As posted at www.deantudor.com and Blog: http://gothicepicuresvincuisine.blogspot.com. ON THE DEAN’S LIST: MY 13TH ANNUAL SURVEY OF FOOD AND WINE-RELATED BOOKS SUITABLE AS HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR THE 2009/10 PARTY PERIOD DECEMBER 7, 2009 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Ryerson Journalism Professor Emeritus and Gothic Epicures Writing, www.deantudor.com (World Wine Watch Newsletter). Blogs: http://gothicepicuresvincuisine.blogspot.com. http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. ------ There are so many new food and wine books out there and people have such picky tastes!! What to choose? I have cast about for material and have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook, any host, and any friend. All books and book-like materials that are listed here are RECOMMENDED, and probably can be purchased at a discount via Amazon.Ca or Chapters.Ca (with free delivery on a total purchase of over $39). Price Alert: because of US dollar fluctuations with Canada, all prices may vary. I have used CAD wherever I know it. Part One: TOP GIFT IDEAS ======================== Art/travel books might be the best books to give a loved one (or yourself, since you are your own best loved one), because most may cost you an arm and a leg. But try for a discount. Books for the coffee table have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And don’t let the prices daunt you. Most such art books are available at a discount from Amazon.Ca. Because of the “economy”, not too many pricey food and wine books were released last year, and book reviewers were cut off from foreign imports and expensive books. I found four such books that were good, and one other - THE COUNTRY COOKING OF IRELAND (Chronicle Books, 2009, 392 pages, $60 CAD, hard covers) is by well-known food and travel writer Colman Andrews, with photos by Chris Hirsheimer. Log rolling endorsements come from Ruth Reichl, Alice Waters, Ruth Rogers, and Terence Conran, but why? I dunno, the book clearly speaks for itself with an acclaimed author. Unless the publisher got nervous about issuing a book at $50US. The book weighs over five pounds. Andrews talks about the people, the countryside, and the food. He gives us 250 classic recipes, accompanied by 100 touristy pix of pubs and countryside and people. Andrews also give us a lot of anecdotes, with some song, folklore and poetry. A great gift for your Irish friend, or a good gift for others. WHY ITALIANS LOVE TO TALK ABOUT FOOD (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009, 449 pages, $44 CAD hard covers) is by Elena Kostioukovitch, a Ukrainian living in Milan. It was first published in Italy in 2006, and was a best seller in both Italy and Russia, picking up a few awards. This is a travelogue journey through Italy’s regional cuisines, from the Alps to Sicily. As a newcomer to Italy, the author immediately noticed the differences of taste, language, and attitude in the ways that Italians talked about food. Local pride comes to mind. This memoir is loaded with illustrations, maps, menus, and explanations. No recipes but many prep indications and cook’s notes sidebars. MASTERING THE ART OF CHINESE COOKING (Chronicle Books, 2009, 384 pages, $60 CAD hard covers) is by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo, who has written 11 other cookbooks on Chinese cuisine. Susie Cushner provides travel photos and food photos of the finished plates. There are step-by-step brush drawings to illustrate the Chinese cooking methods. This is a skills book, with a series of lessons for the home cook. Step-by-step notes cover the techniques, ingredients and equipment needed. Lo gives us 100 classic recipes in this five pound book. This is a useful book for the experienced home cook or one who wants to upgrade Oriental cooking skills. Or simply for the armchair traveler. AD HOC AT HOME; family-style recipes (Artisan, 2009, 368 pages, $68.95 CAD hard covers) is by Thomas Keller of The French Laundry and Bouchon. Apparently, he only writes expensive and heavy (weight) art-like cookbooks. His last was about sous-vide, and it retailed for $104 CAD. This time, promoted as “the book every home cook has been waiting for”, Keller visits American comfort foods closest to his heart. Do we really need an expensive book for this, when there are still Betty Crocker books for under $10? Well, if you want a gift book for an upper m idle- class host who wishes to scale down (but doesn’t know how), then this is the book. He has more than 200 recipes for family-style meals, embracing such concepts as potato hash with bacon and melted onions, grilled-cheese sandwiches, and heartier fare. To top it off, there are actually full-color photographs for step-by-step lessons in kitchen basics. Truly a gift book, for the host who doesn’t know how to cook and doesn’t know how to express it. Chacun a son gout. EATING INDIA; exploring the food and culture of the land of spices (Bloomsbury UK, 2009, reprinted from 2007, 265 pages, $19 US paper covers) is by Chitrita Banerji, who presents a memoir of Indian food by covering the waves of newcomers who brought innovative new ways to combine the Indian subcontinent’s rich native spices. She concentrates on vegetables, fish, grains and pulses, and of course the spices themselves. Lavishly illustrated. VENEZIA; food & dreams (Whitecap, 2009, 290 pages, $45 CAD hard covers) is another five pound book – in weight. It’s by Tessa Kiros, once a peripatetic chef and cook. She found her husband in Italy and now lives in Tuscany. This is her fifth cookbook, and it just screams “gift”. It is a posh production, complete with a ribbon bookmark, gold edging, and a gold ink for the fancy typeface. The photos are a mix of tourism travel and finished plates. The book was originally published in Australia last year, and this marks its first Canadian appearance. She covers the Venetian scene, commenting on why it is so important in Italian culinary history, with Prosecco and polenta and bussolai. She moves from cicchetti (small bites) to antipasti, zuppa, pasta, risotto, secondi, contorni (sides), and then dolci. Most of the preps come from local restaurants. For the more literate person, there are the “memoirs” of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non- fiction”, suffering from embellishments and gilding. And also suffering from a lack of indexing, which makes it difficult to find what the writer said about another person or subject. But this also avoids the potential for lawsuits and disjointed noses. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from last year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. Here we go, in no particular order… A top pick for me is the reissued THE PHYSIOLOGY OF TASTE, or meditations on transcendental gastronomy (Everyman’s Library Classic, 2009, 446 pages, $29.95 CAD hard covers) by Jean Anthelme Brillat- Savarin. This is the M.F.K. Fisher translation of the 1825 work, and it comes with a new introduction by Bill Burford. This culinary classic has been defined by the phrase “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are”. It’s a philosophical collection of recipes, anecdotes, musings, taste, and gastronomy. It comes with a ribbon bookmark. Unfortunately, in today’s society, with over-regulation, entitlement, and problems with the food chain, the new message is more “Tell me what you are, and I will tell you what you eat.” COOKING DIRTY; a story of life, sex, love and death in the kitchen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009, 355 pages, $32.50 CAD hard covers) is supposed to be an account of life “on the kitchen line” by Jason Sheehan, the food writer for Westworld in Denver. He won a Beard in 2003. Here he recounts all the mean jobs that he has held since the age of 15: scraping trays at a pizzeria, and at an all-night diner, a crab shack, a French colonial, a fusion resto, and others. He says that cooking is a series of personal challenges, and the kitchen is a place where people from the margins find their community. Nifty writing, in the vein of early Anthony Bourdain. TRAUMA FARM; a rebel history of rural life (Greystone Books, 2009, 373 pages, $35 CAD hard covers) is a memoir by a farmer who’s a published poet, book author, and monthly columnist: Brian Brett. Brett has been farming on Salt Spring Island for the past two decades. The publisher calls this an “entertaining meditation on small, mixed farming”. Brett manages to be curmudgeonly as he talks about the terroir, criticizes agribusiness, abbatoirs, use and misuse of gates, globalization, and types of seeds. There’s even a resource list of book references for further reading. The name of the farm says it all: Trauma Farm THE