home baker and entertainer Some interesting or unusual recipes: chocolate birthday cake with double chocolate sour cream frosting, fig and hazelnut crisps, cornmeal shortcakes melba, cinnamon French toast pudding, cranberry orange oatmeal scones. What I don’t like about this book: well, you might not have some of the equipment. I don’t have any soup cans. In fact, I don’t have any cans at all, except tuna. I have a large container of scratch in my freezer room, as in cooking from scratch… What I do like about this book: the usually great Workman graphics do nicely with recipe books, especially the large print, Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 9. THE COOK’S ESSENTIAL KITCHEN DICTIONARY; a complete culinary resource (Robert Rose, 2004, 413 pages, ISBN 0-7788-0098-9, $19.95 paper covers) is by Jacques L. Rolland, an experienced food expert. The book has some food history, etymology, anecdotes, and cultural notes. There are over 4,000 definitions; this is an alphabetical listing for food names, beverage names, recipe titles, cooking terms and techniques, two columns to a page. It includes UK, US, French, Italian and other languages. Ancillary matter includes lists of cheeses and their origins, and descriptions of pasta. There are food quotations and anecdotes (mostly humourous) plus drawings of veggies. Some typical entries: luganega is a Northern Italian pork sausage similar to kielbasa; the history of the fork covers two columns. Fortune cookies were either created in 1916 by a noodle manufacturer, or they were invented by a Japanese restaurateur after 1895. There are cross- references to additional entries (these are in bold face), and there are plenty of “see” references. Audience and level of use: reference use, libraries, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: There are 2500 different varieties of rice. What I don’t like about this book: these are just one person’s selection (I didn’t see any other names or any criteria for selection). Some may be incomplete or misleading, such as the entry for Cornish pasty which does not give the order of the food inside the dough. What I do like about this book: seems thorough. The occasional sidebar boxes will give lists (types of coffee beans, sugar, beef cuts, types of beer, chili pepper varieties). Quality/Price Ratio: 94 (bargain price). 10. DIABETES & HEART HEALTHY COOKBOOK (American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association, 2004; distr. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 218 pages, ISBN 1-58-040-180-5, $24.95 paper covers) is a joint publication from the ADA-AHA. AND 11. HEALTHY CALENDAR DIABETIC COOKING (American Diabetes Association, 2004; distr. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 445 pages, ISBN 1-58040-160-0, $28.95 paper covers) is by Lara Rondinelli, RD, and Jennifer Bucko, a chef and journalist. “Heart Healthy” has been endorsed by both the AHA and ADA, for cardiovascular disease ranks as number one on the list of diabetes- related complications. The 160 preps here are low-fat and/or low-carb, covering appetizers to desserts (all courses). Each is laid out with nutritional counters (calories, fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, protein) plus food exchanges and substitutions. There are some sample menus, such as a week of planned meals (three a day plus two snacks). “Calendar” has January through December day-by-day meal plans with both dietician and chef tips. The daily menus come with weekly grocery lists, so you only need to buy what’s listed. The 340 recipes are easy, elegant, with serving sizes, prep times, exchanges, and nutritional counts clearly listed. For both books, though, you’ll have to remember that exercise is also needed, and consumption of alcohol must be scaled back. Audience and level of use: diabetics, caterers who do this planning, sensible eaters. Some interesting or unusual recipes: from “Heart Healthy”: roasted cumin snapper and fresh orange salsa, stuffed mushrooms with ham and vegetables, tilapia with dill and paprika, slow-cooker Mediterranean pot roast. From “Calendar”: tortellini soup, peanut-crusted cod, banana split cake, seafood risotto, roasted vegetable panini. What I don’t like about these books: recipes are indexed by title only (and by course), not by ingredient. What I do like about these books: the type is large, basic dishes are covered, portion sizes are realistic. Quality/Price Ratio: you’ll get more recipes in the “Calendar” (88 points) than in the “Heart Healthy” (85 points). 12. LE CORDON BLEU QUICK & EASY (Thunder Bay Press, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 384 pages, ISBN 1-59223-198-5, $54.95 hard covers) is by Jeni Wright and Le Cordon Bleu Chefs. It was first published by Cassell Illustrated in the UK, and is a companion to “Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cook”. Le Cordon Bleu has 11 schools around the world; there is one in Ottawa. Eight chapters here cover starters to desserts plus the basic recipes and weekend entertaining. This is, by and large, a step-by-step guide to lighter cooking, to meet mainly everyday meals. Each recipe has prep times, cooking times, chef tips and variations. There is also a slightly British orientation to the recipe selection. Audience and level of use: beginners, textbook collectors, Le Cordon Bleu students, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: layered vegetable terrine, scallops with tomato and saffron, raspberry fool, fish kabobs with lime and rosemary, chicken jalfrezi. What I don’t like about this book: while there is a selection of 13 menus for celebrations, there are no page references to the dishes – you’ll have to look them up in the index. What I do like about this book: two pages of metric conversion tables, and a ribbon bookmark. Quality/Price Ratio: 13. VINTAGE SPIRITS AND FORGOTTEN COCKTAILS; from the alamagoozlum cocktail to the zombie, 80 rediscovered recipes and the stories behind them (Quarry Books, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 144 pages, ISBN 1-59253-068-0, $22.95 paper covers) is by Ted Haigh, long time Internet expert on cocktails and partner in cocktaildb.com. Before the “cocktail”, there were plenty of mixed drinks: the julep, the fizz, the sling, the nog, the scaffas, flips, punches, smashes, cobblers, etc. The “cocktail” as a drink was simpler than any of these; it was a liquor (with sugar, bitters, liqueur) that was stirred or shaken with ice and strained into a stemmed glass with a fruit peel garnish. Haigh has 80 recipes, from the early 19th century, Prohibition Era, and post- War II. There are some great illustrations, anecdotes, and cocktail history here, along with the recipes for oldies such as Golden Dawn, Fog-Cutter, Mother-in-Law, Widow’s Kiss, and Monkey Gland. He has a bibliography of source materials, and a resource guide for all of the syrups and little-known commercial liqueurs of the past. Audience and level of use: the curious drinker. Some interesting or unusual facts: The vodka martini of James Bond began as “The Vesper” in Casino Royale (1955), named after another double agent! What I don’t like about this book: too short. More please. What I do like about this book: there are 17 recipes of modern standards for comparison. Quality/Price Ratio: 95. 14. THE SPIAGGIA COOKBOOK; eleganza Italiana in cucina (Chronicle Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 192 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4511-7, $56 hard covers) is by Tony and Cathy Mantuano. He’s the chef and partner for the Chicago resto; she’s the former manager but now a food writer and consultant. The 100 recipes here have been drawn from the past twenty years of Spiaggia’s operation. It is arranged by course (antipasti, primi, secondi, formaggi, dolci). You’ll need a larder/pantry, as well as specialized foods such as pork caul and foie gras. No hardship for me, but these products must be freshly available in your geographic area. There is a section here to emphasize Italian flavours, with a selection of oils, sauces, pestos and dressings. The book employs US measurements and a US resources list, with one place in Italy as a source for Italian utensils and cookware. Audience and level of use: chef personality book, restaurant book, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: roasted boar chops with buckwheat polenta and braised pork belly, Roman-style roast lamb with fingerlings, mascarpone torte with espresso sauce, barded partridge breast, mint gelato. What I don’t like about this book: only three pages on cheese, and no wine recommendations. There are also too many gratuitous photos, and not enough of food preps or platings. What I do like about this book: calls for a 25 pound lamb, quartered (give them points for moxie). There is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 15. THE FOOD OF ITALY; a journey for food lovers (Whitecap, 2005, 296 pages, ISBN 1-55285-677-1, $29.95 paper covers) is a book package, with recipes by Sophie Braimbridge and Jo Glynn, and photography by Chris L.Jones. It was originally published in hardcover in 2002, and has now found its way to Canada. AND 16 THE FOOD OF INDIA; a journey for food lovers (Whitecap, 2005, 296 pages, ISBN 1-55285-678-X, $29.95 paper covers) is a book package, with recipes by Priya Wickramasinghe and Carol Selva Rajah, and photography by Jason Lowe and Alan Benson. It too was originally published in 2002. Both books give the photographers as the first, main entry, and the photos are indeed good, especially at this price level. The books are oversized (12 inches by 9 inches) which allows for some quite nice spreads. Both have glossaries to food, cooking and equipment. Both have about 200 recipes, and both use Imperial and metric measurements for weights (only Imperial for volume). The Italian book covers all the regions, with some extra emphasis on the cheesemakers of Naples and the vineyards of Tuscany. There is café culture lore, stories behind pizzas and pastas, items on salamis and prosciutto. Each recipe is photographed as it is made. The Indian book is arranged by types of food. It covers the beaches of Mumbai for street food, the rossogolla makers of Kolkatu, the tea gardens of Assam and Munnar, the sweets of Delhi, Moghul dishes, seafood, breads and dals. Audience and level of use: travelers, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes: char grilled asparagus, pizza rustica, butter chicken (murgh makhni), Bengali fish (rohu kalia), and tamatar shorba. What I don’t like about these books: oversized, unwieldy in the kitchen. What I do like about these books: substitution guides. Quality/Price Ratio: 89 apiece. 17. THE NEW DETOX DIET; the complete guide for lifelong vitality with recipes, menus, & detox plans (Celestial Arts, 2004, 264 pages, ISBN 1- 58761-184-8, $24.95 paper covers) is by Elson M. Haas, M.D. who specializes in detoxification (he’s written seven other books on health and nutrition). He is assisted by Daniella Chace, C.N. a nutritionist. This is a second edition, with about 50 more recipes and additional detox data. Both authors present fairly comprehensive plans for detoxifying, with minimal side effects. “The first principle for improving your health is to eliminate destructive habits”. Thus, no caffeine, alcohol, or sugar. You can replace these with drinking water, walking or swimming, and deep breathing. If it sounds rigourous, just remember that it is not forever. A toxic lifestyle creates fatigue, coldness, hair loss, dry skin, and weight gain. Each chapter provides healing programs for one type of addiction, such as drug use, alcohol, etc. Each involves a variety of fasting and juices, detox diets, transitional diets, and supplements. Most food is cooked by steaming, roasting, and water sauté; most recipes are very simple. Audience and level of use: people in need of detoxification. Some interesting or unusual facts: the key to maintaining metabolic balance is to maximize nutrition and to eliminate toxins. What I don’t like about this book: you might want to seek a second opinion or another source. Try Google. What I do like about this book: sound, basic advice for beginning the detox period. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 18. TRIED AND TRUE ALL SEASON GRILLING & BBQ; top 200 recipes (All Recipes, 2004; distr. Ten Speed Press, 287 pages, ISBN 0-9711723-6-6, $24.95 paper covers) is by the members of allrecipes.com; these are the top choices for BBQ and grilling. The publisher has also done about a half-dozen other similarly fashioned cookbooks as well. The website has been functioning since 1997, and has additional information from and for this particular book (e.g., you can put in the page number to obtain nutritional data, to scale ingredient results, to email the recipe to a friend, to create a shopping list, to convert US measurements to metric). Try shop.allrecipes.com/tnt/grillingbbq/page.asp. The 200 relatively uncomplicated recipes cover burgers, ribs (10 pork rib recipes), steaks, chicken and wings, seafood, rubs and sauces (these are very important), sides-breads-desserts. There are simple techniques, ingredients, and implements: all have been tested and commented on by the Internet community of home cooks. Important information also includes a discussion on gas (control) versus charcoal (smoke). Some recipes here will require a smoker. Audience and level of use: novices. Some interesting or unusual recipes: orange pork chops, Korean BBQ chicken marinade, Greek sonzoukaklia, grilled Portobello and mozzarella, figs oozing with goat cheese. What I don’t like about this book: the pulled pork recipe is under pork roast, subcategory North Carolina, but not under “pulled”. What I do like about this book: grilling charts for specific cuts of meat. There are also no illustrations of finished plating, but who needs them for this food? Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 19. THE GRASSFED GOURMET COOKBOOK; healthy cooking and good living with pasture-raised foods (Eating Fresh Publications, 2004; distr. Ten Speed Press, 267 pages, ISBN 0-9673670-2-6, $31.95 paper covers) is by Shannon Hayes who holds a Ph.D. (Cornell) in sustainable agriculture and community development. And she co-owns a pastured farm in New York State. This is sort of “eating in the wild” since sustainable agriculture for animals means being raised on pasture. The 125 recipes spotlight the flavours and unique character of the food. Locally, in the GTA, Beretta Organic Farms has grassfed beef, and it is wonderful. Covered by Hayes are beef, bison, venison, veal, lamb, goat, pork, poultry, rabbits and cheese. She has profiles of six pasture-based farmers, and some material on health benefits (organic food higher in omerga-3 fatty acids) and environmental-economic benefits. Different cooking techniques are needed because of the lower fat content, and because the flavour is better, there is less need for spicing. She has a section on rubs and pastes. Recipes indicate “minimum preparation”, “in a hurry”, “on a budget”, “kid friendly”, “showcase”. Her source list includes five farmers in Canada. Audience and level of use: socially concerned meat eaters. Some interesting or unusual recipes: classic pulled pork, Bulgogi, stuffed breast of veal, BBQ pork ribs, fresh ham, lemon chicken wings. What I don’t like about this book: index is spotty. I looked for pulled pork, and finally found it under “classic pulled pork”, and not under “pulled”. What gives? What I do like about this book: there is an annotated bibliography and endnotes for the more curious reader. She also has a good discussion on animal welfare benefits. Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 20. PROSCIUTTO PANCETTA SALAME (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 112 pages, ISBN 1-58008-617-9, $25.95 hard covers) is by Pamela Sheldon Johns, a former chef turned food writer who now lives on a farm in central Italy. This type of food must be becoming popular, since this is the second such slim book on the market in one year (“Prosciutto” was published by the Wine Appreciation Guild; see my reviews for last year). Actually, the term “salumi” refers to all Italian-made cured meats, some of which have an EU-guaranteed DOP. The 40 recipes here cover antipasti, panini, salads, and some mains. There is good introductory material, with a description of types and regions of salumi (including their prep, curing, and smoking) and prosciutto, with just a tiny bit on pancetta and sausage. She has some profiles of Italian artisans, which is a nice touch, along with some good pictures of the cuts. With information on current USDA regulations, the book is a US and Italian resource guide to artisan cured meats, supplies and products. Her bibliography is mostly to Italian meat books. Audience and level of use: cooking schools, reference collections. Some interesting or unusual recipes: classic affetutti, gnocco fritto, crostini, fava bean-pancetta-yellow pepper coup, onion-sausage-apple tart. What I don’t like about this book: too short a book, lots more could have been said. What I do like about this book: she has a few useful recipes for homemade pancetta (my wife makes her own). Quality/Price Ratio: 86. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR MARCH 2005 ============================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ WINE SPECTATOR’S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BUYING WINE; eighth edition (Running Press, 2004; distr. by HarperCollins, 2004, 1004 pages, ISBN 0-7624- 1977-6, $42.50 paper covers) is a jumbo book, containing ratings and tasting notes for more than 11,000 wines from around the world, all reviewed in blind tastings and published in that magazine from May 15, 2003 through April 30, 2004. The magazine itself began publishing in 1976; this book is – by now – an annual publication. It is good for finding new wines from unfamiliar regions. Eight major tasters, all identified with a picture-profile, worked their way through the wine tastings held in different parts of the world. The arrangement of the book is by region, and each area includes wines which are available in the US marketplace on a national retail level. Eventually they find their way to Canada. Argentina and Austria are here, but not Canada. Each entry has a name of wine and a grape variety, the estimated retail price in US dollars, an estimate of when the wine will be at its best, the quantities produced, a common 100-point scale, and initials of the reviewer. Other material here includes a wealth of vintage charts, vineyard maps, accounts and analyses of recent vintages in the major wine regions, the top wines reviewed in the previous year, 150 smart buys (value for dollar) with notes on 50 top producers. The 200-page “Alphabetical Guide” at the back is the book’s index; it is arranged by producer and includes the name of the wine, its price, and its score. And that’s all most people want. Most of the book’s data can be found at the website (www.winespectator.com) but accessible only one wine at a time. The magazine itself is mostly adverts, profiles of wineries or winemakers, and superfluous articles on restaurants and travel. The tasting notes are the main thing about Wine Spectator (some would say TNs are the ONLY thing). Audience and level of use: wine lovers who like tasting notes, wine stores, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: Daring collectors expand their hobby by keeping tabs on new wines and vintages from old-guard producers in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy, Spain, and a watchful eye on up-and-coming producers from the New World. What I don’t like about this book: The “Alphabetical Guide” does not point to a page reference for further details about the wine. What I do like about this book: opens with a chapter on wine buying strategies (ten top tips). Quality/Price Ratio: 94. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH ! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ THE NEW BEST RECIPE (America’s Test Kitchen, 2004; distr. by HarperCollins, 1028 pages, ISBN 0-936184744, $49.99 hard covers) has been put together by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. The first edition came out in 1999; this second edition has a slight title change (“new”) and has doubled in size, from 500 to 1000 recipes. Cook’s Illustrated is a magazine of techniques and perfection, with many line drawings illustrating how kitchen work is done. The company also has a TV cooking show and some book series, including a whole slew of Best Recipe books covering beef, baking, vegetables and Italian food. More details on the company and on their products can be found at both www.cooksillustrated.com and www.americastestkitchen.com . Their motto is: “we test recipes over and over again so that you don’t have to”. A noble quest for the perfect recipe, for the best version of a dish. The 22 chapters cover most foods as the editors search for the best recipe to express (for example) rib-eye steaks, roast chicken, brownies, etc. 800 illustrations – mostly line drawings – show the best way to do things (carving, beating, folding, frosting, grilling, and the like). There is also material on equipment purchasing. This is pretty basic stuff, like cooking school lessons, for each prep is annotated with the process of how they arrived at the recipe. Techniques new to this edition include grilling, stir-frying, and baking. Measurements are American, with a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: basic handbook, good reference work, libraries, cooking schools. Some interesting recipes: creamy sweet pea soup, spaghetti alla carbonara, simple roast chicken, individual Yorkshire puddings, breakfast strata, coconut layer cake. What I don’t like about this book: it is unavoidably unwieldy, for the 1028 pages are oversized. The section on pan-seared premium steaks didn’t mention that there is a lot of smoke (open windows, doors, fans vented to outside – all are needed for home use). What I do like about this book: basic preps are detailed. It’s simply a case of knowing the rules before you break the rules. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 1. LAST CHANCE TO EAT; the fate of taste in a fast food world (McClelland & Stewart, 2004, 384 pages, ISBN 0-7710-5653-2, $34.99 hard covers) is by Gina Mallet, a former Toronto drama critic who now writes about food for many diverse publications. Here she does a part-food memoir, part- food history, part-food recipe approach. She remembers the days, when as a young girl, she could eat reasonably well, free of additives and genetic modification and the like. Today, food is in the news, and it is usually bad: diet problems, additives, GMs, nutritional guidelines which change, politics, obesity, cancer–related scares, vitamins (both overuse and deficiencies). Sections deal with eggs, raw- milk cheese such as brie, beef, fish, and the kitchen garden with peas, tomatoes and apples. Mallet had strong memories of food, and bemoans the absence of the hearth and Vesta in today’s communities and homes. Of particular interest to Mallet is the food chain, which involves cannibalism for farmed animals and fish(mad cows, scarpie), organic gardening, wholesaling and transportation and eating outofseason, and perplexing flip-flops about food (remember when eggs were bad for you? when margarine was good for you? when Olestra was the promised land for fatties?). She presents one astounding conclusion: McDonald’s is doing better than the government in regulating animal cruelty and meat safety. She loves the UK’s Harrod’s food halls (as it used to be), and the visions of Escoffier. Her book brings a European sensibility to North America. Recipes are from a wide variety of sources, but are only one part of this book. She has a bibliography for further reading, and it contains the basic food history and culture texts. Audience and level of use: professional food people, concerned activists, foodies everywhere, Some interesting or unusual facts: “When I started to search for taste in food today, I imagined I would talk to organic growers, fishermen, and farmhouse cheesemakers. Instead, I ended up talking mostly to scientists, who more and more are determining what we eat.” (p.365). What I don’t like about this book: most enlightened people should already know this stuff, and also should have already read most of the books used as sources (I own most of them myself). The book is mostly a summary at this point. What are totally new are her food memories. What I do like about this book: there is Canadian content, and if it helps to spread the message that we are not eating well and should remember our history, then this book is needed. It’d be nice to have a Pierre Berton for food history! Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 2. CLEANING & STAIN REMOVAL FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2004, 330 pages, ISBN 0-7645-7029-3, $24.99 paper covers) is by Gill Chilton, a cleaning expert for a lot of magazines (including “Family Circle”) and author of the book “Home Basics”. Stains plague restaurants, and this handy softbound (a little larger than the convenient pocketsize) is certainly useful. It is a boon in that it tells you how to clean anything off everything (blood, vomit, beer, avocado, coffee, chocolate, et al). Your establishment will look cleaner and smell better if you can get rid of the nasty-looking splotches that abound. A quick-thinking staff will also do wonders IF they know what to do, and this book (in true dummy fashion) is explicit on every point. It deals with the basics of cleaning, working with walls and floors, furniture polishing, windows and frames, decks and patios, even vehicles (delivery vans too). Special situations are covered as well, such as hosting parties or overnight guests. There are daily and weekly lists of what to do so that you can keep on top of a cleaning routine. Chilton even has information about how to put together a stain removal kit – so you can have it at the ready for volatile diners. Between the A – Z stain removal guide and the index, you can find guidance for just about everything. To augment this book, you can do a Google search for specific problems; the web seems to have an answer for every predicament. Audience and level of use: homeowners, restaurant and bar personnel. Some interesting or unusual facts: blot up spills using white cloths only. What I don’t like about this book: it needs more material on how to deal with larger gatherings. What I do like about this book: while it is meant for the home, the chapters and sections on stain removal and cleaning up in the kitchen are pretty good for restaurants. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 3. THE COFFEE HOUSE; a cultural history (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 304 pages, ISBN 0-297-84319-2, $39.95 hardbound) is by Markman Ellis, a professor of eighteenth-century literature at the University of London and author of many books and articles on this time period. Here he begins with a basic history or both coffee and the idea of a gathering place. Of course, coffee is the wine of Islam. But it took until 1511 for the first coffee house to open in Mecca, with students, professors, lawyers, and judges sipping and discoursing. Coffee’s arrival in Europe coincided with the modern historical period. The first coffeehouse in Christendom was in 1652-1654 (historians are unsure of the exact date) in London. Ellis’ book is a social history – there are no real business archives available. Sam Pepys diary provides good accounts of what actually transpired in coffee house in the UK. Within 20 years, every major urban area in the UK had a coffee house. The first houses on the continent were in places which supported a sizable British contingent of merchants: Amsterdam in 1665, Bremen in 1669, Hambourg in 1670, Paris in 1671, Venice in 1683, and Vienna in 1685. The speed of the spread of coffee houses in Europe can be likened to the speed of the modern day home penetration of the DVD! Thankfully, the word “Starbucks” does appear in this book until page 246 (although the logo is in a picture facing p179). Ellis has a few colour and black and white illustrations on glossy paper, to show us what the older coffee houses looked like. Audience and level of use: historians, food culture vultures. Some interesting or unusual facts: caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world, exceeding all other common drugs including nicotine and alcohol. The value of the coffee traded on international commodity markets is surpassed only by oil. What I don’t like about this book: being academic in tone, the book is driven by those who are especially interested in coffee houses, and not by the casual reader. I have no problem with this, but the index tends to bunch up common nouns under the terms of “coffee-shop”, “coffee- men”, and “coffee-women What I do like about this book: there are extensive endnotes and index, for after all, this is a scholarly book. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 4. IN A CUBAN KITCHEN (Running Press, 2004; distr. HarperCollins, 176 pages, ISBN 0-7624-1541-X, $34.95 hard covers) is by Alex Garcia, a Cuban-born New York chef practicing Nuevo Latino (e.g. Babalu). He has also appeared on the Food Network. and 5. THREE GUYS FROM MIAMI COOK CUBAN (Gibbs Smith, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 234 pages, ISBN 1-58685-433-X, $39.95 hard covers) is by Glenn Lindgren, Raul Musibay, and Jorge Castillo, all being brothers- in-law and associated with the Food Network. Both books address a need. Garcia’s is more upscale, and he actually grew up in Cuba. His book fits in with “Nuevo Latino” food; the culture is a blend of Spanish, Portuguese, African, French, Arabic and Oriental cuisines. He has over 100 recipes, all courses (tapas, soups, salads, rice dishes, veggies, desserts, rum cocktails and coffees). There is ancillary material on native ingredients, reference guides and a glossary. A lot of his cooking is slow food, as indicated in the brief history. Garcia has a whole chapter on sauces and marinades. He deals with croquettes and plantain slices and lots of limes. But then, that’s Cuban cuisine. Most dishes are photographed in an upscale family style presentation. Measurements are US by volume, and the index is Spanish- English (as is Three Guys). Three Guys’ book is more down homey, with simple and spicy food under Miami influences. The 100 recipes here embrace Cuban family favourites and re-interpretations. Topics include drinks, appetizers, salads, soups, eggs, mains, etc., with tips and advice. Their glossary varies from Garcia’s. For example, Garcia says boniato is a Cuban sweet potato with white flesh, while Three Guys are silent on the colour. This book has US mail order sources, especially the Cuban Food Market in Miami, and US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: travelers, those looking for something rare and exotic to cook. Some interesting or unusual recipes: of course there are inevitable duplications in recipes. But Garcia has pigeon pea rice, baby shark creole style, salt cod salad, okra stew, slow-cooked Cuban ham with sherry vinegar. For Three Guys, it is Cuban-style paella, garlic soup, avocado and pineapple salad, fried pork chunks, three milks cake, and natilla Cuban pudding. What I don’t like about this book: neither book has a metric table of equivalents. Three Guys has too many gratuitous photos of Three Guys. What I do like about this book: Three Guys has a large print for their recipes. Garcia’s book is more unique. Quality/Price Ratio: Garcia gets a 90; Three Guys get 85. 6. MARCELLA SAYS…Italian cooking wisdom from the legendary teacher’s master classes, with 120 of her irresistible new recipes (HarperCollins, 2004, 390 pages, ISBN 0-06-620967-6, $42.50 hard covers) is by Marcella Hazan, who has written five other Italian cookbooks. She began with her first cooking classes in the early 1960s. The 120 recipes here are derived from her current classes, and the chapters follow a syllabus. There are lots of “dos and don’ts” and tips, as one would expect from a school teacher: such things as overuse of garlic, or what happens when one skips the blanching process. She develops the concept of “insaporire”, developing flavours through blanching, heating, meat stews, risottos. The term means “making tasty”, a sort-of unami feel. She also proposes “arrosolare” (to cook in hot fat until it acquires a warm hue). There are four pages on this. The first 75 pages (titled “At Masterclass” cover her approaches to cooking, with details of ingredients and techniques and procedures. The publisher uses large print for the recipes, and a good layout with the steps highlighted. US volume measurements and online US sources for food products, with phone numbers. Audience and level of use: Italian food lovers, cooking school students. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Jerusalem artichoke and asparagus soup, bottarga pasta sauce, chicken Asti style with pancetta, bell peppers and anchovies, pork shoulder stew with black-eyed peas, nectarine tart. What I don’t like about this book: no metric table of equivalents, a few shabby and superfluous black and white photos of Hazan and her classes. Also, there are no wine recommendations. What I do like about this book: she has lots of ahead of time prep notes. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 7. BEANS; more than 200 delicious, wholesome recipes from around the world (Running Press, 2004; distr. HarperCollins, 375 pages, ISBN 0- 7624-1931-8, $27.95 paper covers) is by Aliza Green, a cookbook author, food writer, chef, and food stylist. All courses are covered, from appetizers to desserts. All the recipes are sourced; most are from chefs. The stress is on comprehensiveness and the nature of international cuisine. She has basic data on about 100 bean varieties. These are the first fifty and the last thirty pages of the book. The legume families are divided into Old World and New World. For each bean, she gives cooking methods and a list of recipes. This book is not entirely meat-free, but the vegetarian option is clearly labeled just under the name header in each recipe. US volume measurements are used, but there are metric equivalent tables. Other useful parts include colour photos, a glossary, a US source list, a bibliography, and an extensive index. Audience and level of use: hospitality schools, restaurants, single ingredient book. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Cuban black bean soup with sofrito and smoked turkey, Queen Victoria’s favorite green pea soup with buttered croutons, Sardinian style cranberry beans with fennel and savoy cabbage, Chinese firecracker-jacks (an ab fab creation!), What I don’t like about this book: in her list of recipes by bean there are no page references – you’ll have to use the index to find the page needed. What I do like about this book: she told me what rice beans were (I could only find ONE site via Google). Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 8. WINES OF THE WORLD (DK Publishing, 2004, 672 pages, ISBN 0-7566- 0517-2, $40 soft covers) is one of the Eyewitness Companion guide series of essential handbooks. It is the work of 20 people, mostly wine writers (three have MWs) with a British orientation. The book touches the bases for everything, beginning with history, wine culture, wine growers of the world. The reference section has data on how to read a wine label, how to taste, to buy, to store, to serve, along with a glossary and bibliography. The pages on how to use the book are nicely illustrated with drawn instructions on the 13 areas of winegrowing regions. Each of these has maps, pictures, a description, the main areas of viticulture, the leading producers, and regional wine tours (with more maps, itineraries, local attractions). Story boxes and thematic features come in every chapter. For Canada, they have a couple of paragraphs which neatly summarize us (p.620) as Ontario, BC, cold, ice wine, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Inniskillin and Burrowing Owl, plus some websites. The book’s vintage charts go through 2003. There are also historical photographs, plus the obligatory production facts and figures. Audience and level of use: beginner, newbie Some interesting or unusual facts: The New World winery of Haras de Pirque in Chile resembles (from the air) a horseshoe. What I don’t like about this book: it’s a physically heavy book since every leaf has some clay for the colour. Wine production and wine consumption figures by country are for 1999 and 2001, a bit old. Few TNs. What I do like about this book: there is a nice section on soil terms (schist, gneiss, alluvial, etc.). Lots of pictures and colour, quite attractive. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 9. THE CHEESE COMPANION; a connoisseur’s guide (Running Press, 2004; distr. HarperCollins, 160 pages, ISBN 0-7624-1956-3, $26.95 paper covers) is by Judy Ridgway (who wrote the first edition, a comprehensive hard cover guide) and Sara Hill (who updated this second edition). Part One is a basic introduction to the history of cheese and how it is made. Part Two covers 106 varieties. Each is profiled by name, origin, characteristics, variations, and serving selections. Each entry indicates the type of milk used in production, the cheese’s pungency, fat content, and matching wines. Both farmhouse cheese and co-operative cheese are covered. Neither Quebec nor any other part of Canada has any cheese profiled. There are some great photos here, as well as 33 simple and standard recipes, mostly native to the country where the cheese is from. These recipes are all indexed under “R” for recipes. Audience and level of use: cheese lovers, most restaurants offering a cheese course, cooking schools, libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The United States is now the largest producer of cheese in the world…Canada is not a big cheese- eating or cheese-producing country, though its excellent cheddar does find its way round the world” What I don’t like about this book: only 106 cheeses are covered. What I do like about this book: it is not pocket-sized but it is light enough to carry about. Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 10. TRU; a cookbook from the legendary Chicago restaurant (Random House, 2004, 304 pages, ISBN 1-4000-6061-3, $50 hard covers) is by Rick Tramonto (executive chef at Tru) with Gale Gand (pastry chef at Tru) and Mary Goodbody (food writer and editor). Gand and Tramonto were once married to each other, but they still work together. Tramonto had previously co-authored “Amuse-Bouche”, and some more of those types of recipes are here. Indeed 16 of the 75 recipes are for amuses. Just about all of the recipes come from the resto, so the result is that the book emphasizes the exquisite, the original and the inventive sides of food. All courses are presented; these are good examples of what constitutes a “tasting menu”. Step-by-step instructions lead you on your way, and there are plenty of variations and riffs. Most main recipes seem to call for separate smaller recipes, to create a sauce or something similar. Sixty stunning photos give good support to the text. He gives an extensive source list for hard-to-find ingredients and equipment; unfortunately for us, these are all American sources. Check out www.trurestaurant.com Audience and level of use: people who follow personality chefs or particular restaurants. Some interesting or unusual recipes: mosaic of seafood with saffron foam (a deconstructed bouillabaisse), braised 31-vegetable ragout with chervil butter (separately cooked!), oozy quail egg ravioli with porcini mushrooms, braised veal tongue and artichoke napoleon with Asian pear and fennel pollen. What I don’t like about this book: no metric conversion charts for the US measurements. What I do like about this book: there are good and long wine recommendations for each of the main dishes. An extensive index. He also has a juicing chart (to find what is need to produces ¾ cup of juice, e.g., ¾ pound of fennel, 2 pounds of apricots). Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 11. VEGETARIAN SUPERCOOK (Hamlyn, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 0-600-61188-4, $29.95 hard covers) is by Rose Elliot, MBE, and author of over 50 vegetarian cookbooks in the UK. Wow. For this book, she did a poll on basic needs for vegetarians: what would they like help with? Most said they needed help with dinner parties and entertaining and celebrations. They also needed help with al fresco and BBQ, and even brunches. So Elliot covers all these areas. These international dishes are arranged by topical chapters, including dieters (lo-cal, lo-carb), celebrations, alfresco. The recipes range from the complicated and complex to the quick (under 30 minutes). There is even some material here on recipe creation. Each of the 100 recipes has prep times, cooking times, service for 4 or 6. About a third are naturally vegan (and labeled as such). More can be converted. Such modified recipes are annotated on p.189. Most recipes have a photo, but some of the pictures are not identified. Also, my wife did not like how the ingredients were listed; they are not in tabular form. I actually like a block format, for it forces you to read the recipe first. There is a glossary and measurements are by US volume. Audience and level of use: vegetarians, restaurants looking for another angle. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Stilton pate with roasted baby beets, mushroom coulibiac, quinoa and red grape salad, chicken-caraway soup, whiskey cream banoffi, falafel with lemon sauce. What I don’t like about this book: I couldn’t find a metric table of equivalents. What I do like about this book: there is a listing of suggested vegan alternatives, and the idea of entertaining is pretty good. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 12. THE LOW-CARB GOURMET; recipes for the new lifestyle (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 160 pages, ISBN 1-58008-630-6. $29.95 paper covers) is by Brigit Binns, a multiple cookbook author who is currently editing and writing for “LowCarb Living” magazine. This is the upscale, sophisticated food of international and fusion cuisine (European and Oriental). The seventy recipes cover vegetables, low-fat, lean protein and eggs, for all courses. Since two-thirds of North Americans are overweight, something dramatic needs to happen for people to lose weight and get healthy. Almost 20% of the US has tried the Atkins Diet, which, along with the South Beach Diet, is the leading regimen. The Zone Diet has also bounced back, since it was tested out as being the regimen that had the best weight loss with the highest retention of loss. She advocates an improvisational approach to the Zone Diet. Each of Binns’ recipes has the nutritional information counts for calories, carbohydrates, fibre and fats. US volume measurements are used, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: the serious foodie who wants to lose weight. Some interesting or unusual recipes: garlic and green pea vichyssoise, haricots frites with tarragon sauce, flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce, two-week preserved lemons, dried fig and cognac tapenade, rabbit with saffron and fennel ragout and whole-wheat linguine. What I don’t like about this book: nutritional counts are in a light green ink, and difficult to read. She uses artificial sweeteners (what’s wrong with stevia?) What I do like about this book: good stuff to cook for entertaining friends who rigidly adhere to a low-carb regime and must be catered to (in a manner of speaking). Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 13. THE OLIVE HARVEST COOKBOOK; olive oil lore and recipes from the McEvoy Ranch (Chronicle Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 180 pages, ISBN 0-8118-4162-6, $50 hard covers) is by Gerald Gass, executive chef at the McEvoy Ranch, with Jacqueline Mallorca, a food writer and author. Here are 70 recipes from an olive farm which makes organic extra-virgin olive oil; it is reputed to be California’s best. The ranch is also on the tours and tastings routes, for it has a kitchen garden, sheep (but there are only two lamb recipes here, both for chops), olive groves, lavender and honey. The endorsements for this book, which is mainly for home cooked style food, are stunning: good blurbs from both Paul Bertolli and Alice Waters. The book does have a nicely explicated chapter on olive growing in California. The food preps here follow a full range, from soups to desserts. US measurements are used, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Cal-Ital fans, cooking schools, memento of tour. Some interesting or unusual recipes: mixed winter squash soup with honey and sage, fresh tuna salad with dry-cured black olives, salt cod with potatoes leeks and saffron, roast sturgeon with cardoon and chervil sauce, rabbit two ways, and a fig walnut tart, What I don’t like about this book: there are a few gratuitous photos which contribute nothing. This is essentially a book to buy at the ranch while one is on tour. What I do like about this book: good history of a ranch and of a company, plus material on olive oil in California. Quality/Price Ratio: 80. 14. A COOK’S GUIDE TO ASIAN VEGETABLES (Periplus, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 208 pages, ISBN 0-7946-0078-6, $29.95 paper covers) is by Wendy Hutton, who has written widely on the food of Southeast Asia. 170 vegetables are identified here, with illustrations based on watercolours or photos. The book is arranged by family, such as beans, cabbages, mushrooms, onions, herbs, seaweeds, etc. She also has separate chapters for dried and preserved veggies and herbs. For each veggie she gives cultural notes, a description of appearance, its nutritional content, flavour, selection, storage, preparation, Asian herbal and medicinal remedies. At the end of each section she puts out about a dozen recipes. This is largely a vegetarian cookbook; even the meat recipes can be modified to be meat-free. Both metric and Imperial measurements are used in the recipe, side by side. There are few desserts, though the sweet Malaysian bubor cha cha calls for both yam and sweet potato. Hutton also has a recipe ingredient list and a glossary to oriental foods. Audience and level of use: encyclopedic, libraries and schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Adzuki bean pancakes (sweet), pea shoots with black mushrooms, spiced Indian cauliflower, Thai hot-sour green papaya salad, Chinese garlic chive pancakes. What I don’t like about this book: no mention of rice beans (they are part of an Asian rice grouping). What I do like about this book: index has bold-face type for recipe titles, which makes them easier to find. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 15. SIMPLY ELEGANT SOUP (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 99 pages, ISBN 1-58008- 484-2, $39.95 hard covers) is by George Morrone, a four star San Francisco chef and current owner of that city’s Tartare restaurant. John Harrisson is the focusing food writer who has co-authored more than 20 cookbooks. Morrone’s mentor is the late Jean-Louis Palladin, and it shows. This book was originally titled and promoted as “Simply Soup”. At least somebody caught this, for indeed the book has 25 sterling preparations for ELEGANT soups, mostly simple to craft. Most are a variation of cream of {vegetable} soup. He does reinterpret the classics such as vichyssoise, clam chowder, and soupe de poisson. US measurements are used. Audience and level of use: soup lovers, those looking for a posh but small food book as a gift. Some interesting or unusual recipes: chilled tricolor heritage tomato soup with avocado-tomato garnish (his signature dish), duet of chilled beet soups with gazpacho salad garnish, modern French onion soup with gruyere tuiles. What I don’t like about this book: only 25 recipes, no tables of metric equivalencies. What I do like about this book: single course cookbook, really elegant soups for my favourite course. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 16. FOODS OF THE AMERICAS; native recipes and traditions (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 224 pages, ISBN 1-58008-259-9, $59.95 hard covers) is by Fernando and Marlene Divina and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Fernando Divina has been an executive chef; together, the Divinas have a restaurant consultation firm and they have both authored articles about food of the American west. These 140 recipes are all modern; they use native ingredients from both North and South America Although there is not much for Canada, nuts are mentioned (Algonquin), as well as sun-dried fish (Huron), pit cookery (Iroquois), and raw fish (Inuit). The authors have about two dozen food photos plus an equal number of reproductions from the Smithsonian collections. There are nine illustrated short essays by native writers about indigenous food traditions. Measurements are American, as are the mail order sources (addresses and websites). There is an ingredient glossary, and a bibliography for further reading. Audience and level of use: food historians, culture vultures, restaurants looking for an angle. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Great Lakes pike with maple glaze, empanadas with beef picadillo, wild mustard seed and allium crackers, juniper roast quail with pinon nut buckskin cakes and pan gravy, Chilean-style avocado and shrimp salad. What I don’t like about this book: mo table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: a good looking, upscale book, also meant for sale at the Smithsonian museum. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 17. ALFRED PORTALE SIMPLE PLEASURES; home cooking from the Gotham Bar and Grill’s acclaimed chef (William Morrow, 2004, 262 pages, ISBN 0-06- 053502-4, $49.95 hard covers) has been co-authored by Andrew Friedman who also did “Alfred Portale’s Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook”. This book was an IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Award winner. Portale has also picked up a few James Beard Foundation prizes. This is the 20th anniversary of the bar and grill, and thus the book becomes a celebration. There are 125 recipes, covering all courses, and these are home versions of the restaurant’s classics. His idea here is to have you pick a main course and then build around it with selections from sections on starters, soups, pasta/risotto, accompaniments and sides, and desserts (most desserts are fruit-driven). He has a chapter on modern pantry maintenance, with international ingredients (chipotles, five-spice powder, pancetta, harissa, walnut oil). Some equipment that you’ll need includes the microplane grater and the Japanese mandolin. He lists variations/suggestions and pairings, with page references. He also has some photos of techniques. US volume measurements only. Audience and level of use: celebrity chef collectors, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: beet salad with feta orange and mint, frisee salad, chicken braised with morels, pan roasted squab with butter-braised savoy cabbage, cranberry-poached pears with ginger and tea infusion, eggnog panna cotta. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine recommendations, and there is no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: he suggests many variations plus dish augmentations with flavour building. Also, some variations have page references added. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 18. NIGHTLY SPECIALS; 125 contemporary American recipes for spontaneous, creative cooking at home (William Morrow, 2004, 306 pages, ISBN 0-06-055562-9, $49.95 hard covers) is by Michael Lomonaco, executive chef at both 21 and Windows on the World. He is also seen on television. Andrew Friedman is a cookbook collaborator for the New York community. The premise here is to reduce cooking times at home to a minimum while still remaining spontaneous. The improvisational aspect is emphasized. To do this, one needs to use seasonal foods, leftover management, have a pantry and larder, and do pickups on the way home (fresh fish, microgreens, etc.). Lomonaco covers starters, salads, entrees, sides and desserts, with some recipes in a “Floribbean-style” mix of Florida and Caribbean flavours. Throughout, he gives plenty of variations for his 125 recipes. US volume measurements are used. Audience and level of use: weekend gourmets, followers of chefs and TV shows. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pear-cranberry upside down cake, Asian noodles in hacked chile lobster, pepper-crusted tuna with green olive sauce, Moroccan lamb stew, cool roasted beets with mint. What I don’t like about this book: you’ll need a larder and some planning. Also, there is no table of metric equivalents. What I do like about this book: simple, loosely improvised dishes (especially the variations) Quality/Price Ratio: 86. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR FEBRUARY 2005 ================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE !! * WINE BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ****** 1. THE HOME WINE CELLAR; a complete guide to design and construction (Running Press, 2004; distr. HarperCollins, 176 pages, ISBN 0-7624-2084-7, $49.95 hard covers) is by Perry Sims, a contractor who has been specializing in wine cellar design and construction for over ten years. This is the latest hot trend in home renos; it is number two after the kitchen gets made over. His book is a full- illustrated, step-by-step guide to designing and building one’s own wine cellar, both for small and large projects. There is even material on purchased and free-standing closets, for these have to be maintained. Along the way, Sims discusses racking, organization styles, and techniques for temperature and humidity controls. Throughout, there are 270 (mostly) colour photos for 17 DIY projects, ranging from the modest to the expensive. But before beginning, Sims asks readers to consider their goals, such as storage considerations for the aging process (not enough room? Lots of room? Bin systems? Wine racking solutions? Wine appliances?). Some of his erstwhile projects include converting a bookcase (I’ve done this: it works well), building wooden racks and diamonds, a wardrobe closet cellar, interior-wall vapour barriers, full blown cellars with tasting rooms, etc. Audience and level of use: wine collectors in for the long haul. Some interesting or unusual facts: A wardrobe closet cellar is the best bet (wholly contained, air conditioning derived from the house, no exterior walls) for 200-250 bottles in a typical closet space (walk-ins will hold more bottles). It is very easy to do, and the wife will love getting a new free-standing wardrobe for herself. What I don’t like about this book: it needs more detail for software inventory systems (pretty sketchy in this book). Most of Chapter Seven on the wine market is superfluous: if you don’t know how to buy, open, decant, and taste wines, then why do you have a cellar at all?). What I do like about this book: very complete book, plans are explicit. Quality/Price Ratio: 93, * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ****** 2. FROM TAPAS TO MEZE; small plates from the Mediterranean (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 264 pages, ISBN 1-58008-586-5, $34.95 paper covers) is by Joanne Weir, cooking teacher, TV show chef, and food magazine writer. This is a revised edition of a 1994 originally published by Crown, and it had been developed while she was cooking at Chez Panisse. She has a whopping 160 recipes for first courses and appetizers, reminiscent of many bars and street food from around the Mediterranean. Call them what you want: tapas, hors d’oeuvre, antipasti, mezze, mukabalatt. The basic ingredients are olive oil, garlic, tomato, cheese, herbs, fruit (not in every dish, of course). Other basics to have on hand would include mayonnaise (different styles), mascarpone, pizza dough, toasted nuts. She has arranged her book by chapters for each region, with a short history of the apps in each area. There are about 26 or 27 preps for each of Spain, France, Italy, Greece, the Levant, and North Africa. The recipes are extensively written, usually one per page, and each recipe has an indigenous name as well as an English language name. She uses US volume measurements in her service for six or eight, as one can make a meal out of the little dishes. Audience and level of use: adventuresome, entertainers, cooking schools, libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes: shredded cod salad with tomatoes and peppers and onions, caramelized onion and goat cheese soufflé, grilled bread with sweet-sour chicken livers, lamb fennel and orange pie, baked stuffed eggplant, couscous salad. What I don’t like about this book: unfortunately, the foreign terms for each dish is not indexed – the index is English language only (who made that bonehead decision?) What I do like about this book: techniques section is quite good (how to smoke eggplant, trim artichokes, and revive saffron). Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 3. THE ULTIMATE DAL COOKBOOK (Penguin Books, 2004, 112 pages, ISBN 0- 14-303180-5, $18 paper covers) is by Mona Verma, a cookbook writer and operator of a successful cooking school. Apparently, no Indian meal is complete without dal (also spelled daal). Dal may be served as a main course or as a side, a chutney, soup or salad (even a sweet), at breakfast through to dinner. The 110 recipes here accompany rice and roti, or they are one dish dals and veggies, or they are meat and lentil combos, or snacks and sweets. There are 15 colour photos of legumes such as pigeon peas, lentils, chick peas, cow peas. The recipes are displayed one or two to a page, with brief – but easy – instructions. Imperial measurements are used, and there is a glossary of Hindi and English terms. Audience and level of use: adventuresome, Indian food devotees. Some interesting or unusual recipes: roasted Bengal grum and mint chutney, mixed lentils and spinach canapés, sprouted green beans with curd curry, green bean and fig sweet. What I don’t like about this book: there is no index but there is an expanded table of contents. What I do like about this book: virtually vegetarian – there are only one egg, three seafood, and one meat recipe. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 4. SOUTHERN SPICE; delicious vegetarian recipes from south India (Penguin Books, 2004, 134 pages, ISBN 0-67-005770-3, $35 hard covers) is by Chandra Padmanabhan, a cook specializing in vegetarian foods and author of “Dakshin” (a basic recipe book for South India). This current book can be thought of as volume two. Here are 100 recipes for the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. All courses are covered, including sides, accompaniments, rices, sweets and relishes. Imperial measurements are used. There are pages of suggested menus and buffet items, all with page references. The prep times for each dish include fermentation, soaking, mise en place, and cooking. Audience and level of use: devoted lovers of Indian foods Some interesting or unusual recipes: lacy rice pancakes, stir-fried okra with sesame seeds, curried eggplant, pigeon pea khichchi, steamed green bean dumplings. What I don’t like about this book: there is no index, but there is an expanded table of contents. What I do like about this book: there is a glossary of English/Hindi/Tamil terms. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 5. CLASSIC FOOD OF NORTHERN ITALY (Pavilion, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 240 pages, ISBN 1-86205-652-8, $29.95 paper covers) is by Anna Del Conte, award-winning author of many Italian cookbooks. This current title was first published in 1995. Here, it is a slightly revised edition. 150 recipes have been derived from restaurants and inns of the ten regions, which extend as far south as Tuscany, Umbria and Marche. There are very few pasta recipes, no sun-dried tomatoes, no arugula, and few eggplants. She has separate chapters for each region, and the recipes are in order of the service (antipasti through cookies) usually for four people. Measurements are in Imperial/US/metric for each ingredient in each recipe. Audience and level of use: Italian food lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes: risotto al gorgonzola, skate with anchovy sauce, gratin of swiss chard stalks, farinata, lamb cutlets with black olives. What I don’t like about this book: there was no indication of how the book was revised (maybe by including US measurements?) What I do like about this book: Del Conte recommends using the mezzaluna knife. Also, vegetarian recipes are marked with a “V”. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 6. GASTRONOMY OF ITALY (Pavilion, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 416 pages, ISBN 1-86205-662-5, $80 hard covers) is by Anna Del Conte, award- winning author of many Italian cookbooks. It was initially published in 1986 as a slimmer book, and has undergone large revision and updating through its 200 recipes. The emphasis is on trattoria food, one-pot food, family food. The book is also, of course, a lively history of Italian cuisine, being a tour through 16 regions of Italian specialties and wines, concluding with a glossary of terms and techniques. There are over 100 photos and reproductions of an additional 130 historical artworks. Recipes are arranged by course, and feature the classic dishes. There is a dictionary, “A – Z of Ingredients” (700 of them) which covers 150 pages, and includes charming reproductions of labels of food packages and advertisements. If the price scares you off, there is also “The Concise Gastronomy of Italy” (ISBN 1-86205-658-7, $34.95 paper covers) which has no illustrations but all of the 200 recipes and reference material. Audience and level of use: art food book collectors, a companion book for lovers of Italian food. Some interesting or unusual recipes: stewed shin of pork with potatoes, panocotto, panzanella, butternut squash gnocchi, soft nougat. What I don’t like about this book: a very heavy book for kitchen usage. What I do like about this book: there is a short survey of Italian wines by B. Roncarati, with label reproductions fore the best known brands. And all of the recipes have Imperial/US/metric measurements side-by-side. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 7. THE WINES OF RIOJA (Mitchell Beazley, 2004, 280 pages, ISBN 1-84000- 940-3, $39.95 hard covers) is by John Radford, an expert, writer, consultant, and teacher on Spanish wines. He wrote the annual survey of Spanish wine and vineyards for the Spanish Commercial Office, 1989- 2001. This is the first major book on Rioja (the region by itself) in about two decades (Duijker’s was the latest in 1989). Radford covers 450 producers and their wines. The bulk of the book is an enlarged directory, which begins with the important bodegas (names, addresses, websites, sales figures, grape varieties, principal wines, ratings for wines, and some slight tasting notes). Later in the book there is a complete listing of Rioja wineries, but only with names, addresses, email, and phone numbers. The first seventy pages deal with history, geography, some of the personalities in the trade, wine styles, and many opinions garnered from interviews and surveys (on bureaucratic inflexibility and complacency, whether to add cabernet sauvignon or not to the Rioja blend, problems of overproduction, and the triangle of estates-bodegas-growers which are full of individuals). Audience and level of use: Rioja lovers, wine readers, wine schools, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: A producer had been offered 2.3 Euros a bottle ex-cellars by a major UK multiple which wanted to hit a particular price-point. What did he do? He presented samples which matched the price, and the buyer did the deal. Result? That particular chain’s “bargain” own-brand Rioja was “made down” to meet the price. It has more press-wine, less freshness, less fruit than a similar wine from the same bodega made in Spain. It doesn’t convey any of the real magic that is the nature of Rioja. (p.xi) What I don’t like about this book: illustrated with only one sketch map of the region. I was also expecting more TNs. What I do like about this book: details on the key changes to the wine laws of Rioja which were updated in 2003. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 8. FEAST; food that celebrates life (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2004, 472 pages, ISBN 0-676-97412-0, $55 hard covers) is by Nigella Lawson, one of the hottest cookbook authors around (Cookbook Goddess, Nigella Bites, Forever Summer) and a major food writer-contributor to the New York Times. Her book emphasizes the hedonistic pleasures of celebratory food, through family get-togethers, public and religious holidays, and major events. There is a Sardinian Easter, an Unhappy Hour (food for a funeral: comfort food for a wake), Meatless Feasts, Kid Stuff, Venetian food – 200 recipes plus variations, and 120 colour photos. The chapter on Christmas and New Years takes 120 (!) pages and covers leftovers as well. She expounds on principles for readers to create their own unique celebrations. Lots of information is packed into this book, which means that there are small margins and the text approaches the book’s gutters. She even has four recipes using pomegranates. The recipes in this book are mostly metric, but she often mixes Imperial and metric together (which is a gastronomic no-no). Audience and level of use: fans of Lawson, those seeking a good celebration menu book. Some interesting or unusual recipes: allspice gravy, beetroot purees, rudolph pie, green beans in herbed yogurt, bread-sauced flavoured potato gratin. What I don’t like about this book: the sources of supply are all UK, small print is used for recipe instructions, What I do like about this book: there is a bibliography, the index to ingredients has bold-face, and she is, after all, a good writer, Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 9. ULTIMATE WINE TASTING KIT; the official 100-point wine tasting system from the editors of Wine Spectator (Running Press, 2004; distr. HarperCollins, ISBN 0-7624-1978-4, $56.95) is a great little package for party givers. It was formerly known as “Complete Wine Tasting Kit”. It comes with three paperback books and four sets of bags, tags, and pads. “Quick Guide to Wine Tasting” is for party and event tastings, giving all the basics for presentations and setups. “Essentials of Wine” is a 240-page book by Harvey Steiman, and it covers all the major grape varieties, regions and taste components, along with food-wine pairings. There is a 66 page “Pocket Guide to Wine”, which has vintage charts, and is meant for carrying around to stores and restaurants. It has good notes on how to taste wines. There are useful hang tags for glasses and stemware and bottles (in your cellar). The tasting and scoring pads can be duplicated after they have been exhausted, and the bottle bags can be replenished with any brown bags. There is also a current vintage chart and a tasting checklist. Audience and level of use: meant for at-home blind tastings. Some interesting or unusual facts: Always drink a better wine and sacrifice food matching. Always pair food and wine with similar weights. What I don’t like about this kit: the book materials need to be updated regularly. What I do like about this kit: its resources are renewable. Currently, it is good for 25 different wine tastings. The kit takes a lot of guesswork out of setting up a tasting. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 10. BRUCE AIDELL’S COMPLETE BOOK OF PORK; a guide to buying, storing, and cooking the world’s favorite meat (HarperCollins, 2004, 338 pages, ISBN 0-06-050895-7, $42.50 hard covers) is by the founder of Aidell’s Sausage Company and author of nine previous cookbooks. The 160 recipes were developed by Lisa Weiss, international in scope. With beef prices currently sky high in the US because of restrictions on Canadian cattle imports, pork also becomes the “other” RED meat! He begins with a description of cuts, moving on to home curing and drying your own charcuterie, and making your own lard. He has temperature charts for grilling, roasting, and braising. All meals and courses are covered, except for sweets. For each dish there is a Master Recipe followed by variations. The level of depth is noted by instructions on what type of salt to use. There is a concluding section on sources of supply (all US except for one in Quebec), and this is interesting for its arrangement by cuts, by breed, by treatment (organic), by small family farms, plus sources for processed foods (country hams, sausages, sausage-making suppliers, smokers, lard). US measurements, but no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: completists. Some interesting or unusual recipes: fennel-brined roast pork loin, Thai seafood and pork dumplings, Indonesian pork meat soup, pork skewers with pancetta-wrapped figs, pate de campagne. What I don’t like about this book: the run-on instructions detract. Sodium nitrates are used, but these can be avoided in most cases if you are careful (e.g., home-made pancetta) or freeze the raw pork. What I do like about this book: nice large print, good index. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 11. POMEGRANATES (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 112 pages, ISBN 1-58008-631-4, $21.95 paper covers) is by Ann Kleinberg, an Israeli food writer for the Jerusalem Post. This is the latest trendy fruit in restaurants. Its health benefits (it is an anti-oxidant) are well-known; its tart and refreshing juice is just like cranberry juice. So it goes beyond merely garnish and colour. When it is served to you in a restaurant, you are supposed to eat it. The seeds are edible, if chewy. Kleinberg in this slim book runs through a brief history and culture of the pomegranate, and then follows this with the prep materials (how to select, store and open, deseeding and juicing). The sixty recipes roam all courses, from apps to desserts and drinks. Traditional dishes are highlighted, but with a strong Middle East influence reflecting the pomegranate’s Persian origins. US volume measurements are used. Audience and level of use: chefs, cooking schools, collectors of single ingredient cookbooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pomegranate guacamole, drunken figs with roquefort in pomegranate syrup, salmon gravlax with pomegranate balsamic dressing, raspberry and pomegranate fool. What I don’t like about this book: no real mention of grenadine syrup, a common bar ingredient. What I do like about this book: clever little book, unique ingredient. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 12. PORT AND THE DOURO; fully revised and updated (Mitchell Beazley, 2004, 399 pages, ISBN 1-84000-943-8, $39.95 hard covers) is by Richard Mayson, UK expert and author on Portuguese wines. This book was first issued in 1999 by Faber & Faber, and after five years (and a new publisher) it was time to take a look at the massive changes in Portuguese viti-viniculture. This fat book was completely updated, bringing forward the basic history and commentary on the world of Port and its range of styles. There is an analysis of the major vineyards and producers, plus vintage assessments back to 1896. The bulk of the book is a directory of top quintas with names, addresses, email, phone numbers, tasting notes. There is also a brief description and directory of the top table wines of the Douro, where Port is made: Niepoort, Barca Velha, etc. There are three sketch maps plus two figures on vine cultivation and vinification. At the back, the book concludes with a listing of the marketing and regulating associations, some interesting production and trade statistics, and the vintage Port declarations since 1960 for each quinta. There is also a bibliography for further reading and a glossary of both technical terms and Port terms. Audience and level of use: Port collectors, wine readers, reference users. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The opportunity to rewrite, revise and update a book that was first published in 1999 impressed upon me just how rapid and profound transformations have been. There are innovations everywhere; in the vineyards, in the wineries and in the institutions which regulate and govern the port and Douro wine trade.” (p.2 of preface) What I don’t like about this book: it doesn’t really make much sense to throw in a chapter on table wines from the Douro (35 pages in total) which received a DOC in 1979. And speaking of throwing in, why are there 22 black and white illustrations which do absolutely nothing to the book or to Port? What I do like about this book: there are good tables of Port grape varieties and classifications. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 13. BAREFOOT IN PARIS; easy French food you can make at home (Clarkson Potter, 2004; distr. Random House, ISBN 1-4000-4935-0, 240 pages, $50 hard covers) is by Ina Garten, a Food Network celebrity cook who had owned a restaurant called “Barefoot Contessa”. This is her fourth such book exploiting that term. Most of the material here concerns “bistro” food of lunches, soups, salads, vegetables, mains, and desserts. There are 81 recipes in all. Throughout, there is a feeling that this is streamlined cuisine for the busy person, although this is not explicitly stated. She also puts forward material on table decorations and wines. There are conversion charts for metric/US/Imperial measurements. And the book concludes with a four page directory of her favourite places in Paris (addresses, descriptions). For menus, visit barefootcontessa.com. Audience and level of use: celebrity chef lovers, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pissaladiere, lentil sausage soup, fennel salad, chicken with morels, meringues chantilly. What I don’t like about this book: too many superfluous photos of still life. What I do like about this book: there are two indexes, one alphabetical and one by course. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 14. THE PANERA BREAD COOKBOOK; breadmaking essentials and recipes from America’s favorite bakery-café (Clarkson Potter, 2004; distr.Random House, 254 pages, ISBN 1-4000-8041-X, $26.95 paper covers) has recipes by Ward Bradshaw and Joel Cammett of the successful US establishment. The book commences with a guide to baking your own artisan breads, and then goes on to relate 120 recipes for using such breads in sandwiches, soups, salads, bread puddings, crumbs, etc. Some of the recipes are from the chain’s menus. Most of the classics are here, including pain bagnat (nicoise salad on bread) and various panini. The basic steps are highlighted, such as making the starter, mixing the dough, resting, shaping, proofing and scoring, and baking – all illustrated with line drawings. Most flours are wheat (yeast and sourdoughs) and rye flours. There are Imperial/US/metric conversion charts. But obviously one doesn’t need to bake these breads: the reader can merely follow the recipes which use bread (and this can be bought). Audience and level of use: bakers Some interesting or unusual recipes: bread-vegetable wheat bread, garlic olive wheat bread, Mediterranean veggie sandwich, Tuscan chicken sandwich, bacon turkey, asiago roast beef. What I don’t like about this book: we’ve seen it before, especially with Ace Bakery’s cookbook. What I do like about this book: the authors emphasize baker’s percentages and scaling the ingredients by weight. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 15. MATT KRAMER’S NEW CALIFORNIA WINE; making sense of Napa Valley, Sonoma, Central Coast and beyond (Running Press, 2004; distr. by HarperCollins, 400 pages, ISBN 0-7624-1964-4, $34.95 hard covers) is by the well-known columnist for the Wine Spectator. He has a series of books dealing with the wine regions (Making Sense of Wine, Making Sense of Burgundy, and others to follow). This current book was originally published in 1992. It is an omnium-gatherum of the wine scene in California: the who, what, where, when, and why, with some emphasis on the past ten years. There have been a lot of changes, and Kramer itemizes them – there is now developing the concept of terroir; other regions beyond Napa and Sonoma have come forward; there are cult cabernets; trellising has changed, as have rootstock and clone knowledge; the spectre of phylloxera (but he has only a footnoted mention of Pierce’s disease) has meant over $1 billion in replantings; the acreages of cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir have doubled (merlot has quintupled, chardonnay is 40% more, syrah is 32 times more!). Kramer moves through the regions, describing the idiosyncratic character of each. He thus covers Mendocino (but not Amador or Lake), Monterey, San Benito, Paso Roble, Edna Valley, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Mountains, Sierra Foothills. Unfortunately, the book was published just before all the recent happenings at Mondavi, and indeed, does not really cover consolidation in the industry. The book concludes with an extremely valuable vineyard registry of 30 pages containing names currently appearing on wine labels. For each vineyard, he gives the AVA, acreage, elevation, when planted, what planted, owner. Audience and level of use: wine readers, those who seek more about California wine, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Now, more than ever, it’s really all about vineyards. Because of that, a disproportionate amount of attention [in this book] is given to wineries that grow their own grapes. These are the wineries that can deliver consistency.” (p.9) and at p.35: “First introduced in California in the early 1970s, drip irrigation expanded the commercial frontier of fine wines…suddenly became potentially profitable.” What I don’t like about this book: the bibliography is the same as for the previous edition – there are no entries beyond 1991!! The index mostly covers only proper names, and not subjects (e.g., there is an entry for phylloxera but not for Pierce’s disease). What I do like about this book: the vineyard registry. Also, he has a well-written elegant style. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 16. TEACH YOURSELF TAI CHI (Teach Yourself Books, 2004; distr. by McGraw Hill Ryerson, 170 pages, ISBN 0-07-143977-3, $16.95 paper covers) is by Robert Parry, active in the study of Eastern systems of exercise and philosophy for over 30 years. It was first published in 1994 by Hodder Headlines. The “Teach Yourself” series has been going for over 60 years, and it has grown to some 750 titles (most are still in print). It was the original “dummy” type book, but without the attitude. These are the basic principles of tai chi, with step-by-step instructions for the “short yang form”. Illustrations are line drawings (with foot positions), and the book is slim enough to be completely portable. It is terrific for hospitality workers who need to reduce job stress, since it can be done close to the kitchen. The basic two minute form is the easiest, and of course it can be repeated continuously as time allows. The other forms are also included. Health and food aspects are discussed. Audience and level of use: beginner exerciser, the one who hates to move about. Some interesting or unusual facts: The yin and yang of life can be found through your own rhythms. What I don’t like about this book: it does not cover all of the movements – for that you’ll need a video. What I do like about this book: it is portable, one of the few thus available. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 17. LIDIA’S FAMILY TABLE (Alfred A. Knopf, 2004, 420 pages, ISBN 1- 4000-4035-3, $50 hard covers) is by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, multiple restaurant owner, cookbook author, and TV chef (co-written with David Nussbaum). The 200 recipes here focus on family cooking, such as soups which are – or can be – whole meals in themselves. Her new PBS series aired in January 2005, and this book accompanies the series. It is arranged from appetizers to desserts, following a basic discussion on the pantry and the equipment needed. As a home cook book, there are plenty of pasta and polenta recipes (although I would have preferred more of the latter). The layout and use of colour are very effective, as are the excellent photos of assembling and presentation. Service is for six or so (that’s the basic family number?). US volume measurements are used. Audience and level of use: TV cooks, Italian food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: whipped salt cod, egg-battered zucchini roll-ups, white bean and dried bread soup, pear and pecorino ravioli, polenta layer cake with butter gorgonzola filling. What I don’t like about this book: it is a heavy book, it will need some support in the kitchen. Also, there are no metric conversion charts. What I do like about this book: extensive and detailed index, with Italian names indexed too. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 18. THE FIRST-TIME COOK (Collins, 2004, 240 pages, ISBN 0-00-719186-3, $39.95 hard covers) is by Sophie Grigson, an award-winning UK food magazine writer and multiple-cookbook author. It begins at the beginning, by asking: why cook? The obvious answer is: health benefits! Here are the basics with plenty of detailed advice and step-by-step photos. Variations are given too, such as five preps for omelettes. She tells how to read a recipe, how to taste, gives cooking terms, weights and measures. There is an extensive section on soups (they’re easy to prepare), eggs, pasta and rice, burgers and chops, along with compound butters and marinades for flavour. For example, with soup recipes, she itemizes the base plus the main ingredients, the seasonings, the liquids, and the dressing up (or garnish) for each. She believes in easy starters with non-cooked foods, such as Italian antipasti or Provencal hors d’oeuvre or Spanish chacinas plates or Middle Eastern/Greek mezze. Stir-frying is the next step, for the adventuresome. Audience and level of use: beginner level. Some interesting or unusual recipes: grilled goat cheese salad, tuna and bean salad, lamb burger, ginger-glazed carrots, simple chocolate mousse. What I don’t like about this book: technique section is too short, photos are too small. What I do like about this book: nicely written without talking down. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 19. OZ CLARKE’S INTRODUCING WINE; a complete guide for the modern drinker (Harcourt, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 144 pages, ISBN 0-15- 603023-3, $22.95 paper covers) is by the well-known alternative to Hugh Johnson. He has his own parallel atlas, encyclopedia, annual wine guide, all produced with enough variations to set him apart from Johnson. This introductory text (first published in 2000) is the basic of the basics: wine flavours are described with essential vocabulary, the basics of opening and serving, buying wine, wine in restaurants, wine regions of the world, etc. Lots of illustrations, tips and advice. Audience and level of use: beginner. Some interesting or unusual facts: it is actually a pretty good gift book for that friend of yours who is beginning to like wine. What I don’t like about this book: too many pix of Oz. You’ll never see Hugh Johnson like this… What I do like about this book: a lot is really packed in Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 20. THE GOOD COOK; 70 essential techniques, 250 step-by-step photographs, 350 easy recipes (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda, 304 pages, ISBN 1-58479-328-7, $60 hard covers) is by Anne Willan, founder of La Varenne Cooking School in Paris. With an arrangement by technique and ingredient, this is a basic encyclopedia to French-derived classic dishes, a sort of consumer version of her “La Varenne Pratique” which is her book for the professionals. Ten chapters cover essential flavours and sauces, eggs, meats, vegetables, pasta and rice, and pastry. There are 350 recipes plus 250 colour photos which illustrate the techniques. Recipes follow the work procedures. Topics include chiffonade herbs, peel a tomato, open oysters, roll and tie a roast, make a white sauce, sharpen a knife, using a mandoline. There is a metric conversion chart for the US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: beginners who want to learn the French classics, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: warm herb potato salad, fragrant lentil puree, veal escalopes, coq au vin, risotto Milanese, Provencal vegetable tart. What I don’t like about this book: this is also a physically heavy book, difficult to carry about the kitchen. What I do like about this book: bibliography of other good basic cookbooks, actually listed as “main books consulted”. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR JANUARY, 2005 ================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE!!! 1. SURREAL GOURMET BITES; showstoppers and conversation starters (Whitecap Books, 2004, 132 pages, ISBN 1-55285-587-2, $19.95 paper covers) is by Bob Blumer, host of a Food Network show with the same title as the book. This is his fourth book. He believes in artistic and whimsical preps for party food, to show people that you care (e.g., Chinese snow cones; chicken salads with ginger vinaigrette in baked wonton cones). Each of the 46 recipes has ideas on how to simplify the dish (this is a plus), the skill level needed, the prep times, beverage pairings, and music to cook by. These dishes are best as one or two appetizers in a meal, or as several party foods; most can be made ahead. Meats and veggies and desserts are the main topics. There is a table of equivalents, but US measurements are used throughout (the book was published in the US). Audience and level of use: TV cooks, celebrity chef lovers, intermediate level. Some interesting or unusual recipes: bacon-wrapped parmesan-stuffed dates, cumin-crusted ahi tuna with avocado relish, cinnamon-habanero chicken drumettes, white pepper and ginger biscuits. What I don’t like about this book: he has eight menus, but no page references to the recipes, necessitating lookups in the index. What I do like about this book: nice close-up photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 2. THE DONUT BOOK (Storey Publishing, 2004; distr. by T.Allen, 184 pages, ISBN 1-58017-548-1, $21.95 paper covers) is by Sally Levitt Steinberg, granddaughter of the inventor of the doughnut-making machine. It was originally published in 1987 by Knopf, with only 18 recipes, some slight black and white illustrations, and no index (horrors!). Seventeen years later, she now has 28 recipes, lots of colour reproductions on glossy pages of historical adverts, photos, etc., an index (yea!), and some updating -- commenting on organic ingredients, chains’ competition wars (Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons), and websites. Etiquette matters include what and when to dunk, and not to dunk. The index has plenty of references to holes, but none to such things as Timbits. Recipes are mainly from chefs, such as Banana Donuts, New Orleans Calas, and orange sour cream doughnuts. Recipes and illustrations are sourced, but not her text. She has lists of the best small town doughnut shops (US only), except for some chains which are also in Canada plus two in France and one in Italy. Audience and level of use: history buffs, fast-food fanatics (those that can read). Some interesting or unusual facts: The most popular doughnut in the US is the glazed, followed by the chocolate. What I don’t like about this book: why not combine with the earlier book? This one is a little light on text. What I do like about this book: colourful, vivid writing style. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 3. APPRECIATING WINE; the flavour of wine explained (Collins, 2004, 192 pages, ISBN 0-00-710153-8, $36.95 paper covers) is by Phillip Hills, whose first book “Appreciating Whisky” was shortlisted for a major book award. His bio never mentions the word “wine”; this is a strange book to be authored by a malt expert. Nevertheless, it works. He begins by discussing what flavour is all about (taste, mouth sensations, smell) and what flavours are in wine (how to describe, aroma wheel, flavour profiles). He divides everything up by taste (sweet, sour, bitter), smells his way around the wheel (over 200 odours), talks about all the major grapes, notes the effects of terroir-vinification-elevage on taste (destemming, pressing, fermentation techniques, blending, aging techniques), and goes into “bad” tastes of corks, yeasts, bacteria, sulphur, and oxidation. There are sections on analytic and synthetic tasting. At the finish, he offers some flavour appreciation for a Brunello, an Hermitage, a Bordeaux, a Puligny-Montrachet, and a German Riesling. Audience and level of use: wine connoisseurs, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: “If we are to appreciate wine, we must know what tastes to look for in wine and how to look for them”. What I don’t like about this book: way overpriced. The original catalogue cited this price for the HARD bound copy, not the paper copy. The index is only by broad subject; it needs more detail. What I do like about this book: takes into account typicity. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 4. JOHN PLATTER SOUTH AFRICAN WINES 2005 (John Platter SA Wine Guide, 2004; distr. by Laurel Keenan keenan@propellerpr.com, 586 pages, ISBN 0-9584506-3-3, $20 hard covers) is subtitled “the guide to cellars, vineyards, winemakers, restaurants, and accommodations”. While John Platter initiated the annual 25 years ago, he no longer tastes for it. For this latest edition, there are now 13 tasters -- all identified, and with initials after tasting notes. Some 4000 wines are here evaluated, along with new wineries. One-quarter of all top ranking 5 star wines are now being made by mom-and-pop operations, a remarkable achievement. Even the large co-ops are making more credible, limited collections of superior wine. The contents of the guide are straightforward: there are chapters on the wine industry, vintages and styles, touring (accommodation and food) -- all in seventy pages -- followed by some 450 pages of dictionary-arranged wineries, detailing most aspects. To quote, "Wines are entered under the name of the private producer, estate, co-operative winery or brand name of a merchant, and listed alphabetically. Entries feature some or all of: producer's name, address, phone/fax number, email address, website; wine name, colour and style, grape varieties, vintage, area of origin; selected recent awards and star ratings. Where applicable, other attractions to be enjoyed on the property, such as meals and accommodation, are highlighted." The book also has an indication of what organic wines available for sale and sketch maps to show all winery locations. Audience and level of use: for the serious collector, students, libraries, lovers of South African wines who are curious, travelers. Some interesting or unusual facts: they have reinstated the short list of excellent wines (17 got five stars), and there is now a Wine of the Year: Jean Daneal Signature Chenin Blanc 2003. What I don't like about this book: there are a few ads to pay the bills, but this seems unavoidable. Also, the Wine of the Year had no tasting note in the upfront section (you’ll have to dig up the entry). What I do like about this book: the index is by subject, so you can see at a glance what is the top performing pinotage, or cabernet sauvignon, or sparkler. Quality/Price Ratio: 96 -- the book has no competition, and it is put together very nicely as a package. 5. FARMHOUSE ALES; culture and craftsmanship in the Belgian tradition (Brewers Publications, 2004; distr. by National Book Network, 198 pages, ISBN 0-937381-84-5, $17.95US paper covers) is by Phil Markowski, an expert in Belgian beer styles and brewmaster at a pub, producing farmhouse style beers. He was assisted by Tomme Arthur and Yvan De Baets. This is the first really new beer book in quite some time. Here Markowski explores the ingredients and processes of Belgian (Walloon) and French beers. There are two basic types: the Wallonian saison (brewed locally for the region only during part of the year, meant for aging), and the French biere de garde (old beer, aged beer, more widely distributed). This is a technical book, with recipes for the home brewer and the microbrew. Contextual notes give a history with archival photos, a tour of some breweries in France, Belgium and the American knockoffs, plus tasting notes. He recommends yeasts for ales and lager garde. His recipes cover biere de garde, biere de Mars, biere de Noel, grisette, saison (spiced and unspiced), and super saison. There is a list of sources for ingredients in the US (spelt, hops, sugar, spices, yeast) plus a bibliography. Audience and level of use: Some interesting or unusual facts: “In the rush to embrace new high- tech lager beers, products of a budding industrial age, many varieties of farmhouse ale went by the wayside.” What I don’t like about this book: I think it needs the additional words “and French” in the subtitle – these are not Belgian fruit beers. What I do like about this book: a scholarly approach, along with colour photos of beer bottling lines of artisan producers in Belgium. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 6. ON FOOD AND COOKING; the science and lore of the kitchen, completely revised and updated (Scribner, 2004; distr. by Simon and Schuster, 884 pages, ISBN 0-684-80001-2, $49.95 hard covers) is by Harold McGee. It was published in 1984, and this is its first major overhaul in twenty years. McGee claims 90% new material was created, mostly about the past twenty years worth of culinary mechanics and trends, here in double text columns. He continues the mix of chemistry, history, folklore, literary anecdotes, kitchen tips and recipes, meanwhile explaining the science behind the cooking techniques. He notes the changes in modern day food production and diet (substitute sweeteners, mad cow disease, e coli, etc.). The first edition, which I own, had 200 fewer pages in single columns. In this latest edition, fish and seafood are now given their own section. Fruits and vegetables have been given separate chapters. But the section on “Food and the Body” (discussing nutrition and digestion) has been cut. And there are no index entries for nutrition or digestion, and there is no discussion on taste buds. The emphasis now is solely on food and cooking, not our body’s reactions to food and cooking. Audience and level of use: serious cooks, academics, libraries, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: sample topics discussed include why flipping meat on the grill every minute creates moistness, why toxins in plants are what makes them taste so good. What I don’t like about this book: there is more on food and the kitchen and so little on human use of food (nutrition and digestion). Please bring it back. What I do like about this book: updated bibliography. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 7. THE CALIFORNIA DIRECTORY OF FINE WINERIES; second edition (Wine House Press, 2004; distr. by Ten Speed Press, 144 pages, ISBN 0- 9724993-1-8, $28.95 hard covers) is a book package, with Marty Olmstead a travel writer, and Robert Holmes a photographer (there are 180 photos here), plus a slew of designers and copyeditors. It was first published in 2003. Sixty-one destination wineries are covered: 34 in Napa, 21 in Sonoma and 6 in Mendocino. Each is profiled and is physically described (layout of winery operations, buildings, gardens), along with reproductions of labels. Various sidebars list directions, vineyard tours, wine tastings, culinary events, and nearby attractions. Maps show these wineries plus about 100 others within the counties. For example, in Napa, there are Beaulieu, Beringer, Duckhorn, and Silver Oak. Cakebread withdrew from this second edition; in fact, there are 19 wineries new to the directory, so 19 have dropped out. In Sonoma, there are Arrowood, Benziger, and Chateau St.Jean. In Mendocino, there are Fetzer and Roederer Estate. Audience and level of use: California wine collectors, wealthy travelers, wine students. What I don’t like about this book: did these wineries pay for inclusion, or otherwise make a deal to purchase a minimum number of copies? No criteria are presented on why these wineries (and not others) were selected…There are also no tasting notes, nor any recipes. What I do like about this book: top-rate wineries are described, and the book is very useful for trips and tastings. Quality/Price Ratio: 83 8. RICK & LANIE’S EXCELLENT KITCHEN ADVENTURES; chef-dad teenage daughter recipes and stories (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda, 232 pages, ISBN 1-58479-331-7, $45 hard covers) is by Rick Bayless, well-known chef of Mexican foods and cookbook author, Lanie Bayless (his daughter), with Deann Groen Bayless (his wife). This is a far different cookbook than other Bayless efforts. It is essentially a “family” cookbook, with recipes for a cook and a teenager. The preps (all classics and easy) are derived from the family’s travels through Asia, Europe, Mexico and Oklahoma (Rick’s parents owned the Hickory House restaurant in this state, and some of these recipes come from there). The 100 recipes, with tips and advice, form a “generational dialogue” with two people cooking alongside each other, with different viewpoints. But not all preps are done by two people. Some can be done by one alone, usually the teenager. The family that cooks together, eats together, or something like that: simple recipes for simple food work best. It is important for everyone to know how to cook. They use US volume measurements, but there is a metric conversion chart. The Internet mail order sources are basically for US shopping. Audience and level of use: families, teenagers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: black bean tostadas with smoky salsa, Peruvian potatoes, tomatillo chicken, radish leaf soup, chicken in mustard sauce. What I don’t like about this book: a bit too cute, with a lot of “cool” sidebars about “cool” things. And suggested music (but at least Rick’s tastes in country music are about the same as mine). What I do like about this book: each recipe has a blocked off templated “Do This First” set of instructions. Quality/Price Ratio: if you need this book, give it an 89, 9. KITCHEN CULTURE; reinventing kitchen design (Firefly Books, 2004, 192 pages, ISBN 1-55297-968-7, $49.95 hard covers) is by Johnny Grey, a kitchen designer of over 20 years, contributor to “House and Garden” and the New York Times, and author of other similar kitchen books. He is also the nephew of Elizabeth David. For him, the kitchen is not just for cooking – it is for bringing a whole mental landscape from other places and other times. This reference work tries to make the kitchen a hub of activity, embracing our changing attitudes towards family life and entertaining. The caveat here, unfortunately, is that you’ll need lots of space. Grey’s work here is probably best suited to a brand new home. Still, the book has lots of ideas and practical tips. “The room that used to be simply for cooking is now a place where anything goes”. Grey covers this psychology of kitchen culture, how to accommodate kitchen traffic flow, how to maximize storage space, use of modern and traditional materials, body ergonomics and working triangles, small appliances, effective use of colour and textures, and floors and work surfaces. The terrific photos and plans show plenty of contours and circular patterns, with few angles. Audience and level of use: homemakers, those seeking a kitchen redesign (bring money), libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: Kitchens are getting larger because they are becoming more central to our lives – they now contain radio, television, computer, and eat-in areas. Space must be found to accommodate these items. What I don’t like about this book: His book was originally published in the UK in 2004, and is now available through Firefly in North America. So why are there only US suppliers and websites (except for ONE appliance dealer in Mississauga and ONE furniture source in Quebec)? What I do like about this book: a good bibliography, all recent books. Quality/Price Ratio: 86, 10. RECIPES FROM WINE COUNTRY (Whitecap Books, 2004, 320 pages, ISBN 1- 55285-605-4, $39.95 paper covers) is by Tony de Luca, Executive Chef of Hillebrand Estates Winery Restaurant in the Niagara Peninsula. His book is arranged by wine varietal and includes menus for each season. Thus, the chapters are headed sparklers, sauvignon blanc, riesling, chardonnay, gamay noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, plus fifteen desserts also arranged by season (most use icewine) – 150 recipes in all. Each chapter begins with a description of the wine followed by seasonal dishes. While there is good information on the wines and the best possible palate pairings in this book, I find that using only one wine at a meal can be boring. But that’s just me. I normally like at least one white and one red. The menus here are constructed with just one varietal in mind. So you’ll need to do some mixing and matching on your own. Actually, many of the dishes in each season are stand alones, not part of a menu as promoted by the publisher. You should feel free to mix and match, and drink any wines you prefer. And of course, wine is NOT needed in the actual cooking of every dish. De Luca has both metric and Imperial measurements in two columns in each recipe. Audience and level of use: wine lovers, restaurant and chefs, schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: aged cheddar and rosemary soufflé, chicken with four peppercorn crust, sea scallops with foie gras and red wine risotto, white chocolate gewürztraminer mousse and lemon parfait. What I don’t like about this book: alternate suggestions for wines and foods, plus cross-menu matches needed to be made by de Luca. What I do like about this book: wine-centric approach. The index has bold face for names of ingredients, making them stand out on the page. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 11. A COOK’S DICTIONARY; international food and cooking terms from A to Z (Bloomsbury, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 632 pages, ISBN 0-7475-7226- 7, $60 hard covers) has been put together by Charles Sinclair, with contributions from seven named individuals. It was first published in 1998. He covers – in alphabetical order -- classical dishes, historical dishes, cooking processes, equipment, and terms from more than 90 countries and regions. The 25,000 entries also include food sciences, nutrition, catering, botany, and technical aspects of food. This is all for quick reference and browsing, with brisk definitions. The entries are in bold-face, within double columns on each page, and with foreign words sourced (e.g., “fatira – East Africa – Ethiopian savoury pastries”). Readers, then, can use this dictionary to translate foreign menu terms. Audience and level of use: reference use, students, food lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: The language of English cuisine is unusual in that it uses many words of foreign origin, often in their original spelling. What I don’t like about this book: spirits are defined (e.g., Calvados) when used in cooking, but there is hardly anything from the wine world here: no grape varietal names, no processes. What I do like about this book: when there is a picture of a toque in the margin, this indicates that the description of a food contains a rough outline recipe (aide memoire) that could be reproduced in a kitchen by a knowledgeable cook. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 12. BIODYNAMIC WINES (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 513 pages, ISBN 1-84000-964-0, $50 hard covers) is by Monty Waldin, a prolific wine writer and author of the previously published “Organic Wine Guide” (1999). He was piqued about biodynamic wines when he worked at Fetzer winery in California for six months. That winery had made a commitment to be totally biodynamic by 2010. Biodynamic wines must be organic to begin with, and in Europe, France (principally Languedoc- Provence-Corsica) leads the organic way, followed by Germany, Austria and Portugal. California, New Zealand, and Canada have organic vineyards, as does Chile and Argentina and Australia. Biodynamic principles include a special compost with its herbal tea, and various natural sprays on the earth (not the leaves). There appears to be increasing evidence of the benefits of biodynamics, but it all lacks global standards, transparent labeling, and market presence. Demeter is the official group which accredits biodynamic wineries (and, yes, you can have both “biodynamic grapes” and “biodynamic wines”). Quintessa Winery in California is going biodynamic, as is Joseph Phelps, Casa Lapostolle (Chile), and Villa Maria (NZ). Also in Chile: DeMartino, Los Vascos and Errazuriz. Part One of this book gives all the background details, with profiles of the major players involved and the rules – all in the first hundred pages. Part Two is the directory, arranged by country and region (France gets a hefty 220 pages, US gets 60, and Canada gets 3). For each producer, there are names and addresses, some notes and a rating for quality. Not all these wineries have been certified (but probably will be), and some producers have asked NOT to be included. Audience and level of use: serious wine readers, wine schools, libraries, sommeliers. Some interesting or unusual facts: Data on Europe’s organic farming sector are vague. Spain and Italy do not strictly differentiate between conversion vines or polycultural lands. What I don’t like about this book: alas, no tasting notes. What I do like about this book: that the book exists. Also, there is an impressive bibliography. Quality/Price Ratio: 94. 13. INSPIRING THIRST; vintage selections from the Kermit Lynch wine brochure (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 400 pages, ISBN 1-58008-636-5, $57.95 hard covers) is a collection of notes from his monthly newsletter, 1974 through 2003 (now a national circulation of 25,000). Lynch’s wine store is in Berkeley, California, but he now spends most of each year in Provence. He has long been associated with Alice Waters, the late Richard Olney, Patricia Wells, and Lulu Peyraud. This is iconoclastic writing at its best; Lynch uses his persuasive style to “inspire” us to purchase his wines (after all, the newsletter is a marketing tool) by relating stories about winemakers and their wines, with tasting notes and prices. There are 10 or so pages for each year (fewer for the early newsletter, more for the later ones), with the occasional recipes (e.g., squirrel muddle) and menus (e.g., a Provencal dinner). Most wines come from France (Alsace, Loire, Bordeaux, Burgundy, south of France) and Italy (Tuscany, Piedmont). There are label reproductions, historical illustrations, black and white photos of people and places. Audience and level of use: wine collectors and travelers. Some interesting or unusual facts: the newsletter began as an attempt to flog under noticed wines on which Lynch got a good deal, due to the depressed prices of 1972 – 1976. What I don’t like about this book: not enough of it – what was left out? What I do like about this book: good index to wines and people. Quality/Price Ratio: a bit pricey, but a useful addition to wine literature, gives it a 91. 14. RAISING THE BAR; better drinks better entertaining (Artisan, 2004; distr. T.Allen, 288 pages, ISBN 1-57965-260-3, $40 hard covers) is by Nick Mautone, a former restaurant manager but now consultant and writer. It was co-written by Marah Stets. It is pretty basic, with the usual techniques, bar lists, and so forth. There is material on serving cocktails to a crowd, plus pairing specific cocktails to specific foods (along with a chapter on snacks and apps, 24 recipes in all). Tips include party planning and cutting garnishes. Summer patio drinks and holiday cheers are also covered. There are copious instructions in each cocktail recipe, as well as plenty of shortcuts. There is an index by name of drink and ingredients, to all the 250 recipes. Mail order sources are all US. Audience and level of use: home use. Some interesting or unusual recipes: stuffed fingerlings, yogurt- crusted lamb chops, bourbon-bacon bean dip, buttermilk biscuit crostini with smoked ham. What I don’t like about this book: there is a bibliography, but all of the books are historical or single cocktail books such as about the Martini. No competitors are listed. What I do like about this book: he gives the principles and advice on how to create your very own signature cocktail. Quality/Price Ratio: 83. 15. SCOTCH WHISKY New and Revised Edition (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. McArthur, 224 pages, ISBN 1-84000-990-X, $21.95 hard covers) is by Charles MacLean, a major author of eight other whisky books, editor, taster, judge, and consultant. It was first published in 1993; this is the fourth edition. It is now a standard guide to malts, grains, and blends. He covers the brands currently available, about 2000 labels. Preliminary material covers how whisky is made, the principles of whisky tasting, and appreciation. The main section is a dictionary arrangement of every available single malt and single grain whisky, plus the leading brands of blended, vatted, and liqueur whiskies. Each entry has name, type, distiller, owner, a history, notes, markets, and tasting notes (but only for the singles). He also gives an account of the changes since 1993, noting that consumption of single malts has doubled, that there are now five times the number of different bottlings, that names-ownerships-markets-blends have changed, and that there are lots more appreciation clubs and malt societies today. The appendices list distilleries which welcome visitors, the leading whisky societies, independent bottlers, the best selling brands and leading markets (with sales figures). Audience and level of use: bar staff, sommeliers, schools of hospitality students. Some interesting or unusual facts: When this book was first launched in 1993, he was approached and told “I have just been appointed Director General of the Scotch Whisky Association. I rely on your book utterly as I meet companies and visit distilleries, so I hope it will not cause me to shoot myself in the foot.” What I don’t like about this book: there are no TNs for the blends (there’s really not much to say, but there could have been an attempt to better distinguish one from the other). What I do like about this book: guide to collecting whisky bottles, and a bibliography. Quality/Price Ratio: 92. 16. PEAT SMOKE AND SPIRIT; a portrait of Islay and its whiskies (Headline Book, 2004; distr. McArthur, 406 pages, ISBN 0-7472-2735-7, $40 hard covers) is by Andrew Jefford, a multi-award winning UK author of wine books (his last book was “The New France”). And he should win awards for this book too. Jefford provides a stunning history with detailed analysis of the seven distilleries on Islay. By 1833, there were 12 licensed distilleries plus a handful of illegal farm distilleries; DCL closed Port Ellen in 1983 but there is still plenty of that particular single malt still available (and Jefford provides tasting notes for Port Ellen). He begins with a general history of the island (shipwrecks, landscapes, weather, wildlife) and intersperses anecdotes and stories from interviews with 43 people. He presents an interesting discussion on wood second-hand cask management (ex-bourbon and ex-sherry): wood can account for between 40 – 70% of the finished malt’s character. He then goes through the seven (with notes on Port Ellen at the end): Ardberg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig. Laphroaig and Bowmore still do their own malting. He has full fact files and anecdotes for each distillery, plus comprehensive tasting notes. There are black and white historical photos on the same page as the text, a bibliography to local and historical sources, and an extensive index to all names, subjects, glossary entries and illustrations. Audience and level of use: peated and smoked single malt lovers, plus students and sommeliers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Each of Islay’s distilleries produces a spirit quite different in character from its neighbours, and some now produce two or three different styles. Where do their different characters come from? I don’t know. No one does. It’s a mystery.” What I don’t like about this book: actually, it is too short. More could have been said, but I realize publishers’ constraints. What I do like about this book: good writing style plus a glossary of local Scottish words and technical terms. Quality/Price Ratio: 96. 17. ROB FEENIE COOKS AT LUMIERE (Douglas & McIntyre, 2004, 182 pages, ISBN 1-55365-059-X, $35 paper covers) is the paperback reprint of the original 2001 hard cover edition. Feenie is the owner-chef of Lumiere (one of the top Vancouver restos) as well as a Food Network Canada chef. Lumiere is right up there with Charlie Trotter’s and French Laundry as a destination restaurant. The food here is light in texture and size (these are all part of a larger tasting menu), with Asian minimalism and French elegance. Feenie has wine recommendations for each dish. No metric measurements. Audience and level of use: chef and restaurant followers, TV cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: spring vegetable ragout, goat cheese ravioli, herb-crusted beef tenderloin, napa cabbage rolls. What I don’t like about this book: same tiny print in index as the Cannery book. No metric equivalent table. What I do like about this book: organized by season, with menus for vegetarians and seafood. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 18. STONEWALL KITCHEN HARVEST; celebrating the bounty of the seasons (Clarkson Potter, 2004; distr. Random House Canada, 288 pages, ISBN 1- 4000-5077-4, $42 hard covers) is by the team of Jim Stott, Jonathan King and Kathy Gunst. Stott and King are the owners of Stonewall Kitchen, a Maine-based fancy food marketer. Gunst is a free-lance food writer and editor living in Maine. These are basic and simple recipes, with sections in the book covering the garden, fruit, root vegetables, and seafood. It is almost a Maine cookbook. Scattered throughout are sidebars discussing ingredients, such as “Maine shrimp”. US volume measurements are used, and there is no metric equivalent table. The resources list covers website. The book concludes with a bibliography of similar cookbooks. Audience and level of use: travelers, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes: sautéed ramps (wild leeks), New England winter salad (watercress, scallops, oranges, almonds), morel and pea sauté, beet napoleons. What I don’t like about this book: all the resources are American. Also, there are a few typos (e.g., “belpw” for “below”). What I do like about this book: the recipes have internal cross- references to other recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. 19. POURCEL BROTHERS COOKBOOK; our recipes from La Compagnie des Comptoirs (Hachette Illustrated, 2004; distr. by McArthur, ISBN 1- 84430-099-4, $39.95 hard covers) has been ably packaged with assistance from Bernhard Winkelmann (photographer), Valerie Lhomme (food stylist and writer), and Sophie Brissaud (food writer and stylist). It was originally published in French in 2003. The Pourcels are identical twins, three star Michelin chefs who always cook together. Their first restaurants were in France (1988), followed by Japan, Bangkok, and London with complementary food shops, a cooking school, and a food magazine. Their main inspirations are regular Mediterranean food and Mediterranean-Asian fusion food. The 72 recipes are divided into sections, beginning with vegetarian foods (subdivided into Languedoc, other regions, fusion), followed by French food and Mediterranean food, and then Asiatic food. For each of the geographic sections, there are first courses, fish courses, meat, and desserts. Each recipe seems to have an infinite amount of detail. Most are accompanied by a gorgeous final prep full colour picture verging on gastroporn. Audience and level of use: chef followers, restaurateurs, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: tomato tartare with toasted almond milk, roast knuckles of lamb with salsify puree, lobster spring rolls with avocado, pork belly with polenta-onions-figs. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine recommendations. Also, there is too much detail and space on their activities. The index is only by title of the recipe, thus all grilled items are under “g” for grilled, marinated salmon is under “m”, etc. What I do like about this book: each recipe includes both metric AND Imperial measurements (yea!). Quality/Price Ratio: 86. 20. WORKIN’; more Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 224 pages, ISBN 1-58008-613-6, $55 hard covers) has been assembled by the restaurant team at Charlie Trotter’s. It has been tied into the second season of his PBS cooking show, which features 13 ingredients over 26 weeks. In this book, there are about six recipes for each item: artichokes, corn, fennel, greens, legumes, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, root vegetables, squash, tomatoes, cheese and desserts. Plus vinaigrettes and sauces. Meats are covered with the vegetables. The 78 recipes are all accompanied by sharp wine notes written by Jason Smith, sommelier at the resto. There are absolutely superb food styling photos and a glossary of techniques and ingredients. The measurements are by US volume, and sadly there is no metric equivalent table. Audience and level of use: celebrity chef followers, TV chefs, restaurateurs. Some interesting or unusual recipes: four-bean venison chili with cheddar, lamb loin with olive-oil poached artichokes, grilled tuna with sweet corn relish, rabbit with wilted arugula salad. What I don’t like about this book: the introductory text to each recipe is in too light a typeface. What I do like about this book: excellent index by recipe name and ingredient, but the ink chosen for the major entries is too light. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 21. THE CANNERY SEAFOOD HOUSE COOKBOOK (Douglas & McIntyre, 2004, 174 pages, ISBN 1-55365-070-0, $50 hard covers) is by Frederic Couton, chef at the restaurant since 1996 (it was founded in 1971). 100 recipes cover both traditional and new dishes, re-tested for the home cook. Despite the name of the restaurant (and in common with many seafood palaces), there are also meat and poultry preps, and these are also found here. Arrangement is by course: cold appetizers, hot apps, soups, entrees, desserts. Both Imperial and metric measurements are used side by side in the recipes, a definite plus. Audience and level of use: restaurant and chef fans, intermediate level of use. Some interesting or unusual recipes: sautéed Mediterranean vegetables in a crispy parmesan cup, salmon carpaccio, pan roasted mussels, cedar planked arctic char. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine recommendations (every restaurant book should have some), and the index has a tiny typeface. What I do like about this book: there are eight special occasion menus, but no page references to the recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 22/3. CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINE (iUniverse, 2004, 98 pages, ISBN 0- 595-32702-8, $11.95US paper covers) and EROTIC FOODS (iUniverse, 2004, 74 pages, ISBN 0-595-32698-6, $10.95US paper covers) are both “grape goddess guides to good living”, being advice, tips, and anecdotes from Catherine Fallis, a Master Sommelier since 1997. She has worked for all sides of the hospitality industry. The Champagne book is basic: terroirs, grape varieties, history, production methods for both MC and other sparkling wines. Stems (and shoes) are talked about, as well as bottle sizes. There are notes on how to taste and evaluate, with data on food pairing. Recommendations are given, mainly for US nationally distributed labels at full retail. She has quotes from other writers and famous people, as well as stories on how Champagne affected and interrelated with her life. There is even a quiz, and a second quiz which follows chapters on seductive entertaining and parties. A short bibliography concludes the work. Because this book grew out of two sets of weekly email notes, there is an episodic feel about it. This feel continues with the Erotic Foods book, where she emphasizes anticipation and aphrodisiacs. Fallis has separate chapters for chocolate, almonds- figs-mango-dates-coconut, grapes-apple-kiwi, artichokes-eggplant- mushroom-garlic, truffles (the mushroom kind), hot spices, coffee and tea, oysters, caviar, cheese and honey. She tells you what to do with each to maximize your pleasure, and to set the mood. Typical potables include Champagne, sweet wines, and fortifieds. Again, she has scattered many quotations about the book. Fallis lists menus (all priced as to cost) with wines, followed by a quiz. There are a number of recipes with wine recommendations. Unfortunately for us, all the mail order sources are US. She concludes with details of various creams and scents, as well as a music list and a bibliography. Also, unfortunately, there are no indexes to the books; this means that a reader must recall or skim the contents pages. For more details about these and other similar books (there is one on Wine), Fallis can be contacted through www.planetgrape.com. Audience and level of use: beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes: mango bread, zabaglione, truffled risotto, shrimp and pernod. What I don’t like about these books: whenever there is a “technical” term to be discussed in the Champagne book, she issues a “wine geek alert”. Also, somewhere between a fourth and a fifth of each book is devoted to her (repetitious) biography and how she personally feels about champagne and/or erotic food. Both could have been condensed a bit, giving more space for expansion of material. As it is, there is already a lot of white space. What I do like about this book: her saucy attitude. Quality/Price Ratio: both books are available to us through Amazon.Ca: the Champagne at $14.61 plus GST, and the Erotic at $13.39 plus GST. The pricing and the brevity of the books put the rating at 76. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR DECEMBER 2004 ================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE!!! 1. THE WINES OF BORDEAUX AND VINTAGES AND TASTING NOTES 1952-2003 (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 720 pages, ISBN 0- 297-84317-6, $100) is by Clive Coates, MW, one of the world’s greatest authorities on Bordeaux wines. This is his long awaited updated revision of “Grands Vins: the finest chateaux of Bordeaux and their wines”, originally published in 1993 (and to “Claret”, an earlier work from 1982). But it is more than that: it also extends the range of material to all of Bordeaux, right down to the lesser estates. Coates has 40 years experience as a Bordeaux wine taster. The work is in two parts. The first deals with the appellations and the estates. The 360 pages here concentrate on the performance of the wineries since 1990. Profile details are for current ownership, with the latest statistics and facts for surface area under vines, owners, second wines, etc. There is often an historical illustration, taken from Cocks & Feret, and a paragraph or two about the winery. The arrangement is by appellation, and not alphabetical. Coates also rates the wineries (three star, two star, one star, none) and lists them all together by number of stars in one of the appendices. He thereby covers all the big guns and the upandcomers. Scattered throughout are some line maps to help the reader get his bearing. Part two is the vintage assessments, in 260 pages, covering 2003 (briefly) back through 1952. Every year has some detail about the weather, the harvest, the red wines, the white wines, the prices, the values, and of course the tasting notes (TNs). His TNs discuss the characteristics, state of maturity, and optimum drinking time of each wine, plus a rating out of 20 points. The appendices contain a Crus Bourgeois classification for 2003, a vintage and price guide for the best years of the major chateaux from 2001 through 1959 with ratings for value, and statistics of viticulture and viniculture. This is followed by a glossary, a long bibliography, and an index to the chateaux. Audience and level of use: reference book, Bordeaux collectors, wine students, sommeliers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The most significant change vis a vis earlier classifications of the Crus Bourgeois is that there is no longer any distinction between properties on the Medoc and the Haut- Medoc.” What I don’t like about this book: small typeface, thin margins, all unavoidable to keep the book within page and price constraints. What I do like about this book: it was great to see the Cocks & Feret illustrations. Coates has a pretty good introductory section summarizing everything in 60 pages. Quality/Price Ratio: 94 (pricey, but an important book: you’ll need this one) 2. TART TATINS (Hachette Illustrated, 2004, distr. McArthur, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84430-097-8, $14.95) is by Catherine Quevremont, a food journalist. It was previously published in French in 2003; this is the English translation. The original “tart tatin” was an upside down apple pie, an inverted tart with the pastry on top and the caramelized apples on the bottom. Without caramelization, the upside down principle continues since the filling is cooked (actually, steamed) beneath a layer of pastry which prevents the filling from drying out in the oven. This can give some interesting combinations of flavours, and it is a great technique to employ on your menu for added meal excitement. Quevremont presents four kinds of pastry coverings (short crust, sweet, corn (wheatless), and parmesan or cheese-enhanced). She gives 13 sweet tatins, and 16 savoury, with one page for each recipe and a page for the final prep photo. Both metric and Imperial measurements are used. There is no index, but the table of contents is appropriate for only 39 recipes. Audience and level of use: the explorer cook, hospitality trade looking for something different. Some interesting or unusual recipes: rhubarb tatin, tomato and sardine tatin, onion and sultana tatin, fig and pancetta. What I don’t like about this book: I would have liked more recipes, but these are in line with the price. What I do like about this book: almost all of the sweet and savoury contents under the pastry can also be used as a pizza, and by extension, almost all pizzas can be tatins. Just make adjustments for roasting vs. steaming. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 3. JUST ONE POT (Cassell Illustrated, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84403-284-1, $44.95) is by Lindsey Bareham, a UK restaurant critic and food writer. This is just one of the many “one pot” or kitchen dinner or one dish or braising or one platter cookbooks which have been unleashed this year (see below for some of them). Here are 100 recipes, in the usual collection of classic, contemporary, and ethnic assortment, with vegetarian and meat choices, emphasizing seasonal and staple foods. All the recipes have minimal preparations but you’ll need stocks for a base and flavourings. All the recipes have prep times and cooking times. Both UK and metric measurements are listed. Audience and level of use: home cooks, basic skills, ideas for restaurant lunches. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Irish stew, beef stroganoff, pad thai, cassoulet, asparagus risotto, Italian venison burgers. What I don’t like about this book: it stretches “pot” to include stove- top preps such as risotto and pasta. Also, the archaic terms “wineglass” and “small glass” turn up in the measurements. What I do like about this book: good layout. Quality/Price Ratio: 78 (pricey) 4. THE WINEMAKERS’ ESSENTIAL PHRASEBOOK (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 344 pages, ISBN 1-84000-782-6, $55 stiff flexi-paper covers) is by James March leading a editorial team that includes James Halliday, Bruno Prats, and Ernst Loosen. It is an essential purchase for anyone in the wine business. The phrasebook (actually it is questions and statements) are in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, arranged in four categories. It is very good for vocabulary building. It follows the production of wine from the vineyard, through the winemaking process, to the final sensory evaluation. These phrases form intelligent questions to ask at the winery of the working professionals. The first section covers “introductory” phrases about yourself, some leading questions, general expressions, about the property and the winery, about the vineyard, and about the wines (e.g., how many different styles of wine are made here? What yields do you aim for from this variety?). Viticulture is up next, with phrases dealing with terroir, varietals, plantings, trellis design, pruning, canopy management, diseases, harvest, and organic/biodynamic principles. The third section is on vinification (reception, sorting, crushing, pressing, refrigeration, chaptalisation, enzymes, racking, blending, oak treatment: 113 categories in all, right through to packaging). The last is sensory evaluation: appearance, nose, palate, faults, descriptors. Audience and level of use: any wine lover who travels, techies, winery employees, wine writers, reference libraries. Some interesting or unusual phrases: “I need a white background and a good light source to assess the wines visually”, “Your perfume/aftershave lotion is distracting from the tasting session”, “It is not really appropriate to compare such different styles”, “I find it difficult to assess a wine using a tastevin”, “The glasses need to be cleaned and dried” What I don’t like about this book: sadly, there is no room for phonetics. Also, the text is on gray tinted paper, probably to discourage scanning/photocopying. What I do like about this book: This is an extremely useful review about what goes on in the world of winemaking. Quality/Price Ratio: 98. 5. FRESH & WILD COOKBOOK; a real food adventure (Thorsons, 2004; distr. by HarperCollins, 359 pages, ISBN 0-00-717694-5, $23.95 paper covers) is by Ysanne Spevack, a UK author of six previous books dealing with organic food and leader of organicfood.co.uk. “Fresh & Wild” was one of the largest organic food chain stores in the UK until it was bought by Whole Foods of the US. All recipes are for organic foods, but of course you can substitute conventional foods and you can substitute for many ingredients too. Spevack points out that some foods are only available as organic foods (burdock root, red kale) and other foods are preferred in their organic state (e.g., zests from organic lemons will not have pesticides or waxes). The book is arranged by meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner, plus sweets, soups and salads, juices, and kid stuff. Metric measurements are used in the recipes, and Imperial/metric/UK measurements for oven temperatures. Spevack presents an impressive and extensive listing of UK websites and an international bibliography for food and sustainability, plus other cookbooks. Audience and level of use: those seeking an organic cookbook. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Nori sushi wraps, tarka dhal, poached quinces, apple porridge, duck and chanterelle pie, beef and apricot stew. What I don’t like about this book: this book is meant for the UK market, so it might prove of limited value in Canada. What I do like about this book: organic food is stressed. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 6. FRIED CHICKEN; an American story (G.P.Putnam’s, 2004, 182 pages, ISBN 0-399-15183-4, $28) and 7. APPLE PIE; an American story (G.P.Putnam’s, 2004, 162 pages, ISBN 0- 399-15215-6, $28) are by John T. Edge is director of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi. He also a well- known, prize-winning food writer, specializing in US southern food. These two books are the first in an announced series of “best loved American food”; the other two will deal with hamburgers and French fries, and with donuts (or, as we say in Canada, doughnuts). The Fried Chicken book (and bear in mind that it IS “fried”) comes right out of the US South, while the Apple book has more diverse American roots. Each book has a history of the main ingredient and some regional variations, backed up by 15 recipes scattered throughout. Over 100 years ago, fried chicken was made available to railroad passengers in US little towns, being cooked from family recipes handed down from the American plantation kitchen period. Fried chicken appeared in picnic baskets; kids took it to school in lunch boxes. The regional approach leads to chapters on Kentucky Fried Chicken, Buffalo wings, and Nashville Hot Chicken. The apple pie book details how this dish came to represent Mom and Country. Again, he gives a history and some cultural lore, from its English origins to truck stops. Both books cover colourful characters, with the blurb proclaiming “uniquely American”. There is appendix with a list of his favourite US diners and bakeries serving fried chicken and apple pie (most are in the South). Audience and level of use: the curious American. Some interesting or unusual recipes: cheese-straw apple pie, green with chili envy apple pie, Tennessee fire fried chicken (hot sauce), honey and rosemary-gilded fried chicken. What I don’t like about this book: no index to neither the text nor the recipes. Also, a bit pricey What I do like about this book: good writing style. Quality/Price Ratio: 78. 8. THE ART OF THE COCKTAIL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. by T.Allen, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84172-703-2, $36.95) is by Ben Reed, a UK bartender (now a consultant) who has won prizes and has authored four other books for the same publisher. It is a pretty straightforward effort. There is a section “Behind the Bar” which covers the basics (vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, tequila, brandy, garnishes) and staples to buy, plus some of the flavours available to cocktails. “Equipment and Techniques” deals with shaking, stirring, mudding, glasses, tools. “Perfect Serve” deals with creativeness. 200 recipes cover aperitifs through digestifs, including highballs, coolers, punches, shooters, and drinks for most tastes and occasions. The photos, of course, verge on gastroporn (or is it boozeporn?). Reed makes it all sound so easy, which is great for inspiring confidence. There are also imperial/metric conversion charts and a glossary. Audience and level of use: home use, gift book. Some interesting or unusual facts: “It was really the roaring twenties that saw cocktails come into their own”. Prohibition produced moonshine which flavours needed masking. The women-friendly environment came out of the need for a speakeasy cover: a dining experience, with a sweet drink. Hence, cocktails never made it to the labouring classes. What I don’t like about this book: while there is a history and some historical photos, this section is too short and should have been expanded. What I do like about this book: mocktails are also covered. With 200 recipes, there should be enough here to satisfy most people. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 9. 100 GREAT CURRIES (Cassell Illustrated, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84403-275-2, $26.95 paper covers) is by Keith Floyd, a UK restaurateur and entrepreneur. He ranges from creamy kormas, to masalas, from Thai red and green curries to equally spicy curries from China, Malaysia, Egypt, Burma, and Indonesia. He discusses spices and equipment, and he also gives recipes for breads, rice, chutneys, and pickles. The main section of the book is arranged by meat and vegetable. Both Imperial and metric measurements are given, and there is full plated photography. Audience and level of use: basic curries good for every one. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pistachio chicken curry, tandoori lamb, fish curry with mustard, vegetable brochettes, watermelon curry, What I don’t like about this book: nothing, really. Pretty standard. What I do like about this book: there is an extensive index. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 10. WILD AT THE TABLE; 275 years of American game & fish cookery (Willow Creek Pr., 2004; distr. by T.Allen, 312 pages, ISBN 1-57223- 680-9, $34.95) is by S.G.B. Tennant, Jr., food editor at several outdoor and sportsmen magazines. The author begins with the history and development of US wild game and fish, dealing with context and what people ate. He has sidebars, such as Jefferson’s notes on a Brunswick stew. He cites influences from First Nation, Afro-American, Creole- Cajun, Mexican and New England forms of cooking. Some recipes are presented from writers who were outdoors people, such as Mark Twain’s crayfish gratin or Ernest Hemingway’s smothered conch. At the end of the book, Tennant has sections on soups, stews, chowders, terrines, sauces and breads. Plus three recipes for dog biscuits, to feed your companion hound. To note: there are significant troubleshooting pages here for “concerns” of the outdoors, such as bacteria, anthrax, botulism, salmonella, Lyme’s disease, mercury contamination, PCBs, red tide, West Nile, trichinosis. Audience and level of use: the outdoors person, or to anyone who has to deal with game. There is also a sources list at the back of the book. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pecan dusted channel catfish, mahi mahi in Hawaiian butter, braised pheasant with Madeira. What I don’t like about this book: the index is arranged only by animal. What I do like about this book: each animal has a graphic illustration. Alternate choices are also given, for substitutions. Quality/Price Ratio: 11. THE FITNESS KITCHEN; recipes for a fad-free lifestyle (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2004; distr. by National Book Network, 292 pages, ISBN 1- 58979-143-6, $24.95 paperback) is by Shelly Sinton, M.S., a senior recipe tester and reviewer for several newsletters and websites. These 175 recipes concentrate on a healthy lifestyle beyond Atkins, South Beach, etc. But it is not a major shift. It is all tasty food, with nutritional analyses for each recipe. The book is arranged by course. Sinton presents 10 fitness kitchen principles (e.g., kitchen attitude, healthy living, how to eat): all easy guidelines. Her book is based on her articles for Dolfzine On-line Fitness (www.dolfzine.com) and on her own website www.shellysfitnesskitchen.com. All of her recipes are labeled. Some are “Fast and Easy”, others are “Freezer Friendly”. The rest are “Worth the Effort”, “Needs to Marinate”, “Plan Ahead”, “Make Ahead”. She has sections on flavour boosters, food storage and preparation, pantry essentials, and quick dessert ideas. Seven important food are emphasized: salmon, beans, yogurt, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, fruit and vegetables. US measurements are used, there is a bibliography, and websites are sourced. Audience and level of use: just what you need post-Christmas. Some interesting or unusual recipes: balsamic steak, fish tacos, poached tomato saffron salmon, masa-crusted chicken strip salad What I don’t like about this book: Be warned: you cannot lose any real weight here, but you’ll be able to keep off what you had lost, and avoid repeating the weight loss-gain cycle. What I do like about this book: she has some healthy drink recipes, not mocktails. These include mojito, amaretto coffee, mimosa, spritzers. The section on seven kitchen exercises is quite good, with suggestions for staying in shape with your lower body, upper body and torso. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 12. A MATTER OF TASTE; inspired seasonal menus with wines and spirits to match (HarperCollins, 2004, 368 pages, ISBN 0-00-200672-3, $50) is by Lucy Waverman and James Chatto, both senior editors for “Food & Drink” (published by the LCBO). Waverman is also a food writer with the Globe and Mail, while Chatto also writes about food and drink for Toronto Life. This is seasonal entertaining at its finest for us in Canada. The book has 175 or so recipes, divided by season, with five or more entertaining menus and 2 to 3 “fast and fresh” family menus in each section. Themes menus include holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years), cooking for a crowd, a book club menu, a bistro dinner, a ski chalet, a summer gardening party, a spring brunch. There are four or so dishes per menu, with lots of wine choices for each dish and each menu. No specific producers are mentioned, just grapes or regions. Scattered about are “Food Tech” or “Wine Tech” pages, such as the ones on tannins, oak, chocolate, and brining. The index covers the wines and the foods (ingredients) so that you can check out what goes with Baco Noir or Valpolicella. Photos of finished preps accompany many of the recipes. This is a cookbook, a food book, a primer to wines and spirits, and a guide to menus and entertaining. Audience and level of use: upscale Canadians, schools of hospitality, libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes: vegetable croustade, spiced yellow tomato soup, slow-cooked lamb with pecorino, sticky toffee pudding. What I don’t like about this book: the publicity material makes a big thing about Chatto recommending a single-malt scotch to pair with a chocolate truffle (indeed, some promotion items even got the chocolate dessert wrong!). But try tracking down the reference to single-malt scotch: you’ll need to run through a few entries in the index before you can find it. What I do like about this book: Chatto does a nice job in covering the basic principles of wine and food matching. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 13. THE GOURMET COOKBOOK; more than 1,000 recipes (Houghton Mifflin, 2004; distr. by T.Allen, 1040 pages, ISBN 0-618-37408-6, $55) has been edited by Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet Magazine and former restaurant reviewer for both the New York and Los Angeles Times. There is little more that I can say about this book; it has been reviewed everywhere. Some facts (based on interviews): there are 1283 recipes (from 50,000 which have been published since 1941, although only 3000 were chosen, tested, and whittled down); each final recipe was tested eight times and is supposed to represent the very best version of such a dish. The price is very reasonable for such quality, but to keep the book physically usable and within a price range, there are neither illustrations nor gastroporn – just some useful line drawings (pea shoots, cuts of beef, etc.). The rage of food preparations include dinner for two up to a cocktail party for 50, 102 hors d’oeuvre and first courses, 120 vegetable dishes (artichokes to zucchini), classic dishes (chicken kiev, crème brulee, pad thai), festive dishes, quick dishes, 50 pasta and risotto dishes, 300 desserts (including nine “best chocolate cake recipes Gourmet has ever published”. The usual tips and guidance advice are strewn about, and these locations are where the techniques are placed. There is a glossary and sources of US-only supplies. US volume measurements are employed, but there is no metric at all, not even a table of equivalents! I checked my clip file for Gourmet recipes, to see what I had that the book did not. There were no recipes for baba ghanouj, no bagna cauda, no chile con queso, no zucchini parmesan pancakes. In fact, I checked just about ALL of my Gourmet magazine recipes against this book, and I didn’t have a single one that was in the book, although some of the book recipes are probably consolidations. My other grievance against the book is a personal one: I missed the old Gourmet narrative style of recipes! I loved reading the recipe through and forming a plan of attack, making a list of ingredients. The narrative style, which is just the same as a paragraph in a book, forces you to read it through and savour the dish. The current style is like any other cookbook: an opening context statement, a list of ingredients with quantities, and a numbered series of steps. This style makes it all seem like bricklaying… Audience and level of use: the intent is to be a general book, but with upscale recipes. Some interesting or unusual recipes: sweetbreads with parsnip potato puree (takes 14 hours, mostly soaking time), chocolate sambuca crinkle cake, celery with fennel and bacon, prosecco and summer fruit terrine, minced squab and pork with rice stick noodles. What I don’t like about this book: there are very few innards. There are no recipes for heart, kidney, oxtail or pig tail, five poultry liver recipes (pates and terrines), one calf liver, one sweetbread, one tongue, and one tripe (Roman, not Mexican menudo). Also, the first (and very large) printing had faint yellow ink recipe heads and buttons, which were unreadable and unusable. Maybe by the time you read this review and decide to purchase the book there will have been a second printing with the promised ink changes to a darker, more amber tone. What I do like about this book: there is an extensive 70 page index, but it lacks running headers which are needed for an index this size. There are two gold tassels for bookmarks. Quality/Price Ratio: gives this feat a 90. 14. 1,000 ITALIAN RECIPES (Wiley Publishing, 2004, 652 pages, ISBN 0- 7645-6676-8, $49.99) is by Michele Scicolone, author of ten other Italian cookbooks and freelance writer for many magazines. It’s been compiled from a number of different sources (other books, family friends, home Italian cooks, etc.); it is good standard stuff. Everyone’s favourite dishes are here, plus regional items and variations. The full range moves from antipasto to desserts, covering upscale celebrations, vegetarian, and comfort food. There is a section on the Italian pantry (nice to know that I have everything already save for amaretti) and how to select Italian ingredients. The sixteen menus for festive gatherings have no page references for the dishes; you must use the index. There are fish dishes for Lent and Christmas Eve, lamb for Easter, holiday cookies. But no “Big Night” timpano/timballo…Here’s the count: 179 pasta and sauces, 241 meat-poultry-seafood, 158 vegetables, 179 desserts, plus other assorted and variations. The book is printed on dark-green ink, which is useful. There are double columns, with English and Italian names (but the latter are not indexed), some tips and advice in the headers leading to the recipes, and US volume measurements. The book concludes with a glossary, a US source list, websites, and a bibliography. Audience and level of use: the homemaker who wants an allinone. Some interesting or unusual recipes: torta della Nonna, orecchiette con ragu di Maiale, spiedini di vitello al prosciutto. What I don’t like about this book: while there are notes on pairing Italian wines to foods, this covers only four pages. The bibliography cites mainly Italian cookbooks in Italian, and no real English competing books! What I do like about this book: all encompassing and broad. And no illustrations or photos, neither are needed. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 15. DESSERTS AND WINES; exquisite combinations to delight the palate (Mitchell Beazley, 2004, 208 pages, ISBN 1-84000-954-3, $39.95) is by Philip Gobet (patissier at Lenotre, the company founded in 1957) and Olivier Poussier (chief sommelier and head of wine buying at Lenotre). It was originally published in France in 2002. Sixty desserts are covered – with full recipes – and 120 sweet wine recommendations for complements. Most of the desserts are fruit (yellow and white, red, exotic citric fruit, candied and dried fruit) with a few cream and caramel, and some chocolate and coffee. These are all stunningly good combinations of aromas, taste and textures. Most of the wines are from France (the book’s authors are French), a few more from the rest of Europe, some from South Africa and Australia. Canada has one entry: an Inniskillin Vidal Icewine paired to cream caramel with lime. Most of the wines are vintaged. Presumably, while the year does matter, later vintages can be employed; otherwise, the book would be hopelessly out- of-date soon. Also, some of the wines are fortified (sherry, port). For each recipe, prep times are indicated, as well as cooking times and chilling times (if needed). There are superb notes on tasting the matchups. In general, there is one page for each recipe with one page for the matching wine, and one page for the final prep photo. Both UK Imperial and metric measurements are used. There is a glossary, and an index by wine (not by dessert); the desserts are handled by a table of contents. Audience and level of use: useful for sommeliers and for schools of hospitality, cookbook collectors, lovers of sweet wines. Some interesting or unusual recipes: peach flan (with a gewürztraminer VT or schreube auslese), pear and almond tart (with quarts de chaume), chilled strawberry and orange-flower soup (with champagne), cake with blackberry filling (with pineau des charentes). What I don’t like about this book: there is an address list for the producers of the wines, but this was not thought out: the list was taken directly from the 2002 French book, and thus all the addresses are for buying the wines in France! What I do like about this book: a nice idea, it could have been expanded to have more New World wines and even more recipes. Quality/Price Ratio: 89 (decent price) 16. KITCHEN SUPPERS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. by T.Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-707-5, $36.95) is by Laura Washburn, who translates French cookbooks into English and tests recipes. She also wrote “Bistro” for the same publisher. This is simple and quick, easy home cooking. Even spontaneous cooking. Straight forward, 80 recipes (including ethnic as well) embracing a wide and satisfying variety of foods. As usual from Ryland, there is good photography for the finished platings. Washburn has conversion charts between American/metric/Imperial measurements. Audience and level of use: for beginners Some interesting or unusual facts: croissant pudding, Portuguese lamb stew, marinated steaks, sugar snap peas and fennel. What I don’t like about this book: the index is only for courses or major preps. What I do like about this book: its sensibility. Quality/Price Ratio: 78 (steep price). 17. THE BIG PLATTER COOKBOOK; cooking and entertaining family style (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 192 pages, ISBN 1-58479-332-5, $45) is by Lou Jane Temple (food writer in Kansas City) and A. Cort Sinnes (food writer in Napa, specializing in grilled foods). Here are some 100 recipes, expressed through 15 menus, for homey, substantial make ahead preps, for casual dining. Everything has been cooked in advance, and the main dish is served on a platter. The authors give plenty of tips on how to prepare foods in advance. The menus are organized by the seasons, and include a New Year’s Day Pig Party, a Napa Valley Harvest Feast, a Summer Street Food Party. Quite a few of the recipes are grilled; for us in Canada, that shortens the time available for meal preps to early summer through early fall. Ethnic and vegetarian foods are also covered. Wine recommendations are made for each main dish. There are separate chapters on starters and desserts, to round out the meals. Most of the recipes are good hot or lukewarm or cool; each serves eight to 12. There are metric conversion charts (US/UK/Metric). Audience and level of use: the party giver, the male chef Some interesting or unusual recipes: grilled spring chicken Dijon, escarole-potato-sausage a la Tamborello, lamb tagine, turkey enchilada pie, torta rustica. What I don’t like about this book: too many items are grilled, and this is not carefully explained – in case you don’t like a lot of grilling. What I do like about this book: large typeface, should appeal to men who like grilling or BBQ, good entertainment ideas. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 18. THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SPIRITS; a guide to their history, production and enjoyment (HarperCollins, 2004, 324 pages, ISBN 0-06-054218-7, $34.95) is by Anthony Dias Blue, longtime Wine and Spirits editor for “Bon Appetit”. He has authored many books on wine, but lately he has shifted his focus to more articles and books on spirits. His last book was The Complete Book of Mixed Drinks, which had some detail about the spirits (but these are expanded here in his current book). Basically, the scope is the history and lore of spirits, with tasting tips and recipes for classic cocktails. There is a good section on what is required for hosting spirit tastings. Blue’s chapters cover vodka, aquavit, gin, rum, tequila, whisky and whiskey, brand and liqueurs. The latter two are the largest sections in the book. Each begins with an informative history of the spirit and what to look for. For every spirit there is a tasting note section, with ratings and pricepoints. While the emphasis is on what is available in the US, most of these spirits are also available in Canada. He explains such things as the differences between potato and wheat vodkas, mescal and tequila, American and Irish whiskey, single-malts and blends. We’ve seen it all before, but not with a lot of tasting notes. There are some recipes for the classic or original preparations of drinks. While there is a bibliography and an index, there are no illustrations or even label reproductions. Audience and level of use: interested consumers, sommeliers, bartenders, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: Absolut is the world’s third largest premium spirits brand. What I don’t like about this book: For Absolut, the tasting note on page 25 is “has a smooth malt essence with a hint of dried fruit”, while on page 28 it is “smooth, clean, and peppery with lush vanilla and toasty notes”. What I do like about this book: great to have a copious amount of tasting notes for essentially bland products such as vodkas and blended whiskies. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 19. ALL ABOUT BRAISING; the art of uncomplicated cooking (W.W.Norton, 2004, 481 pages, ISBN 0-393-05230-3, $51) is by Molly Stevens, a teacher at various cooking schools (French style) and a free-lance food writer. She advocates long, slow cooking, “sharing a meal from one pot”. These are the classics (oxtail, sauerbraten, osso buco) and the contemporary and the ethnic dishes. The 150 recipes have wine recommendations, lacking a few in the vegetable area. There are 34 vegetable recipes, with the balance comprising meats and seafood. Stevens has a solid amount of information here on braising pots (with drawings), cuts of meat, techniques. These are in the first 35 pages, with tips distributed throughout the book. Each recipe has good, solid, clear directions, with braising times indicated. Variations are given. US measurements, US sources of supply, US websites. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Vietnamese braised scallops, escarole braised with cannelloni beans, tuna steaks braised with radicchio and chickpeas, chicken do-piaza (Indian spiced). What I don’t like about this book: I am surprised that she doesn’t mention the Slow Food movement. Also, there are no recipes for heart or kidney. No metric equivalency charts. What I do like about this book: the photos of the finished dishes have page references to the recipe. There is a great bibliography (I’ve got 95% of these books in my own library). The print is large and she uses bold typefaces. Quality/Price Ratio: 80 (a lot of money to pay for a braising book) 20. BOUCHON (Artisan, 2004; distr. by T.Allen, 341 pages, ISBN 1-57965- 239-5, $69.95) is by Thomas Keller and Jeffrey Cerciello. Keller developed the wildly successful French Laundry restaurant (and its best-selling cookbook, 212K copies in print). Cerciello has worked with Keller for ten years, and is executive chef at the Bouchon restaurant (since 1998). He did the recipes with writer Susie Heller. Bouchon is part of a chain: there is one in Napa, one in Las Vegas, plus two bakeries in Napa and New York City. This restaurant has more bistro food (less complicated, more casual, a place to hang out), with plenty of slow food with slow browning, braising and roasting. Typical dishes include confit of duck, terrines, steak frites, leg of lamb, onion soup, steamed mussels. But in a real French bistro, you could get a meal for the price of this book! It is oversized, 11.5 x 11.5 inches square, say a square foot…It is too heavy to actually use comfortably, and to flip through its pages. Also, it is hard to photocopy. Not that I advocate breaking copyright, but I just want to copy a few recipes to work with in my kitchen. I am exceedingly messy, and I’d rather spill things on my photocopy rather than the book. With a clothes pin, the photocopy hangs better than the book (which is the heaviest book of the season). But I digress…There are chapters on basic preps and techniques. The arrangement of the book is by course, from hors d’oeuvre (misspelled in the book), to soups, salads, sandwiches, quiches, fish, poultry, pasta, desserts. US measurements are used. Audience and level of use: fans of the French Laundry, schools of hospitality, cookbook collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes: roast chicken (of course), chickpea and carrot salad, rabbit rillettes with prunes, potato and leek soup, frog’s legs. What I don’t like about this book: too many large, overblown pictures. There is no “chicken with 40 gloves of garlic” recipe which is a standard in French bistros. Also, there are NO wine recommendations! What I do like about this book: good index – even “chicken stock” is indexed. Also, sauces are given page references in the recipes themselves. Good photos of the final platings. Quality/Price Ratio: 75 (this is a lot of money to pay for a French bistro book. If you buy it, try Indigo online or Amazon.ca, where book discounts can be as much as 40%.) 21. VINO ITALIANO BUYING GUIDE; the ultimate quick reference to the great wines of Italy (Clarkson Potter, 2004; distr. by Random House Canada, 287 pages, ISBN 1-4000-5287-4, $21 paper covers) is by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch, both authors of the award-winning (IACP) “Vino Italiano”. In many respects, this book can serve as the update and revision to that book, originally published in 2002. About 1000 wines are listed here, arranged alphabetically by producer. Each entry has a short profile of a leading Italian wine producer, with data on their best and most accessible wines (i.e., available in the US market). There is a huge legend-key to the symbols: wineries are noted as being “elite”, premier, rising star, value or just plain. The keys Continue with wine pricing, availability, names and addresses, phone numbers, websites, and what dining and/or accommodation is available. Ancillary material decodes the Italian wine label, gives a glossary and bibliography, lists 250 recommended wines in all price categories and in all styles (bubblies, whites, reds, rose, fortifieds, etc.). The authors also have vintage charts, a section on grape varietals with valuable data, a list of all DOVG and DOC appellations with details of the region, grapes, aging requirements, and wine types. There is even a special guide to Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards and crus. Audience and level of use: for the committed Italian wine lover, schools of hospitality. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The big question that arose in the preparation of this guide was whether to rate individual wines”. They rated the wineries instead. What I don’t like about this book: some producers of quality wines are still missing – where is Ascheri of Piedmont? Also, the TNs are pretty slight. What I do like about this book: fairly comprehensive and uptodate, with direct access to the producer through the alphabetical arrangement. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 22. INSPIRED BY INGREDIENTS; market menus and family favorites from a three-star chef (Simon & Schuster, 2004, 358 pages, ISBN 0-7432-4387-0, $49.95) is by Bill Telepan and Andrew Friedman. Telepan is executive chef at JUdson Grill (Manhattan), while Friedman has authored and co- authored several cookbooks (winning an IACP Julia Child award). This is a chef’s cookbook; Telepan spent six years at Judson. There are lots of biographical details on suppliers and farmers within the NYC region plus philosophy (e.g., buy locally, cook seasonally). Chapters cover each season, beginning with Spring, and each has three theme menus, special occasion menus, and make ahead meals. Material is grouped by ingredient or technique. Additional recipes are for classics from the restaurant and some dishes appropriate to all seasons. There are also wine notes for each recipe. The book is all relatively simple but clearly expressed. The 150 recipes are complemented by photos, for about one-third of the preps. Mail order sources are US, as are the measurements (with a metric equivalency table). Audience and level of use: chef cookbook collectors, schools of hospitality. Some interesting or unusual recipes: crusted crab cakes, fettuccine carbonara with asparagus, tomato bread soup, beet greens pierogi What I don’t like about this book: pretty straightforward, nothing to complain about. What I do like about this book: extensive index Quality/Price Ratio: 87. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR NOVEMBER 2004 ================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE!!! 1. WINE FOR EVERY DAY AND EVERY OCCASION; red, white and bubbly to celebrate the joy of living (William Morrow, 2004, 294 pages, ISBN 0-06-054817-7, $34.95) is by prominent and influential wine writers Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher. They produce the “Tastings” column for the Wall Street Journal (since 1998), and they have authored other books and articles for the USA market, as well as lectures and TV appearances. Their column is also syndicated to other American newspapers. The book, based on their columns, presents a wide-range of suggestions for using wine to celebrate events. And, of course, you can make up your own event to celebrate, such as “arriving home”. Do not save everything for an occasion that may never come. They advocate an Open That Bottle Night, the last Saturday in February: everybody within reading distance should open a treasured bottle and drink it just for the celebration of having it per se. While they advocate that wine is all about sharing, the reader should note that these writers are married to each other and that they taste (and write) together. They have an automatic “sharing” which many other wine writers do not have in their normal tasting life. Gaiter and Brecher don’t visit wineries, don’t go to trade shows, buy their own wines, and taste at home – together. Sharing comes naturally to them. Topics in the book follow the chronological year, such as a Beaujolais Nouveau party, American Thanksgiving (sparklers, cabs, zinfandels, Rioja), Christmas presents, sparklers at New Year’s eve, Valentine’s Day (bubbly, rose, pinot noir), Oscar night, with suggestions for a wine tasting party, wines to lay down on the birth of a child, restaurant wine lists (plus BYOB and wine bars), wine registries for weddings, anniversaries, saving wine labels. Audience and level of use: beginners, readers of the Wall Street Journal. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Over the years we have received, and personally answered, more than 25,000 letters and emails from readers. These letters have given us a unique perspective on what people really want to know about wine. What we have learned is that people simply want to enjoy wine, especially as part of celebrations and holidays” What I don’t like about this book: still, there are too many excerpts from letters, which take away space from the authors. Only the finest wines get in-depth tasting notes while most of the other wines seem to be enthusiastically received. Also, the index has “American Cabernet Sauvignon”, “American Pinot Noir”, “American roses”, etc., with a cross-reference from the varietal. But it is still an extra step in digging around for information. What I do like about this book: All the wines are indexed by name. The book is interesting to read, it is something different. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 2. THE CONTEMPORARY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBS & SPICES; seasonings for the global kitchen (John Wiley & Sons, 2004, 422 pages, ISBN 0-471-21423-X, $57.99) is by Tony Hill, a spice merchant in Seattle, Washington. 350 flavour enhancers are covered, including blends such as Tunisian five- spice-powder and American BBQ powders and dry rubs. 315 pages deal with herbs and spices (from ajwain to zedoary) with 65 pages for the 90 herb and spice blends. There are also 200 small colour photos in a separate section, each with a number as a cross-reference to the main entry. For each entry Hill gives the English language name, alternative English names, botanical name, plant family, region of botanical origin, harvest season, parts used, colour, black and white photo, followed by a description and common uses. Hill’s opinions are also added, and there are a few recipes. For example, under “cassia-cinnamon” he has “triple-rise cinnamon rolls” and “spiced bananas foster”. There are 75 recipes in all, all using US volume measurements. There is also a bibliography for further exploration of the world of herbs and spices. Audience and level of use: “packed with need-to-know information” for hospitality students, libraries, and consumers Some interesting or unusual recipes: Arabic chicken kabsa, overnight cole slaw, Russian white beans with vinegar and walnuts, lavender shortbread. What I don’t like about this book: the colour section is a bit awkward, but probably unavoidable because of the cost of printing. What I do like about this book: the inclusion of herb and spice blends. The book is also easy on the eyes, with lots of white space. The index is thorough and comprehensive. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 3. A TASTE OF MOROCCO (Hachette Illustrated, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 184 pages, ISBN 1-84430-107-9, $39.95) has recipes by Maria Seguin- Tsouli, a culinary advisor to the Arab cultural centre in Paris. The prose is by Marie-Pascale Rauzier, a travel journalist with extensive Moroccan experience. It was originally published in French in 2001; this is the English translation. In its geographical breakdown, the book is divided into three regions: the city of Fes, the Coast, the Marrakech. For each, the 90 recipes (total) are divided into apps and soups, mains, and desserts. The culture of the country is a mix of Berbers, Arabs, Andalusians, Jews, and Ottomans; this ethnic diversity is reflected in their food and cooking. Each subsection here has a discussion on cuisine and culture of the area, with material on such as appropriate copperware, olives, peppers, oranges, mint tea, saffron, herbs, semolinas, bread, dried fruits, wine, honey and dates. More social stuff concerns table layering, marriage traditions, orange flower water, and earthenware. Metric measurements are used, plus imperial volume measurements with accommodation for the US audience. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, ethnic cookbook collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes: mint and caraway soup, pastille with milk, various tagines, various couscous. What I don’t like about this book: the recipe index is only by course. The typeface and ink used for the ingredients list makes said list difficult to read. What I do like about this book: great photos of food, good cultural material. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 4. ANTHONY BOURDAIN’S LES HALLES COOKBOOK; strategies, recipes, and techniques of classic bistro cooking (Bloomsbury, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 304 pages, ISBN 1-58234-180-X, $48.95) is by the executive chef at NYC’s Les Halles, probably the most successful bistro franchise in the US. Co-authors Jose de Meirelles and Philippe Lajaunie co-own the chain. This is classic French brasserie/bistro food recipes from Manhattan, which he admits are not only standards but also available in other cookbooks. What makes Bourdain’s book unique is that these are the actual recipes used in the restaurant, somewhat scaled down for home use. As such, they require advance work. Thus, he uses an aggressive writing style to psych us up for the work ahead. The publisher’s blurb says, “The beautiful cover is designed for kitchen use – aesthetic yet practical”. I think they mean “dust jacket”, not cover, for if you remove the jacket to examine the cover, you will find a chef-hatted skull with a knife dripping blood! Not in my kitchen, please, thank you very much… There is a gung-ho warm-up speech in the opening chapter, where he emphasizes the three basic principles of cooking: preparation, preparation, and preparation. Get a good knife (and maintain it). Do stocks. He suggests that you find a butcher to do French-cut meat and organ meats, plus perhaps some high-fat charcuterie. There are mail order sources suggested, albeit US only. He also wants you to look to the Slow Food Movement for advice. Each recipe here tells you what equipment is needed and what advance prep work can be done (and when). Both US and metric measurements are given. There is a glossary and a personal bibliography for further reading. Audience and level of use: fans of celebrity chefs. Some interesting or unusual recipes: cassoulet, soupe au pistou, soupe de poisson, daube provencal, tarte alsacienne. What I don’t like about this book: if you are going to have attitude, then you must use it correctly (he misuses the phrase “jump the shark”). Also, there are no wine nor beer recommendations (one can always drink the wines of the region). What I do like about this book: the bad boy of cooking is back! a very entertaining read, one of the wittiest cookbooks of the year. Very good index, French and English, dish and ingredient name. Quality/Price Ratio: given that the recipes exist elsewhere, 84. 5. EVERYDAY DINING WITH WINE (Broadway Books, 2004; distr. Random House, 309 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1681-6, $42) is by Andrea Immer, a Master Sommelier and author of many wine books such as “Great Wine Made Simple” and an annual buying guide. She also serves as dean of wine studies at the French Culinary Institute in NYC. and 6. THE WINE LOVER COOKS WITH WINE; great recipes for the essential ingredient (Chronicle Books, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 0-8118-3022-5, $34.95 paper covers) is by Sid Goldstein, a food and wine writer who was at Fetzer Vineyards one time, co-author of a book with John Ash, and author of “The Wine Lover’s Cookbook”. Both of these books cover the same territory, but in different ways and in different patterns. They are actually complementary, and I cannot recommend one over the other. Immer has 125 recipes (100 for dishes) with an emphasis on minimal fuss and cost; Goldstein has 75 recipes with a strong John Ash connection and sourcing from many other chefs (all acknowledged). Immer’s book is “using simple recipes and cooking techniques, combined with simple wine-pairing principles, to vastly improve everyday meals”. She has more spicy food than Goldstein but less complicated food. Immer has good material on menu planning, cured meats, vegetables, herbs and nuts, and dry-aged cheeses. There are five major ways to enhance a food’s flavours (and hence complicate wine complements): seasoning and searing, roasting vegetables, making a pan sauce, brining, and bedding the sides. Her book is arranged by the weight of the varietal, starting with the riesling and aromatic wines, through sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel. Goldstein’s book is arranged by cooking method, with chapters on steaming, marinating, poaching (e.g., fish), braising (e.g., ribs), and reductions (e.g., sauces). Both books have sections for the obvious sides and desserts. Immer seems to concentrate on American wines (she suggests particular wines by brand name: I have an innate distrust for this type of thing), while Goldstein uses mostly European-styled wines in cooking (most of his food is French, Italian and Spanish, not too heavily spiced). Goldstein recommends wines by varietal. He has a description of the types of wine (light and fruity through full-bodied, and the fortifieds) and how each is to be used in cooking. Each recipe has wine as a major contributing factor. Immer concentrates more on wine pairing rather than wine cooking. For example, Goldstein’s first chapter gets right down to sauces and marinades with recommended varietals for different types of sauces. There is a wine recommendation for what to use in cooking and what to serve when eating (plus alternate choices for serving). He has plenty of tips, as does Immer. Immer also has lots of detail on why particular wines go with particular dishes. She has a wine FAQ section for all the wine basics. And because her book is arranged by varietal, she has nine menus with wine recommendations and page references to the recipes. Goldstein’s bibliography for further reading includes no book by Immer, and indeed, has nothing beyond 1999 except for a small newspaper article. Immer has no bibliography but does include a US source list for mail and online orders. Goldstein’s index includes not only products and ingredients but also names of wines and cookbook writers and chefs used as sources. Both books use US volume measurements but only Goldstein has a metric equivalents table. Audience and level of use: an intermediate level is suggested, although Goldstein’s book may require more experience. Hospitality schools can certainly use both books. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Immer has a fennel and apple has, coddled eggs with cauliflower potato puree, coq au riesling with leeks, tarte tatin. Goldstein puts forth a corn and chive crepe with wild mushrooms (from Napa’s Trilogy), curried scallops with grapefruit and ginger with a white wine butter sauce, and a monkfish tagine (from San Anselmo’s Insalata). What I don’t like about this book: Goldstein needs more braising recipes, while Immer has too much wine material (virtually replacing her earlier books). Also, her view on “seasonal – schmeasonal” food did not resonate with me: it is the opposite of Goldstein. What I do like about this book: Goldstein has alternate wine choices for each recipe; Immer has page references for her menus plus an upfront “course by course” recipe list with page references. Quality/Price Ratio: Immer rates a 91 (hardback, lots of wine data, more recipes) while Goldstein gets a 90 (paperback, more upscale food, fewer recipes). 7. THE REAL GREEK AT HOME; dishes from the heart of the Greek kitchen (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84000- 851-2, $39.95) is by Theodore Kyriakou, chef of London’s The Real Greek restaurant and author of other cookbooks, and Charles Campion, a UK food writer who has collaborated with Kyriakou before. Together they explore the cultural, religious, and economic influences on Greek food. The emphasis here is on home meals, peasant food, with a wide range of recipes from the classics to celebrations (using lamb dishes). The book is divided into three areas, the cities (more sophisticated food), the Ionian islands, and the Aegean islands. Thirty pages are devoted to Greek essential dishes, the various mezzes and dips, and there are chapters for Easter lamb dishes and festival foods. Travel pictures dominate, and there is even one showing the skinning of a dead rabbit. Both metric and imperial measurements are used for each ingredient. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, consumers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: iman bayeldi, Christmas pork with figs, chicken sofrito, rabbit mountain style, tsoureki Greek Easter bread. What I don’t like about this book: recipes have a demotic Greek script name but these are not indexed nor otherwise listed. Also, there is a small print for the ingredients list. What I do like about this book: seems comprehensive in its approach. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 8. THE PHILOSOPHER’S KITCHEN; recipes from ancient Greece and Rome for the modern cook (Random House, 2004, 250 pages, ISBN 1-4000-6099-0, $50) is by Francine Segan is a food historian (Marymount College) who has appeared on US television many times. She has authored a similarly inspired book, Shakespeare’s Kitchen, dealing with renaissance recipes. Here she picks some ancient recipes (mainly from Apicius’ “On Cookery” with its 478 recipes, plus Cato the Elder and Varro “On Agriculture” and “The Philosopher’s Banquet” from the second century AD or CE) and reproduces their text (in English, of course) with a recreated and updated recipe for today’s home cook. For example, she uses 22 recipes from Apicius. Most ancient recipes have been lost, and in many cases there are only references to titles in the writings of others. The other sources she uses include writings on food and health by physicians (Galen) and philosophers (Plato, Aristotle), personal correspondence and diaries (Cicero, Marcus Aurelius), and archaeological finds with illustrations of daily life as found on vases, drinking vessels, frescoes, floor mosaics, etc. Each recipe is supposed to be placed in historical context of customs and/or superstitions. The only food references that appear to have survived are typical for any period before the nineteenth century: the upper classes that ate well. No real peasant food. Thus, we have an assortment of dishes suitable for a Greek feast or a Roman banquet, with photos of final preps and archaeological finds. There are complementary sidebars about ancient life with quotes from the classic writers. This kind of thing seems to work best for a party or a large crowd. The recipes are arranged by course, from apps to desserts, with US volume measurements. Audience and level of use: food historians, food theme lovers, cookbook collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes: cucumber with raisin coriander vinaigrette, candy nut chews, veal and fig stew, chicken with plums, cheese biscuits with aromatic bay leaves, seared tuna with onion-raisin marmalade. What I don’t like about this book: bibliography is only on translated ancient texts, with no mention of recent books or articles, which could compete with or complement Segan’s book. What I do like about this book: five feast menus with page references (one for each season plus a vegetarian feast), along with sample invitations. Quality/Price Ratio: 89. 