GASTRONOMY OF MARRIAGE; a memoir of food and love (Random House, 2009, 237 pages, $18.95 CAD soft covers) is by Michelle Maisto, and it is the story of Michelle (Italian background) and Rich (Chinese background) living together before marriage – as they sort out their food likes and dislikes. Each background has traditions and rituals, and each has its own comfort foods. The couple has differences, disagreements, and displeasures – they all need to be sorted out. The nightly ritual of dinner becomes a testing ground for sorting out both of their lives, and they do it with love. CONFECTIONS OF A CLOSET MASTER BAKER (Broadway Books, 2009, 226 pages, $29.95 CAD hard covers) is by Gesine Bullock Prado, Sandra’s sister and head of her production company. But she was unhappy and baked sugar/butter goods to assuage her misery. Eventually, she left Hollywood for Vermont, opening Gesine Confectionary. This memoir deals with her sugary childhood and her attempts to come to grips by cooking the stuff and confronting it. Her confections have been on national US television and in magazines. The book also covers basic baking processes and recipes. One for the host/hostess suffering from the sugar blues. FAT OF THE LAND; adventures of a 21st century forager (Skipstone, 2009, 222 pages, $26.95 US) is by Langdon Cook, a freelance wilderness writer who explores the Pacific Northwest in food, natural history, and oddball characters. Wild edibles are free food, as he never lets us forget. The book is arranged by season, Winter to Fall, with 15 recipes. It is nicely written, with great style, but apparently still needed some log rolling from Molly Wizenberg and Betty Fussell. HUNGRY MONKEY; a food-loving father’s quest to raise an adventurous eater (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, 260 pages, $30 CAD hard covers) is by Matthew Amster-Burton, a former restaurant critic and food writer who is now a stay-at-home dad. This book is really about feeding difficult kids, and he has dozens of recipes listed in the table of contents. He writes about the highs and lows of teaching a child about food. The memoir is engaging, especially since it covers the joys of food and parenting. Good to read, and good to learn from. Things are a little slow in the memoir world of wines. I saw only a handful. One was CORKED (Wiley, 2009, 237 pages, $29.95 hard covers) by Kathryn Borel, a former wine writer with Eye newspaper (some of this book was previously published there), and involved with Fresh Air (CBC). She wants to bond with her father, a chef-hotelier (Phillipe Borel), by accompanying him to France for a two-week trip through various wine regions (Alsace, Burgundy, Rhone, Languedoc). We learn about wine, which she had pretended to know a bit about but actually knew little, and then we also learn about her father and herself, and the father-daughter relationship. It’s a tough love in some places, but eminently readable for this time of the year when family relationships are usually examined. Another was the more practical TONY ASPLER’S CELLAR BOOK; how to design, build, stock and manage your wine cellar wherever you live (Random House Canada, 2009, 340 pages, $32.95 CAD hard covers) by Canada’s most well-known wine writer and Member of the Order of Canada. It comes complete with printed wine stains, an interesting innovation. I contributed to this book, so I am not allowed to be overly-excited by it (conflict of interest rules). But Tony does have a memoir-ish style since most chapters are expressed in the form of his journeys through life. His book is about guidelines without boundaries for modest to expensive wine safekeeping, whether in a professional cellar or temporarily in a kitchen. Of importance is his chapter on condos (he recently bought a condo and had to make a wine cellar work). He has recommendations for what wines should be in a wine cellar, to accommodate most budgets and expenses. There are plenty of charts and tables for wine names, grape comparisons, regions, and wine styles, plus food and wine matches (and wine and food matches) and “dream” cellars. Other sections include a wine vocabulary. And what’s a holiday without humour or a novel to curl up with? We seem to have another bumper crop this year… LAMBRUSCO (Anchor Books, 2009, 352 pages, $16.95 CAD soft cover reprint) was published last year, but it reappears in Canada as an affordable paperback reprint. Ellen Cooney has chosen to write about a comic journey that embraces wine, restaurants, and 1943 wartime Italy. It is focused on Aldo’s Ristorante on the Adriatic coast, and the Lucia Fantini (the heroine) sings opera too. Her son is involved with the Resistance, but then disappears. An entertaining read. THE VINTAGE CAPER (Knopf, 2009, 223 pages, $29.95 hard covers) is by Peter Mayle of “Year in Provence” fame. He’s written about four other novels. This one is a mystery: a Los Angeles wine connoisseur has had his wine cellar go missing. Sam Levitt, wine aficionado working for an insurance company, must solve the multimillion dollar claim. Of course, he follows his leads through Bordeaux and thence to Provence, where Mayle can show off his food and wine expertise. The frame does work somewhat in showing off gastronomic toys, but it is a good thing that Mayle is an engaging writer. A LITTLE DISTILLERY IN NOWGONG (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009, 456 pages, $27.95 CAD hard covers) is by Ashok Mathur. It’s his third novel, and all have been published by Arsenal. His previous “The Short, Happy Life of Harry Kumar” was short listed for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. This is both a fantasy and an historical novel, tracing the lives of three generations of a Parsi family in India from 1899 to the present. It’s the story of leaving village life for the urban life in turbulent pre- and post-independence, moving on to the UK and Canada. Jamshed, the protagonist, is obsessed with the concept of free will, and eventually decides to take on the management of the family distillery. He discovers the magical properties of its main product, a rum called Asha. The liquor becomes a leit-motif, reappearing throughout the novel as the family moves on to Atlantic Canada and Toronto. An engaging read. THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2009, 240 pages, $27.50 CAD hard covers) is by Erica Bauermeister. It follows the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian’s Restaurant every Monday night for a cooking class. The book shows every evidence of “chick lit” as each student seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. They all come to appreciate the sensitivity behind food and how it can help emotionally. There’s the young mother, the recent immigrant, the grieving widower, and the chef herself. A good skilful weave of reflections on life. My wife thought it was a “sweet book”. There are some recipes here, and the best one is on page 24: hot chocolate. GONE WITH THE WINE; the wine cartoons of Doug Pike (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2009, 114 pages, $12.95 US paperback) is loaded with gags from the wine world. Pike is a regular feature on erobertparker.com (Parker contributes a Foreword here). The 100 cartoons are arranged by topic (retail experience, waiters, winemakers, parties, etc.). My fave: a customer is asking a wine store clerk – “What have you got in the way of a Cabernet Sauvignon for people who like Zinfandel when they can’t find Merlot?” Anybody know the answer? Please email me… KITCHEN SCRAPS; a humourous illustrated cookbook (Whitecap Books, 2009, 198 pages, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is an overly large 8.5 by 11 paperback crafted by Pierre Lamielle who is obviously nuts – in a nice way. He is imaginative, both in the recipes and in the presentations. Chapters are divided into dishes you eat with a spoon, those you eat with a fork, those you eat with your hands, and those you eat with a forkenknife. It is eccentric in prose, but it all works. You just have to read the recipe directions very carefully to avoid any overthetop excesses. In other words, you need to know when he is just kidding. As we said in high school, “quelle fun”. Check out his blog at www.kitchenscraps.ca. Okay, this is now the hard part since we must pay for our sins of overeating during the December period. It is January 1, and the start of a New Year (2010) means new resolutions and intentions to keep or break. If you are really comfortable with your friends, you could give them health books for the holiday. And, you might be able to use them for yourself! Here are two new ones – WEIGHT WATCHER’S NEW COMPLETE COOKBOOK (J. Wiley, 2009, $29.95 CAD hard covers) is the Momentum Program