9. THE SIMPLER THE BETTER; sensational home cooking in 3 easy steps (John Wiley & Sons, 2004, 226 pages, ISBN 0-471-48231-5, $35.99) is by Leslie Revsin, a food consultant and chef (she was the first woman chef at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel). The concept of the book is not new, it has been done before. This is just the latest variety. And apparently there is to be a whole series from Wiley based on the concept (minimum effort and maximum flavour for busy people), to cover casseroles, Italian food, and the like. In the present book, there are 100 short recipes for swift cooking. There is also a minimum amount of kitchen equipment and cleanup afterwards. Each dish has three to eight ingredients, with a 30-minute maximum cooking time. Each recipe has tips, variations, and final plating ideas for a final flourish. Some variations include substitution rules, optional ingredients, and alternative cooking methods. This is all basic food suitable for everyday or mild entertaining, with all courses from soups to desserts. Through the expanded table of contents the reader can find 11 soups, 10 pasta and rice dishes, ten fish, etc. There are two pages per recipe, with a 16-page insert of colour photos. US volume measurements, but with no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: new cooks, busy people, high risers (small kitchen). Some interesting or unusual recipes: green fettuccine with chicken and two cheese, chicken provencale, grilled ginger steak, slow sautéed turnips, tomato couscous. What I don’t like about this book: makes it all look too easy. What I do like about this book: large type, white space, readable, simple instructions. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 10. RIESLING RENAISSANCE (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. McArthur, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84000-777-X, $50) is by Freddy Price, a wine consultant and wine merchant specializing in Riesling (especially German riesling). He says, “Riesling alone makes pure wine, innocent of oak, that precisely reflects its origin, in a range from flowery and feather-light, through tense, dry and mineral-laden, to unctuous and creamy, to a piercing liquor like celestial marmalade.” The rebirth of Riesling has been astonishing. Of course, all it took was for people to get tired of chardonnay. Riesling has no oak (no BF, no BA) and no malolactic fermentation. Here is a history and the heritage of Riesling through nine countries and 15 regions, reflecting both hot and cool climates, diverse terroirs, etc. He has 75 pages for Germany, 25 for Alsace, ten for Austria, even eight for Canada. Australia, New Zealand and the USA are also covered. Under Alsace, Price comments that many Alsatian Rieslings are soft, full and round now…This has been my impression, too, for the past several years, say since the 2000 vintage. There are detailed maps and photos of the areas, plus photos and profiles of important winemakers, producers, and their top vineyard sites. For the top guys there are addresses, size of vineyards (and how much of it is riesling), best sites, and some light tasting descriptions. The book finishes off with a glossary and vintage notes/charts from around the world. Audience and level of use: certainly a great book for the Riesling lover, and wine school students, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: If Riesling itself was too difficult to grow and to make successfully, producers all over the world tried to copy it with other grape varieties: welschriesling, riesling italico, Emerald riesling, Gray riesling. What I don’t like about this book: there was a typo for Hermann Weis (too many “s”). I’d like some food matches with Riesling, as well as more tasting notes. What I do like about this book: there is an extensive bibliography. Quality/Price Ratio: 92. 11. CELEBRATIONS 101 (Broadway Books, 2004; distr. by Random House, 293 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1464-3, $42) is by Rick Rodgers, a professional cookbook author and TV chef. His other books have included Thanksgiving, Christmas, and BBQ at the “10l” level. In the current book are 20 menus, with a total of 100 recipes for entertaining at New Year’s, Mardi Gras, Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, Christmas Eve, etc.,, and all of it celebratory of course. Shopping lists, preparations, and timetables are very important, and they are given upfront for each menu configuration. Other than that, this is standard food fare, with multiple courses (including easy salads and desserts), serving 12 or so. Rodgers concludes with an equipment list for a large pantry. Audience and level of use: for those who entertain, and need help. Some interesting or unusual recipes: chicken and shrimp etouffee, Cajun ratatouille, baked mascarpone-stuffed French toast, pork tenderloin tonnato. What I don’t like about this book: you’ll need a large equipment area for pots and pans you may rarely use, unless you entertain a lot. What I do like about this book: nice large print in the index. Quality/Price Ratio: 80. 12. THE ONLY WINE BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED (Adams Media, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 278 pages, ISBN 1-59337-101-2, $12.95 paper covers) is by Danny May, an American wine wholesaler-retailer. It contains portions of material adapted and abridged from his “The Everything Wine Book”, published in 1997. I’d hesitate to use the word “only”, but through his simplified approach it does cover the basics. Unfortunately, some of these basics are purely US (such as restaurants, pricing structures, and retail store chats). He tries to answer such questions as: what are good wines? why are wines categorized by region and/or variety? what is the winemaking process? what flaws do I watch out for? do I have the right wine for the right occasion? how do I serve wine? how do I pair food with wine? His discussion on grape varieties indicates both flavours and partner grapes, such as the components of a Bordeaux blend. There are some recommended wines plus a long, obligatory glossary. May’s book is a basic and cheap wine book. You can always update your knowledge by buying an annual wine guide (Clarke, Immer, Johnson, Stevenson, et al.) and the Internet. Audience and level of use: beginners, wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: “You know you’ve crossed the line from a casual wine buff to a serious wine collector when you start buying wine futures”. What I don’t like about this book: the bibliography has not been updated at all since his last book. What I do like about this book: the index has direct page access to pairing wines with food, under the entry “food pairings”. He also has an up-to-date website reference guide. Quality/Price Ratio: fabulous price gives it a 90. 13. JACQUES PEPIN FAST FOOD MY WAY (Houghton Mifflin, 2004; distr. by T. Allen, 240 pages, ISBN 0-618-39312-9, $45) is a companion to the 26- part PBS series that seeks to create simple, special meals in minutes. The 140 recipes are straightforward, and while arranged by course, there are 26 menus (“as seen on public television”) with page references to follow along with each show. He also has a TV tip of the week, with 26 more quickly done dishes. Two of the recipes here are labeled “instant” (and indexed thusly): instant beef tenderloin stew (ten minute cooking time, but no gravy) and instant vegetable soup (which is a pre-vegetable stock with flavour derived from added olive oil and gruyere cheese). He advocates use of the pressure cooker and microwave. Canned food is also useful for beans, tomatoes, peaches, and tuna, as is “ready food” (cheese, olives, smoked fish and smoked meats), condiments, purchased brioche, pound cake, and bread. Some of these preps are make aheads (hours, days), but all of them are indeed quick. Bear this in mind: it is labour intensive, and there is some competitive spirit of a contest in how fast one can make a dish. With Jacques Pepin at the helm, this is larder/pantry cooking at its finest, and the complete opposite of Anthony Bourdain (see above). Audience and level of use: intermediate experience, fans of Jacques Pepin (he has appeared in over 300 shows!), restaurants looking for new ideas. Some interesting or unusual recipes: smoked salmon timbales, parsley and pumpkin seed salad, wonton cannelloni in tomato sauce, thirty- minute cassoulet. What I don’t like about this book: a very light typeface makes his comments on each recipe difficult to read. Some wine recommendations would have been appreciated. What I do like about this book: nicely put together, great photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 88. 14. GERONIMO; fine dining in Santa Fe (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 232 pages, ISBN 1-58008-491-5, $72) is by Cliff Skoglund (founder), Eric DeStefano (chef), and Chris Harvey (partner) from the eponymous restaurant in Santa Fe. The establishment is in a 250-year-old hacienda on trendy Canyon Road, named after the builder (1756). A brief history of the restaurant, along with illustrations, is given at the front. The food is not all New Mexican, but rather “fine dining”. The 125 recipes here emphasize its uniqueness, and thereby raise the required skills level. “We know that some of the techniques we describe may seem a bit daunting”. The easy answer for us is to be prepared. Read through the recipes a few times, check our equipment and larder, and hunt down those hard-to-find items for the meal. There is a source list here, but it is all US only. The recipe instructions are clear, logical but lengthy. There is a section on techniques and preparing basic pantry items. The work ends with a glossary and index. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, celebrity chef fans, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes: rabbit saddle with matzo scallion dumplings, morel mushroom tarts with foie gras and black truffles, braised celery soup with mini-manicotti stuffed with celery puree and fresh ricotta cheese, poire Williams soup with warm bosc pears and star anise ice cream and black pepper genoise. What I don’t like about this book: needs more detail on final plating (ideas and variations). What I do like about this book: great photographs. Quality/Price Ratio: at $72, this one is an 83. 15. GRATINS; savory and sweet recipes from oven to table (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 118 pages, ISBN 1-58008-623-3, $27.50 paper covers) is by Tina Salter, cookbook author and culinary producer for a variety of public broadcasting food shows. Gratins have all the components for comfort food: a creamy interior and a crunchy-crispy top. They are also versatile since they can be savoury or sweet. These 50 recipes – classics and new dishes -- are for all courses, and they are mostly baked. The basic ingredients are the topping (usually breadcrumbs) which is very important since it must be crisp, and cheese with milk or cream for the interior. Little prep time is needed, but one does require equipment such as gratin dishes (preferred) or ramekins. Throughout the book Salter strews tips and advice on how to make gratins (which are essentially casseroles) more upscale and socially acceptable to guests. The resources list is all US, as are the volume measurements, although there is a table of equivalents for US-metric- Imperial forms. Audience and level of use: beginner, single purpose cookbook. Some interesting or unusual recipes: gratineed kale and bacon soup, tangelo custard gratin, potato-parmesan gnocchi gratin, tomato and chevre gratin. What I don’t like about this book: the book is a bit short; I want more recipes at this price level. Also, in view of Salter’s attempts to make gratins more upscale, she should have added some wine recommendations. What I do like about this book: photos of plated preps. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 16. THE EVERYTHING FONDUE COOKBOOK; 300 creative ideas for any occasion (Adams Media, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 261 pages, ISBN 1- 59337-119-5, $22.95) is by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson, a Canadian freelance writer and cookbook author. The Everything series is similar to Dummies, Idiot’s, KISS, etc…The 300 recipes here – for all occasions and all sizes of groups -- seem to be all basic with many variations, from snacks and appetizers to entrees and desserts. Welcome to the sixties! Four bases are used: cheese (31 recipes), broth (Asian hot pot style), oil (fondue bourguignonne, bagna cauda), and chocolate. There are 45 dips and sauces. Parkinson also includes 16 menu suggestions and seven different styles of bread dippers. Along the way, she also has a chapter on “ethnic” fondues (23 of these, including tiramisu). There is an important chapter on etiquette and safety (especially useful for oil fondues), how to buy and use a fondue pot, table accessories, and ramekins. Audience and level of use: beginner level, and idea seekers. Some interesting or unusual recipes: ricotta cheese in apple cider, garlic fondue, chicken hotpot style, fondue tandoori chicken. What I don’t like about this book: there are no wine recommendations, and there is no mention of raclette. What I do like about this book: online US shopping resources, menu suggestions have page references. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. 17. MUSHROOMS (Conran Octopus, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 96 pages, ISBN 1-84091-405-X, $19.95) is by Jacque Malouf is an Australian food writer and stylist, now living and working in London. It is one of a series of hardback books from Conran, in standard format, with 70 recipes apiece and little information about the main ingredient, preferring to concentrate on upscale recipes and quality photos of plated preps. Most British cookbooks assume that the reader knows something about food, and build on this knowledge. I like that attitude! The recipes here concern shitake, oyster, crimini, porcini, enoki, portabello, cloud ear, trompettes de mort, morel, truffles. But of course, many recipes can allow for substitution of mushroom types. Course arrangement includes soups, salads, grains, pies and tarts, meat and fish, eggs and veggies, plus finger food suitable for parties. All have prep times indicated, and all come with both metric and imperial measurements (good for the Canadian market). Audience and level of use: single ingredient book, intermediate level of experience. Some interesting or unusual recipes: sausage and sage and crimini mushroom with chestnut stuffing balls, veal escalopes with pied de mouton mushrooms and sorrel and cognac, baked gnocchi with sautéed trompettes de mort and pied blue mushrooms in a gorgonzola cream sauce. What I don’t like about this book: no discussion on mushrooms, except a bit on how to buy. What I do like about this book: packs a lot into a medium-priced book. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. 18. APPLES (Conran Octopus, 2004; distr. by McArthur, 96 pages, ISBN 1- 84091-404-1, $19.95) is by Louise Mackaness, a UK freelance food writer and stylist. It is one of a series of hardback books from Conran, in standard format, with 70 recipes apiece and little information about the main ingredient, preferring to concentrate on upscale recipes and quality photos of plated preps. All courses are covered, from starters to mains to teatime treats, desserts, sauces, juices, and preserves. All have prep times indicated, and all come with both metric and imperial measurements (good for the Canadian market). Audience and level of use: single ingredient cookbook, intermediate level. Some interesting or unusual recipes: pork kebabs and chorizo with apple, apple clafoutis, butternut squash and apple soup, carrot and apple and coconut muffins. What I don’t like about this book: no discussion on apples, not even on how to buy or what varieties work best in cooking. What I do like about this book: packs a lot in, good photos. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 19. EASY APPETIZERS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-719-9, $19.95) has been put together by a team of five food writers. Recipes credited to each of them are on page 64 of the book. Since there are only 28 recipes, this works out to five and a half apiece – on average. These are all simple first courses, categorized into soups and salads, dips and bread, seafood, meats, and vegetarian. Many similar recipes are available from other sources. US volume measurements are used. Most of the dishes can be made ahead. Audience and level of use: beginner to intermediate. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Tuscan panzanella, pear and romano and pea crostini, warm goat cheese soufflé, pepperoni farciti. What I don’t like about this book: way too brief. Some recipes don’t answer all questions, e.g., the basic tomato soup calls for basil with also a pesto option. Why bother? It should be one or the other, not both (even if optional). What I do like about this book: good photography of the final plating. Quality/Price Ratio: 76. 20. FRESH; great simple seafood (Michael Joseph, 2004; distr. by Penguin, 214 pages, ISBN 0-718-14628-X, $45) is by Mitchell Tonks, founder of the FishWorks fishmongers, restaurants and cookery schools in London, Bath, Bristol and Christchurch. He begins with a discussion on the different types of seafood available (mainly to the UK market) followed by how to buy seafood. He has great photos to show you these elements, including photoed techniques to illustrate cleaning and cooking. The recipes are a mixed bag, for the most part divided into three sections dealing with the topics of special occasions, easy dishes for guests, and family style. But they are interchangeable. There is also a chapter on saucing, spice mixes, marinades, and vinegar. And a chapter on picnics and side dishes. Most of this book’s illustrations are of freshly caught seafood, but some are of people (too many are of Tonks) and others are of the plated food. Metric measurements are given. Audience and level of use: seafood lovers, intermediate level, celebrity chef collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes: cod steaks with potato gnocchi and chili, zarzuela (fish stew), fried swordfish Milanese style with oregano and anchovies, linguine with scallops and artichokes and walnuts. What I don’t like about this book: the ingredients list is just simply strung out, separated by dashes. The restaurant listings have only eight places, four of which are his. There are no wine recommendations. What I do like about this book: large, well-presented index with bold face used for illustrations. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 21. ROASTING; meat, fish, vegetables, sauces and more (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. T.Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-705-9, $36.95) is by Sonia Stevenson, a Master Chef in the UK, and first woman chef in the UK to get a Michelin star for her restaurant. She is now retired, and apparently busier than ever with TV appearances and writing cookbooks. She divides her book into sections: roasting vegetables, roasting fish, doing poultry and game, meat, stuffing and sauces. It is straightforward, and she claims that it is easier to do than “boiling”. While it may be easy work, there is still the advance prep and the finishing up afterwards. There are different cooking methods here: in oil, on a rack, over liquid, or off-the-bone. Ovens need to be pre- heated, of course, and you will need an instant-read meat thermometer. There are some recipes for sides (red cabbage, roast apples, candied yams, bacon rolls) and for gravies, sauces, relishes, and stuffings. Directions for carving are also given. Websites and mail addresses are listed for US suppliers. While US volume measurements are given, there is a tri-part conversion chart for American, Metric and Imperial measures for volume, weight, and oven temperatures. Audience and level of use: beginner. Some interesting or unusual recipes: sweet potatoes en brochette, Italian roast chicken with salami stuffing, slow-roasted breast of veal, slow-roasted lamb shanks with tex-mex spices. What I don’t like about this book: at about 50 recipes, it seems a little short; it could use a few more. Also, brining as a prep technique is not mentioned. There is tiny print for ingredient quantities, especially for the fractions. What I do like about this book: illustrated material on principles of carving. Good photos of finished roasts. Quality/Price Ratio: 79. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW, FOR OCTOBER 2004 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com ALLEZ CUISINE!!! 1. A CULINARY JOURNEY IN GASCONY; recipes and stories from my French canal boat (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 192 pages, ISBN 1-58008-567-9, $25.95 paper covers) is by Kate Hill, who has lived and chefed on a canal in Gascony for the past 17 years. Her book was originally published in 1995, and it has now been brought back into print with some changes and a general updating. She plies the Canal Lateral a la Garonne, with a canal side cooking school and a floating home (century- old Dutch canal barge called “Julia Hoyt”. Here she presents an armchair traveler book, suitable as a memoir for her previous students/tourists, with 80 or so recipes reflecting a Gascon influence. Another way to look at it: this is galley cooking at its best, useful for those living in an apartment or condominium high rise. She arranges the chapters by a six-day agenda, mirroring her cooking school program. The first day is apps, then soups, entrees, mains, veggies, and desserts. She completes the book with an ingredients list, glossary, and a sources list. Audience and level of use: tourists, armchair travelers, cooking school devotees. Some interesting or unusual recipes: les roties salees, red pepper and anchovy boats, tomato tart, brochettes d’Agen, canard aux olives. What I don’t like about this book: I’d prefer more recipes. In addition, there is not much on the local wines, and just one page on Armagnac. What I do like about this book: uses both metric and US volume measurements. Quality/Price Ratio: 84. 2. SAVORING SAVANNAH; feasts from the low country (Ten Speed Press, 2004, 149 pages, ISBN 1-58008-583-0, $29.95 paper covers) is by five chefs (two are now caterers) whose styles range from traditional Savannah, Georgia, cooking to “New Southern cuisine”. It is a good example of a regional cookbook, and it was originally published in hardback in 2001. Each chef contributed two feast menus, ten in all, about 65 recipes total. Elizabeth Terry has a luncheon and formal dinner, Bernard McDonough has a picnic and a game dinner, George Spriggs does a beach party, Susan Mason has a plantation picnic, while Joe Randall has both a brunch and a buffet. Each menu, thoughtfully put together, serves four, six or 8. There is also a lot of material about local customs and lore, the spirit of the region. There are New Southern cuisine dishes for upscale variations of the heart of Deep South cooking: black-eyed peas, corn, sweet potatoes, oysters, collard greens, peaches, and grits. US measurements, of course. Audience and level of use: collectors of regional books, armchair travelers. Some interesting or unusual facts: sesame chicken and black-eyed pea salad, salmon cakes, pecan rolls with sticky topping, chorizo and lentil and potato ragout. What I don’t like about this book: too few recipes for the money. What I do like about this book: best menus here are for the brunch and buffet. Quality/Price Ratio: 82. 3. TWELVE MONTHS OF MONASTERY SALADS; 200 divine recipes for all seasons (Harvard Common Press, 2004; distr. by National Book Network, 256 pages, ISBN 1-55832-277-9, $22.95US) is by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, a multiple cookbook author at Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery, near Millbrook, NY. This current book is being billed as a companion to the best-selling “Twelve Months of Monastery Soups” what has sold an astonishing 300,000 copies. There are salads here for first courses, main courses, and sides: all are simple, wholesome and good tasting. Brother Victor has arranged the book to follow the January – December calendar, with 16 or so preps a month. This makes sense in following a Christian calendar, but little sense in laying out the book by the seasonal vegetables. What’s the difference between December and January? They are both cold winter months in the northern hemisphere. Global cuisine is stressed, with Italian, French, Greek, Japanese and Middle Eastern creations. Some can be prepared ahead of time. Additional recipes are given for vinaigrettes, dressings, flavoured oils, and vinegars. Most of the salads are great preps for using leftover fruit and veggies. Brother Victor has a special listing of types of salads, with appropriate page references (e.g., pasta salads, exotic salads, French salads). While US volume measurements are used, there is a table of equivalents for metric users. Audience and level of use: working people, also owner-operators for ideas. Some interesting or unusual recipes: Spartan carrot salad, Spanish salad, rainbow salad, Riviera cantaloupe salad. What I don’t like about this book: too many inspirational quotes and woodcut illustrations for me. What I do like about this book: the book is terrific for ideas. There is an ingredient and a name index. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 4. CABERNET SAUVIGNON; discovering exploring enjoying (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-701-6, $19.95) And 5. CHARDONNAY; discovering exploring enjoying (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. by T. Allen, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84172-699-0, $19.95) are both by UK wine and food writer-editor Chris Losh. Both books cover the basics of what cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay are all about: what to look for in tasting them, stylistic differences around the worl