edition, which includes point values and program recipes. There are 500 preps here, for all types of occasions. Plus 100 tips to help keep you satisfied between meals. New to this edition is the international holiday baking chapter. The book also has the usual nutritional information for each recipe, and as well, there are graphic icons attached to each prep to indicate whether the recipe is 25 minutes or less in cooking time, or whether it is spicy. Weight Watchers is one of the most consistent forms of weight reduction in North America. THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION GUIDE TO HERBS & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS; what you need to know from Aloe to Zinc (McGraw-Hill Canada, 2009, 191 pages, $20.95 CAD, paper covers). The book clearly explains terms and gives pertinent information about herbs and supplements. There is a complete rundown on 40 popular easily accessible botanicals and minerals and the like. As well, there are easy-to-use tables summarizing everything. Part Two: STOCKING STUFFERS =========================== Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody’s gift list: something affordable (under $10, up to $20) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. Most of the books here are paperbacks. And of course they can stuff an adult stocking. Typical for food are: FIELD GUIDE TO CANDY; how to identify and make virtually every candy imaginable (Quirk Books, 2009, 318 pages, $19.95 CAD paper covers) is by Anita Chu, and it must be at the top of everybody’s gift list. It’s in a handbook format, and is one of a series of others devoted to cookies, cocktails, herbs and spices. The book is arranged by type, so all of the largely chocolate, nuts and fruits are together. Here are 100 recipes and variations (international in scope) covering caramel apples, lollipops, Turkish delight, French pralines, and more. Each product gets a general description, a history, and storage dos and don’ts. CHOP, SIZZLE & STIR (Ryland Peters & Small, 2009, 64 pages, $17.95 hardcover) is Nadia Arumugam, who had trained with the legendary Mosimann. She serves up 35 fresh and fast stir-fries, plus variations. All meats and vegetables are included, and of course, a wok is preferred. PESTOS, TAPENADES AND SPREADS (Chronicle Books, 2009, 96 pages, $16.95 USD soft covers) is by Stacey Printz. She has 12 different pestos and 14 tapenades, plus some spreads. The idea is to increase flavour by adding just one teaspoon or so of pesto, etc. to almost any dish. I’m all for that, although it would add to the salt component. Some recipes here are nut-free and gluten-free. Try some edamame hummus, or some balsamic fig with caramelized onion and dried cherry. CAFFE ITALIA (Ryland Peters & Small, 2009, 64 pages, $17.95 hardcover) is by Liz Franklin, a one time finalist in the BBC Masterchef competition. Here she presents over 30 (plus variations) preps for cookies, cakes, savoury panini, and the like – to accompany the Italian coffee culture. There’s some quick info on how to brew coffee, but otherwise this is a fine short collection of food to go with coffee. GUIDE TO HEALTHY FAST FOOD EATING, 2nd ed (McGraw Hill Canada, 2009, 294 pages, $12.95 paper covers) is by Hope Warshaw, a medical expert who has written several books for the American Diabetes Association. Here she gives nutrition info for 13 of the most popular US fast food franchises, and most are in Canada, such as Baskin Robbins, Subway, Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonald, and Wendy. A great way to control your weight when you eat in those joints: she gives healthy and light choices, and suggests skills and strategies to create healthy meals at these places. It’s a jungle out there; you’ll need all the help you can get. I’M DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS (Chronicle Books, 2009, 180 pages, $24.95 US soft covers) is above my price range, but it is the only book I’ve seen this year to promote gifts, decorations, and recipes that “use less” and “mean more”. It has been endorsed by a few environmental activists, and printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. It’s been written by activist Anna Getty. She carefully explains how to reduce your carbon footprint, minimize waste, and creatively reuse. There are tips on nesting at home, entertaining, trimming the tree, giving donations. 100 SOUPS FOR $5 OR LESS (Gibbs Smith, 2009, $12.99 US paper covers) is by Gayle Pierce. It is an open and shut book with easy recipes (one per page plus variations). She emphasizes new things to do with veggies. Each prep has lists of calories and fats per serving, and comes with shopping tips, planning advice, and cooking tips. The arrangement is by theme: light soups, bean soups, cream soups, fruit soups, meat-poultry- seafood soups. 100 DESSERTS FOR $5 OR LESS (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 144 pages, $12.95 US paper covers) is by Angel Shannon. It is set up the same way as the Soup book above: easy recipes, one prep per page plus variations, and covers cakes, candy, cookies, frozen deserts, pies, tarts, sauces and frostings. Other little books, for beverages, include: PARKER’S WINE BARGAINS; the world’s best wine values under $25 (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 498 pages, $24 CAD soft cover) is by Robert Parker, Jr., the world’s most recognizable wine writer. This has been an eagerly awaited book, since it would be a first for Parker. Previously, he had issued from time to time a listing of his best bargains as he wrote them in his “The Wine Advocate”. But this is the first full-blown attempt to list bargains. And, of course, it exceeds my $20 retail limit on gift book purchases. But you can get it for $17.52 through Amazon. It is organized by country, with 1500 producers and over 3000 wines. He uses his contributor team of Jay Miller, Antonio Galloni, Mark Squires and others for notes, but he made the ultimate selection of labels. The downside is that no vintage years are given. Now, while the hallmark of a bargain wine is its consistency year in and year out, a $25 US wine will show flavour variation from year to year, and some vintages are better than others are. And the lack of dating keeps the book fresher on the shelf. Parker has a food and wine pairing guide, a vintage chart, and numerous top twenty lists. There are generic regional tasting notes and American details about importers and stores. Since we have the LCBO, this shouldn’t concern us. A terrific book for the Christmas season, and watch for more of these imports listed here to show up at the LCBO. SPICE & ICE (Chronicle Books, 2009, 160 pages, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Kara Newman, who writes the “High Spirits” column for Chile Pepper magazine. Here are 60 tongue-tingling cocktails, made with some component of fresh chile peppers, or ginger or horseradish. There are both fruity and savoury here, including the likes of “Wasabi-tinis” and “Jumpin’ Juleps”. Excellent photos, and as the man says, “put a little spice into your life”. CHEERS! An intemperate history of Beer in Canada (Collins, 2009, 321 pages, $19.99 CAD soft covers) is by the irrepressible Nicholas Pashley, the celebrated writer of “Notes on a Beermat”. He’s written scads of humour material in columns, for Dave Broadfoot, and three governors general. Here he takes a light look at Canadian beer history. It’s a wide-ranging book, but it is a history written with a deft hand. It even has an annotated bibliography and an index! I love the double- blurring of the Mountie on the front cover and a double-blurred Pashley himself (complete with red eye) on the back – beer doppelgangers all. HOT DRINKS; indulgent hot chocolates, great coffees, soothing teas, spiced punches, and other warming treats for cold days (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2009 reissue, 96 pages, $16.95 US hard covers) is by Louise Pickford, an experienced cookbook writer from the UK now living in Australia. We’ll need these hot drinks in the coming cold months of 2010. 75 recipes include Swedish glogg, hot rum and cider punch, and a variety of milk drinks. TEA WISDOM; inspirational quotes and quips about the world’s most celebrated beverage (Tuttle Publishing, 2009, 240 pages, $18.95 CAD paper covers) has been collated by Aaron Fisher, who has written extensively about tea (“The Art of Tea” magazine). This is a rock solid collection of quotes and glosses from different time periods and different regions of the world. I think the idea is to savour a cuppa while reading parts of this book everyday. It should calm your nerves over this rushed and argumentative season. Still other smallish books include: THE LOCAVORE WAY (Storey Publishing, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 247 pages, $12.95 US soft covers) is a carry-along guide to shopping locally, authored by Amy Cotler, founding director of Berkshire Grown, a regional food initiative. She’s also a cookbook author and a major contributor to the revised “Joy of Cooking”. In broad outlines, the book tells us how to buy, to cook, and to eat close to home. She has hints, lists, tips, tricks, and strategies for doing all this. Luckily, there are not too many US references, just some specifics to expand on the general. Check out www.amycotler.com. I LOVE MACARONS (Chronicle Books, 2009, 80 pages, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Hisako Ogita, and it was originally published in Japanese in 2006. This is its first release in English. Macarons are almond paste and sugar, baked into a cookie that is crisp and a little chewy, and then sandwiched with (usually) cream fillings. There are full instructions on how to make petit macaron pastries, plus combining various puffs and creams (and decorating them). There is a whole section on making the batter, another section on making the creams, and a third section on putting them all together. Oh yes, there is also a fourth section on using up the surplus egg yolks (that’s not a problem, with crème caramel, Bavarian creams, ice cream, and more). There are several hundred pix here in this very entertaining book. A non-book entry is the party kit. I have three – there’s the CHEESE TASTING PARTY KIT, subtitled “everything you need to host your own cheese-tasting party” [except the cheese, of course] from Chronicle Books, 2009, $16.95 US. There are 50 cheese profile cards for common cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Tomme, Camembert, Stilton, Cheddar, Manchego, and the like. The cards describe the milk used, some background, and wine matches. There are also 50 ID cards with toothpicks. And a fold-out informational card with a glossary and data on buying, storing, and pairing. Janet Fletcher wrote this part. For games at parties, you could do no worse than get WINE WARS; a trivia game for wine geeks and wannabes (Chronicle Books, 2009, $19.95 US). It promises to be challenging to all and entertaining. Although it is American based (e.g. “which country leads in wine exports to US?”), it does cover common ground such as growing grapes, making wine, world production, selecting and storing wine, and wine tasting. There are also food matches to identify. 150 cards, 750 questions, 6 game boards, 1 die, and regional maps of the wine world. Watch out for the comparable FOODIE FIGHT; a trivia game for serious food lovers (Chronicle Books, 2009, $19.95 US). It’s similarly setup with Q & A on cards, but it is also more vicious. Other non-book items include MOLLIE KATZEN’S RECIPES: DESSERTS (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 120 pages, $16.95 CAD) in an easel edition. This is a spiral version of a cook book, and it is a collection of 50 dessert recipes. Preps come from her “Moosewood Cookbook” and “Enchanted Broccoli Forest”, but five of them are new. Another easel book (which are great, by the way, since they open up rather well on your kitchen counter) is CINDY PAWLYN’S APPETIZERS (Ten Speed Press, 2009, $17.95 CAD) which only has 40 recipes. Thirty of them come from her “Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook” and “Big Small Plates” book, but there are 10 newer ones. Yet another non-book is the virtually-blank journal. EAT ME; the journal (Chronicle Books, 2009, $16.95 US) is meant for the food- obsessed. It is a book of pages to record your life in food, such as food pleasures and restaurant dining experiences. There are sidebars and lists. Specific blank chapters cover foods from our childhood, our current family foods, top restaurants, top books read on food, dining disasters, kitchen equipment, and wine and cocktails. Useful for creating a track record. There is a category of foodbooks called “little cookbooks”; these are usually placed at POS (point-of-sales) spots. I’ve located a very good collection of quick and easy, from Ryland Peters and Small, all published in 2009. They are 64 or 96 pages each, and sell for $15.95 US, but they are also hard covers, so they look a bit more posh -- especially with the photography and the metric conversion charts. There are about 50 recipes in each. One is COOKING WITH PUMPKINS AND SQUASH (50 recipes) which is also timely since these are still locally available through the winter. Brian Glover is the author; he covers all courses and desserts. Try zucchini and ricotta fritters, roasted squash with leek and barley pilaf, chicken and butternut squash tagine, and spiced pumpkin and apple pie. Another of Glover’s books is COOKING WITH LEMONS & LIMES (29 recipes) which contains mostly classical Mediterranean dishes (pasta with clams, shrimp and lemons; grilled zucchini and feta salad; roast lemon chicken) plus Key Lime pie, lemon curd, and preserved lemons. COOKING WITH APPLES & PEARS (33 recipes) is by Laura Washburn, and includes both sweets and savouries. There are more apple than pear recipes, which reflects popularity levels. Surprisingly, there is only one recipe which includes both apples and pears: a ginger-apple-pear chutney. But, as in Europe, one can always substitute pears for almost every apple dish. LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS (50 recipes) is a guide to feeding your friends and family for next to nothing. It is quite timely. 18 authors from the Ryland stable contributed such preps as cauliflower cheese, fruit crumble, banana bread, and a host of meat dishes. ITALIAN BREADS (28 recipes) is by Maxine Clark, and includes large loaves, ciabatta rolls, flatbreads, focaccia, grissini, pizza dough, and sweet breads. There’s another collection from BBC Books (2009), all on the theme of 101 recipes from British magazines. They are 216 pages each, and retail for $12.95 CAD at a very convenient 5 inch by 6 inch size. Each recipe has a pix of the finished plate, and the style is quick and easy. By Janine Ratcliff there is OLIVE: 101 BRILLIANT BAKING IDEAS, from Olive Magazine in the UK, “classic dishes from around the world”. OLIVE: 101 STYLISH SUPPERS is hyped as a stay-in supper book for foodies in the credit crunch. Jane Hornby wrote 101 MORE ONE-POT DISHES from Good Food Magazine in the UK, as well as 101 SPEEDY SUPPERS. Sarah Cook did 101 CURRIES for the same Good Food Magazine. A good bargain series. Annual calendars are always monster hits and are often appreciated, both the wall and the desk type. The best of the desk are the three “page-a-day” (PAD) calendars from Workman. THE WINE LOVER’S CALENDAR 2010 (Workman, 2009, $16.99 CAD) has been put together by Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible”, with Brooke Cheshier. Saturday and Sunday have been combined on one page. There is a new varietal highlighted each month, tips galore for pouring and tasting, food and wine matching, bargains, pop quizzes, etc. etc. And 100 “must try” wines are highlighted (many can be found in Canada). 365 BOTTLES OF BEER FOR THE YEAR 2010 (Workman, 2009, $16.99 CAD) is by Bob Klein, author of “The Beer Lover’s Rating Guide”. It too has a combined Saturday and Sunday page. Most of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few Canadian brews included. Lights, lagers, ales, porters, stouts, and lambrics – they’re all here. Other material in the PAD includes beer festivals, beer facts, label lore and vocabulary. If you buy any of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other stuff, usually free at www.pageaday.com. For wall calendars, there is GO VEGAN! 2010 Calendar (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009, $14.95 CAD) which has full-colours throughout and is the same size as an LP (remember those?). Susan Kramer has authored many vegan books for this publisher. She appears here in many re-creations of advertisements and movie posters, as an iconic image of the 1940s and 1950s, reworked for modern vegan audiences. There are facts, dates and trivia here. For example, you can celebrate World Vegan Day on November 1. The Vegan Society was started in Great Britain in 1944 (that’s the year they ran out of every food possible). On to the wine annuals. The two leaders are HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2010 (Mitchell Beazley, 2009, 320 pages, $19.99 CAD hard bound) and OZ CLARKE’S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2010 (Sterling Books, 2009, 352 pages, $19.50 CAD hardbound). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. Similarities: Johnson claims more than 6000 wines are listed, while Clarke says more than 7000, but then recommends 4000 producers. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer – this is his 33rd edition -- and has more respect from erudite readers for his exactitude and scholarliness. His book is arranged by region; Clarke’s book is in dictionary, A – Z form (about 1600 main entries). It is really six of one, or half a dozen of another which one to use. Johnson’s entry for Canada is 1.2 pages (big deal). Oz has only one paragraph apiece on Inniskillin, Okanagan (recommending just red wines), and Niagara (recommending just icewines). Both books have notes on the 2008 vintage, along with a closer look at the 2007. It is fun to look at both books and find out where they diverge. As a sidelight, Johnson and Oz are moving into food: there is a 16 page section on food and wine matching in the former, while Oz has 6 pages. Johnson also has a listing of his personal 200 fave wines. Both books could profit from online accessibility or a CD-ROM production. Other wine annuals – mostly paperbacks -- deal with “recommended” wines, not all of the wines in the world. They can afford the space for more in-depth tasting notes (TNs) of what they actually do cover (usually just wines available in their local marketplace). Thus, HAD A GLASS; top 100 wines for 2010 under $20, $25, and $30 (Whitecap, 2009, 168 pages, $19.95 CAD paper covers) is by Kenji Hodgson and James Nevison, the authors of 2003’s “Have a Glass; a modern guide to wine”. They are the British Columbia www.halfaglass.com. Had a Glass (now in its fifth edition) showcases top inexpensive wines available primarily in BC, although those labels with national distribution will also be found in other provinces. They try to pick wines available to match any occasion, and along the way they provide tips on food and wine pairing and stemware. The first fifty pages present all the basics, including food recipes. I am not sure why it is here since the book is really about the top 100 wines. Most readers/buyers will head straight for the listings which follow, one per page, for whites, roses, reds, aperitifs, dessert wines and sparklers. This year, in view of rising prices, they have enlarged their scope to cover wines at $25 and $30. Unfortunately, for Ontario, this is just at the very time that the LCBO is concentrating on the $15 to $19.95 spread, with few wines above $20. There are indexes by countries, by wine, and by food. Tasting notes are pretty bare bones, but each wine does have a label, a price, and some food matches. THE WINE TRIALS 2010 (Fearless Critic, 2009; distr. T.Allen, 225 pages, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Robin Goldstein, with Alexis Nerschkowitsch. Both have food and wine credentials, in addition to authoring restaurant review books and travel books. They have been assisted by 13 named contributing writers and 500 named blind tasters. The object of the book is to come up with hidden wine values. The cover proclaims brown-bag blind tastings for wine values under $15. That’s $15 US, of course, and does not allow for discounts and sales so prevalent in the US marketplace. For example, top rated Segura Viudas Brut Reserva is $8 US national retail. It can be cheaper. In Ontario, it is $14.65, a firm price. So it is possible that a top rated US wine at $20, going on sale for under $15, could be well over $30 in Ontario. Most of the wines sold in Ontario are under $25 – the trick is to find the best ones. This book should give some guidance. They list 150 wines under $15 US that outscored $50 to $150 bottles, using hundreds of blind tasters who filled in a simple form. The authors have lots of material justifying their choices, and there are copious notes for each of the 150 wines. Only about half the wines are available in Ontario, and many are not value priced because of the exchange rate, the LCBO mark-up policy and lack of sales/discounts. THE 500 BEST-VALUE WINES IN THE LCBO 2010 (Whitecap, 2009, 248 pages, $19.95 CAD paper back) takes a more determined run at the wines at the LCBO. This third edition, by Rod Phillips, has wines arranged by wine colour and then by region/country with price and CSPC number. Each value wine gets a rating (the basic is three stars out of five), with an indication of food pairings. A good guidebook, but I’m afraid most people will just look through it for the 5 star selections and leave it at that. Turnover in Ontario must be enormous because this update claims over 200 new wines for a book that deals with just 500. Coverage is limited to LCBO General Purchase wines and LCBO Vintages Essentials, the wines that are available (if only by special order) in every LCBO store. BILLY’S BEST BOTTLES; wines for 2010 (McArthur & Company, 2010, 240 pages, $19.95 CAD soft covers) by Billy Munnelly is back for another round (20th ed), creating more emphasis on wine and food pairing, party planning, and some social manners. There’s some info about country trends and frequently-asked questions about wine. Plus data on Ontario winery tours. His whole concept of wine is organized by Mood, with sections on wine colour and style/weight, and the wines are usually those available at the LCBO. Most should be available across the country. He has over 200 best international wine buys, with most under $20 and many under $12. And there is a wine index at the back where wines are listed by region. Check out www.billysbestbottles.com. ON THE DEAN’S LIST: MY 12TH ANNUAL SURVEY OF FOOD AND WINE-RELATED BOOKS SUITABLE AS HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR THE 2008/9 PARTY PERIOD NOVEMBER 5, 2008 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Ryerson Journalism Professor Emeritus and Gothic Epicures Writing, www.deantudor.com (World Wine Watch Newsletter). Blogs: http://gothicepicuresvincuisine.blogspot.com. http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com. ------ There are so many new food and wine books out there and people have such picky tastes!! What to choose? I have cast about for material and have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook, any host, and any friend. All books and book-like materials that are listed here are RECOMMENDED, and probably can be purchased at a discount via Amazon.Ca or Chapters.Ca (with free delivery on a total purchase of over $39). Price Alert: because of US dollar fluctuations with Canada, all prices quoted are in Yankee dollars. Part One: STOCKING STUFFERS/ANNUALS/CALENDARS ============================================= Stuffers -- Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody’s gift list: something affordable (under $10 - $20) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. Most of the books here are paperbacks. And of course they can stuff an adult stocking. Typical for food are: BRITTLES, BARKS & BONBONS; delicious recipes for quick and easy candy (Chronicle Books, 2008, 96 pages, $16.95 US hard covers) has 40 recipes and an index. These are for every occasion, ranging from gifts to kiddies and family events. Truffles are here, as well as chocolate- dipped fruit. A useful collation, all together. TAPAS (Hamlyn, 2008, 128 pages, $16.95 CAD hard covers) is by Joanna Farrow, a UK cookbook author for Hamlyn and a free-lance food stylist. These are 80 classic and contemporary recipes, with about 200 photos illustrating techniques and the plated dish. Actually, these dishes are more than just “Spanish” – they are little plates, arranged here by all the savoury courses from apps to mains to side dishes. Try duck with saffron and pine nuts or beetroot and potato cakes with anchovies. PUFF; 50 flaky, crunchy, delicious appetizers, entrees, and desserts made with puff pastry (Chronicle Books, 2008, 144 pages, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Martha Holmberg, a food editor and publisher. Her range is from flaky and crispy apps (13) to desserts (21), with some mains (14). You can either use pre-made puff pastry from a bakery or supermarket, or make your own from her recipe. She also provides a “rough puff” demi-feuilletee for those cooks short on time. Try martini straws, arugula-feta-cilantro triangles, smoky sweet chorizo pockets, and avocado spiced chicken and almond pie. CRÈME BRULEE; more than 50 decadent recipes (Whitecap, 2008, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-943-8, $19.95 Canadian soft covers) is by Dominique and Cindy Duby, owners of DC Duby a chocolate atelier, food consultants, an frequent guests on Food Network Canada. They have a basic recipe (but at the back of the book on p.118) plus fifty or so more such as Yukon gold and goat cheese brulee, morels and asparagus with Stilton brulee, apricot saffron brulee, and chocolate orange and candied ginger brulee. There are some wine pairing notes too, mostly ice wines or botrytis wines. Of great interest is chapter eight where the authors help you to design your own crème brulee, offering a list of potential ingredients and their quantities. Other little books, for beverages, include: HOT DRINKS; indulgent hot chocolates, great coffees, soothing teas, spiced punches, and other warming treats for cold days (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2008, 96 pages, $16.95 US hard covers) is by Louise Pickford, an experienced cookbook writer from the UK now living in Australia. We’ll need these hot drinks in the coming cold months of 2009. 75 recipes include Swedish glogg, hot rum and cider punch, and a variety of milk drinks. TINY BUBBLES (Chronicle Books, 2008, 104 pages, $14.95 US) is by Kate Simon, an editor at “Imbibe” magazine. She covers fizzy cocktails for every occasion, using Champagne, Prosecco, cava and other sparkling wines. There are 40 recipes, including the ubiquitous mimosa and “mocktails” made with fizzy water. COFFEE DRINKS (Ten Speed Press, 2008, 128 pages, $14.95 US), by restaurateur Michael Turback, explore the range of custom-crafted possibilities (hot, icy cold, milky, foaming, sweet, spiked, et al). He has 50 preps, many contributed by coffee purveyors and baristas. RED WINE and WHITE WINE (both Ryland, Peters & Small, 2008, 64 pages, $9.95 US) are by Jonathan Ray. Their subtitle is “discovering, exploring, enjoying”. After the usual basic primer material about wines, Ray gives a grape by grape analysis for all the important varieties. These are terrific gifts for that wine fiend who hates either red or white wine: just give the book for the colour that is appreciated. Unless you want to make a joke… Still other smallish books include: THE GREAT CHILES RELLENOS BOOK (Ten Speed Press, 2008, 144 pages, $16.95 US) is by Janos Wilder, once named best Chef in the Southwest by James Beard Foundation. Here are 30 recipes, mostly Mexican, for rellenos, from easy style to complicated. He also has some contemporary versions which he uses in his two Arizona restaurants. 50 GREAT APPETIZERS (Simon & Schuster, 2008, 112 pages, $14.99 US) is a collection of starters, amuses-bouches, antipasti, hors d’oeuvre, mezes, antojitos, dim sum, tapas, canapés, and just plain finger food. Cookbook writer and school instructor Pamela Sheldon Johns has pulled it all together. There is party planning advice, and 10 themed menus for the Middle East, Mexican, vegetarian, and the like. THE GREAT WINGS BOOK (Ten Speed Press, 2008, 144 pages, $16.95 US) is by Hugh Carpenter, a Napa Valley cooking school owner. There are 40 preps here for party-ready chicken wings, plus some recipes for sauces, rubs, marinades, and accompaniment. Flavours embrace pan-Asian, pan- Latin, and US BBQ. Many are hot, some are hotter, but at least you can adjust your own seasoning by doing it yourself -- and save money too. This book helps to fulfill the American fantasy of males gnawing on bones (ribs are another one). VEGAN A GO-GO (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2008, 96 pages, $17.95 CAD) is by Sarah Kramer, whose first three vegan books have sold over 150,000 copies. This book is for vegan travelers who are daunted by looking for relevant food in diners or motel preps. There are 150 recipes here, some adapted from her earlier books. The rest of the material contains information and advice on traveling. There is even a section on “How to Say ‘I Am Vegan’” in numerous languages. The book is small enough to slip into a purse or pocket, with a reinforced cover. And, of course, it is also useful to vegetarians. PASTA and PANINI (both Ten Speed Press, 2008, 112 pages, $14.95 US) are by Carlo Middione, a cooking instructor specializing in writing about southern Italy (he has a Child and a Beard). These two books cover one course each. In PASTA, there are 50 traditional preps and sauces, such as cannelloni in salsa al pomodori, pasta e fagioli, and some contemporary ones he developed for his restaurant. The setup is the same for PANINI, with grilled, not-grilled and open-faced sandwiches using a variety of cheeses, cured and uncured meats, poultry and seafood. You can certainly make a meal with one course of each. About thirty full-colour photos complete the package. Then there is the charming THE RITZ LONDON BOOK OF CHRISTMAS (Ebury Press, 2007, 64 pages, $19.95) which is a reprint of the 1989 classic. It is by Jennie Reekie, and concerns the art and traditions of an Edwardian Christmas. This illustrated collection of some 50 recipes is an elegant celebration of traditional mince meat pies, roast turkey with chestnut and sausage meat stuffing, punches, and the like. The book also forms a mini-history of the British customs at Christmas time. Lots of potted meats and baked goods here. A non-book entry is the collection of 50 recipe cards, often called recipe decks. This year there is THE TEA DECK (Chronicle Books, 2008, 50 cards, $14.95) with cards on how to prepare, serve and enjoy tea. There are tasting notes, tips, and recipes for accompaniments such as buttermilk scones, almond cakes, et al. Next, THE TAGINE DECK (Chronicle Nooks, 2008, 25 single-fold cards, $14.95) has double cards on Moroccan cooking. There are 25 preps here, classic Moroccan and from other regions: pork stew and mole, chicken with pomegranate and walnuts, fish with chick peas and peppers. And THE PICNICS DECK (Clarkson Potter, 2008, 50 cards, $14.95) with tips on planning and cleanup, emphasizing salads, sandwiches, and desserts. Portable recipe cards for portable foods. MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT SOUPS & STEW DECK (Clarkson Potter, 2008, 50 cards, $14.95) emphasizes vegetarian fare, while GREAT COOKIES DECK (Clarkson Potter, 2008, 50 cards, $14.95) by Carole Walter delves into the classics of oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, and toffee nut squares – one per card with a pix and baking techniques. Other non-book items include MOLLIE KTZEN’S RECIPES: SALADS (Ten Speed Press, 2008, 120 pages, $14.95 US) in an easel edition. This is a spiral version of a card deck (see Moosewood above), and it is a collection of 50 salad recipes – which can be added to soups and stews (above). And there is a new CD this season: I LOVE PIE; an opinionated hands-on how-to for making pie crust, biscuit dough, and more, written and narrated by Ann Tudor (Molten Gold, 2008, 65 minutes, $13 includes shipping). This will tell you all you need to know about pie dough. For ordering details, email ann@anntudor.ca Yet another non-book is the virtually-blank journal. I have two for food and three for wine. One food journal is RECIPE FILE (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2008, 144 pages with 8 card pockets, $19.95 spiral binding). You can keep all your loose recipes in one place (unless you have hundreds of them). There are many lined pages for making notes or indexing recipes from books. Space is also available for shopping lists, website directory, and a journal. And there are metric conversion charts for the 52 recipes. There is a quality elastic closure band. Another food book is RECIPE SCRAPBOOK (Duncan Baird, 2008, 75 colour pages, $24.95) somewhat pricier, but featuring lots of room with 16 pockets and printed recipes in a scrapbook format. It also has 80 recipes, good for all courses and beverages. It too comes with a quality elastic closure band for keeping it all together. For an almost blank wine book, try WINE JOURNAL (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2008, 144 pages, $19.95), a reissue of the 2002 book. It has details on planning a cellar, grapes and styles, storing and serving, and room for tasting notes and cellar notes. Advice comes from UK wine writers. There is plenty of space to add your own comments, and pocket dividers are here to add your own notes. This is a spiral binding, with an elastic closure. The similarly named WINE JOURNAL; a companion for wine lovers (Chronicle Books, 2008, 192 page, $30 US paper covers) is by Brian St. Pierre, the author of numerous books on wine. It is a leather-bound guide to the usual primer information about wine, with ample room for jotting down your own notes on all aspects (colour, aroma, flavour, etc.), food and wine pairings and visits to wineries. There is also a bound-in pocket for keeping labels. There is also POCKET PADS FOR WINE LOVERS (Clarkson Potter, 2008, $9.95 for 4 books) a set of four tasting journals, about 3 by 5 inches, stitched. These are portable, to take to the vineyard or to restaurants, to slip into your purse or pocket. The really are good for jotting tasting notes. There are ruled lines for names, vintages, vineyard or restaurant, and notes. There is a category of foodbooks called “little cookbooks”; these are usually placed at POS (point-of-sales) spots. I’ve located a very good collection of quick and easy, from Ryland Peters and Small, all published in 2008. They are 96 pages each, and sell for $15.95 US, but they are also hard covers, so they look a bit more posh -- especially with the photography and the metric conversion charts. There are about 50 recipes in each. One is HOLIDAY COOKIES AND OTHER FESTIVE TREATS (45 recipes) by Linda Collister, with preps such as triple chocolate cookies and lacy brandy snaps (didn’t I go to school with Lacy Brandy?). Iced star cookies are always a treat. PARTY BITES (50 recipes) by Lydia France, has lots of small food. There are preps for dips, finger foods, tartlets, toasts, skewered food, biscuits, breads and some sweet treats. France also throws in some party planning menus and shortcuts. CURRY (51 recipes) by Sunil Vijayakar covers Indian, Thai and Vietnamese versions, from madras to masala and side dishes. Chicken is the most popular, followed by fish. There are also preps for rice, breads, chutneys, kacumber and raita. COOKING WITH PUMPKINS AND SQUASH (50 recipes) is also timely since these are still locally available through the winter. Brian Glover is the author; he covers all courses and desserts. Try zucchini and ricotta fritters, roasted squash with leek and barley pilaf, chicken and butternut squash tagine, and spiced pumpkin and apple pie. There’s another collection from BBC Books, all on the theme of 101 recipes from British magazines. They are 216 pages each, and retail for $12.95 Canadian. And a very convenient 5 inch by 6 inch size. Each recipe has a pix of the finished plate, and the style is quick and easy. By Janine Ratcliff there is OLIVE 101 GLOBAL DISHES, from Olive Magazine in the UK, “classic dishes from around the world”. She also wrote OLIVE 101 QUICK-FIX DISHES, about no-fuss 30 minutes or less food. OLIVE 101 SMART SUPPERS and OLIVE 101 SEASONAL TREATS are authored by Lulu Grimes. The smart suppers have slick ideas for week nights, while the seasons revolve about locally available food. From Angela Nilsen, there is GOOD FOOD 101 MEDITERRANEAN DISHES, from the BBC’s Good Food magazine. Standard classics from both ends of the Sea, emphasizing midweek suppers. All courses are here. Jeni Wright’s GOOD FOOD 101 BEST EVER CHICKEN RECIPES pushes chicken as a perfect convenience food (it cooks quickly): kebabs, risotto, curry, and the like. Annuals -- There is a sub-category of stocking stuffers that is really appreciated by wine and food lovers: the ANNUAL…Most of these books are pocket guides, at least the wine ones are. The food books are regular-sized. But you can wedge them into a stocking -- somehow. BEST OF THE BEST, v11; the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of the year [i.e. 2007] (American Express, 2008, 288 pages, $32.95) has more than 100 recipes, about four from each book, all re-tested. Cookbooks include “Cooking with Jamie” (Jamie Oliver), “Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook”, “The Art of Simple Food” (Alice Waters), and “The Deen Bros. Cookbook”. The books are pretty well divided between Mediterranean, Asian, US South and Southwest, and baking. Twenty brand new “exclusive” recipes have been contributed by these cookbook authors. In addition, there are interviews, quotes, extra reading, and ingredient and technique advice. Websites are listed for even more recipes. This is a great formula annual, with all of the recipes being regularized for format and re-tested. FOOD & WINE ANNUAL COOKBOOK 2008 (American Express, 2008, 408 pages, $29.95) delivers good value in its more than 600 recipes: and then why bother to subscribe to the magazine? There are no adverts here in this book. There are accompanying wine recommendations for just about every prep. The major arrangement is by season. Some categories have been rearranged to allow for a section on fast foods, healthy foods, comfort foods, and “chef recipes for home use”. There is a plethora of advice (50 new ones this year, plus a glossary of accessible wines). Unfortunately, the year covered is 2007, so the book will always be a year behind. On to the wine annuals. The two leaders are HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2009 (Sterling, 2008, 320 pages, $15.95 hard bound) and OZ CLARKE’S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2009 (Harcourt Books, 2008, 344 pages, $15 hardbound). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. Similarities: Johnson claims more than 6000 wines are listed, while Clarke says more than 7000, but then recommends 4000 producers. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer – this is his 32rd edition -- and has more respect from erudite readers for his exactitude and scholarliness. His book is arranged by region; Clarke’s book is in dictionary, A – Z form (about 1600 main entries). It is really six of one, or half a dozen of another which one to use. Johnson’s entry for Canada is 1.2 pages (big deal). Oz has only one paragraph apiece on Inniskillin, Okanagan (recommending just red wines), and Niagara (recommending just icewines). Both books have notes on the 2007 vintage, along with a closer look at the 2006. It is fun to look at both books and find out where they diverge. As a sidelight, Johnson and Oz are now moving into food: there is a 16 page section on food and wine matching in the former, while Oz has 6 pages. Both books could profit from online accessibility or a CD-ROM production. Other wine annuals – mostly paperbacks -- deal with “recommended” wines, not all of the wines in the world. Thus, they can afford the space for more in-depth tasting notes (TNs) of what they actually do cover (usually just wines available in their local marketplace). FOOD & WINE’s WINE GUIDE 2009 (American Express Publishing, 2008, 320 pages, $12.95 paper covers) offers notes on 1000 wines from all over the globe; there are plenty of European wines here. Sections cover the elements of tasting, a Bargain Wine Finder (a listing of 50 rated wines that offer the best value for the price: thankfully, no chardonnays are listed). Also here are food pairing guides, wine country trend reports and the year in wine. Canada is listed along with Mexico and Uruguay. Glossaries, guides, tips, wine and food pairing charts, best of lists – it goes on and on, and his top star producers are highlighted. Many of the wines can also be found in Canada. HAD A GLASS; top 100 wines for 2009 under $20 (Whitecap, 2008, 160 pages, $19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Kenji Hodgson and James Nevison, the authors of 2003’s “Have a Glass; a modern guide to wine”. They are the British Columbia www.halfaglass.com. Had a Glass (now in its fourth edition) showcases top inexpensive wines available primarily in BC, although those labels with national distribution will also be found in other provinces. They try to pick wines available to match any occasion, and along the way they provide tips on food and wine pairing and stemware. The first forty pages present all the basics, including food recipes. I am not sure why it is here since the book is really about the top 100 wines. Most readers/buyers will head straight for the listings which follow, one per page, for whites, roses, reds, aperitifs, dessert wines and sparklers. There are indexes by countries, by wine, and by food. Tasting notes are pretty bare bones, but each wine has a label, a price, and some food matches. BILLY’S BEST BOTTLES wines for 2009 (McArthur & Company, 2008, 185 pages, $21.95 CAD spiral bound) is back for another round (19th ed), creating more emphasis on wine and food pairing, party planning, and some social manners. There’s some info about country trends and frequently-asked questions about wine. The whole thing is organized by wine colour and style/weight, and the wines are usually those available at the LCBO. Most should be available across the country. THE 500 BEST-VALUE WINES IN THE LCBO 2009 (Whitecap, 2009, 256 pages, $19.95 CAD paper back) takes a more determined run at the wines at the LCBO. This second edition, this time by Rod Phillips, is arranged by colour and then by region/country. Each value wine gets a rating (the basic is three stars out of five), with an indication of food pairings. A good guidebook, but I’m afraid most people will just look through it for the 5 star selections and leave it at that. Coverage is limited to General Purchase wines and Vintages Essentials only. FOOD & WINE COCKTAILS 2008 (American Express Publishing, 2008, 232 pages, $18.95 paper covers) is a spirits companion to the wine guide. It keeps tabs on the trendiest nightlife and drinks. These are the top 150 drinks that bartenders get asked for again and again. The arrangement is by type of spirit, and there are plenty of anecdotes. KEVIN ZRALY’S AMERICAN WINE GUIDE 2009 (Sterling, 2008, 246 pages, $16.95 paper covers) tries to cover all 50 United States. It is by the author of the best selling “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course”. Not all wines in his book are derived from grapes; some come from other fruit such as pineapple, rhubarb, pears, apples, and the like. He has maps for each state, with grape-growing areas clearly presented as well as illustrations of noble labels. The accompanying fact box highlights state wine production, the number of wineries producing what types of wines, and the key varietals. There are also wine trails and guides, vineyard tours too. Zraly also has a recap on wine tasting and wine history in the US. Most of the detail is on big state producers, which are (in order of volume) California, Washington, New York, and Oregon. Websites of well-known wineries are also listed. The back of the book has lists of his hot picks and best values under $50. Part Two: ART BOOKS, TRAVEL & EXPENSIVE BOOKS ============================================= Actually, these might be the best books to give a loved one (or yourself, since you are your own best loved one), because most are going to cost you an arm and a leg, even at a discount. Books for the coffee table have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And don’t let the prices daunt you. Most such art books are available at a discount from Amazon.Ca. The books here are mainly wine and travel books, with some elements of food and/or wine… DINING AT DELMONICO’S; the story of America’s oldest restaurant (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2008, 224 pages, $45 hard covers) is an oversized book authored by Judith Choate and James Canora (he’s the current chef at Delmonico’s). This oversized book is a tribute to the resto which turned 170 years old in 2007. The work is filled with nostalgic photos, anecdotes, and food patterns of early New York. The 80 recipes are standard preps for their famous signature dishes, many of them original: lobster Newburg, Manhattan clam chowder, baked Alaska, eggs benedict. Also, of course, Delmonico’s Steak, a 20-ounce prime rib eye, grilled ands topped with herb butter. They claim to be the first US resto to offer tablecloths, private dining rooms, separate wine lists, admission of women, and more. FOOD FESTIVALS OF ITALY; celebrated recipes from 50 food fairs (Gibbs Smith, 2008, 256 pages, $35 hard covers) is by Leonardo Curti, who opened and chefed at Trattoria Grappolo bistro in Santa Ynez, California, in 1997, and by travel and food writer, James O. Fraioli. There are 100 preps, about two related to each festival. Thus, there are sections on garlic festivals, pasta, lentils, fruits and nuts, with a region indicated. It is arranged by course, from antipasti (artichoke in Marche) to primi to secondi (asparagus, dried cod) to dolci (Vin Santo festival). For example, the watermelon festival in Campania is in August, and there are recipes for watermelon granita and Macedonia d’arancia rossa. Excellent photos. FRUIT; edible, inedible, incredible (Firefly Books, 264 pages, $60 CAD hardcover) is by Wolfgang Stuppy and Rob Kesseler, and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Previously, the RBG at Kew had come up with the lavish books “Seeds” and “Pollen”. Here, the authors provide a scientific reference work with a strong art bent. There is an examination of plant reproduction, with many upfront and stunning photos (using special light and scanning electron microscopy). Cross- sections show interiors and pods, pouches, and nuts. The curious will be amazed to discover that a citrus fruit is actually an armoured berry. The close-up photos are artworks in themselves, such as the raspberry photo. No recipes, but a good book for the committed foodie. TURQUOISE; a chef’s travels in Turkey (Chronicle Books, 2008, 356 pages, $50 hard covers) is by Greg and Lucy Malouf, owners of MoMo in Melbourne. They also wrote “Saha” about arabesque and Moorish food. This current book is a landscaped sized production, very heavy, and with both classic and contemporary recipes. Included in the book are spice markets, soup kitchens, the Bosphorus, and teahouses. A lot of the book is travelogue (hundreds of photos), but the recipes deal nicely with Middle Eastern food and variations, such as barberry pilaf stuffing and pistachio halva ice cream. MAGGIE’S HARVEST (Penguin Books, 2008, 736 pages, $75 CAD hard covers) brings together about 350 of Maggie Beer’s recipes. She’s the author of four farmhouse cookbooks (Maggie’s Farm, Maggie’s Orchard, Cooking with Verjuice, and Maggie’s Table). This is Barossa Valley cooking, and the book is arranged by the seasons. Part memoir, part travelogue, part cookbook – the work is a summary of her life since she closed her restaurant in 1993. Good recipes for both figs and chestnuts. Enhancements to the book include an embroidered fabric cover, and you should note that the whole production (on excellent paper stock) weighs in at 5.75 pounds. PIERRE GAGNAIRE; reinventing French cuisine (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2008, 200 pages, $60 US hard covers), first published in France in 2006, is about a chef considered one of the finest in the world. Two of his restos have three Michelin stars. He reflects on his 40-year career. Although there are only 40 recipes here, they are detailed, sometimes convoluted, and illustrated with photographs. In fact, the book is a model for food styling photos. Typical recipes: oyster jelly and duck foie gras, grilled coffee and cardamom veal sweetbreads, and pompadour potatoes with androuillette. The book is organized chronologically, and the recipes from every stage of his life. WILLIAM YEOWARD ON ENTERTAINING (Cico Books, 2008, 176 pages, $40 hard covers) is by a designer renowned world wide for his tableware. Here he weighs in on entertaining, stressing table settings (of course). There are 25 occasions here, each with table settings and menus. Topics include wedding buffets, a Christmas luncheon, a boating lunch, several buffets, a winegrower’s picnic, and more. The book is oversized and heavy, perfect as a coffee table book. NIGELLA CHRISTMAS (Alfred Knopf Canada, 2008, 278 pages, $50 CAD hard covers) is by Nigella Lawson, the diva of British cookbooks. Her fans have apparently been after her for years to do this sort of book. The usual stress is on fun and festivities for family and friends over the holiday period, with a healthy dose of quick and easy and advanced preps. My own advice: get people, especially your kids, to help you in this “communal” season…Her three-part Christmas special will air on the Food Network Canada via cable; this book has been co-published with Chatto and Windus in the UK. Ingredients are listed in metric, and the cuisine is international. It is all here: party apps, cocktails, Christmas cakes (shouldn’t you have started this in May?), homemade presents (again, do this in early Fall when the harvest comes in), edible tree-decorations, yule logs, trifles, and those fab cookies. There are alternative main events beyond the turkey: goose, rib of beef, stuffed rolled pork, vegetarian (roast stuffed pumpkin), even lamb tagine (but not the joint). I hope you like looking at Nigella, because there are a lot of pix of her puttering about. Part Three: MEMOIRS AND HISTORY =============================== For the more literate person, there are the “memoirs” of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non- fiction”, suffering from embellishments and gilding. And also suffering from a lack of indexing, which makes it difficult to find what the writer said about another person or subject. But this also avoids the potential for lawsuits and disjointed noses. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from last year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. Here we go, in no particular order… THE SHAMELESS CARNIVORE; a manifesto for meat lovers (Broadway Books, 2008, 355 pages, $24.95US hard covers) is by Scott Gold, who has worked in publishing. In 2005, he set up www.shamelesscarnivore.com, which forms the basis for this book. The average American consumes 218.3 pounds of meat every year. Gold wants to explore this further, in a fast-paced writing style, especially ethical issues and dietary findings. He tries to answer “can staying carnivorous be more healthful than going vegetarian? What qualities should you look for in a butcher? (to which I would add: can you still find a butcher?). There is a hilarious chapter on eating 31 different meats (including some recipes) in 31 days, hunting squirrels in Louisiana, and being a vegetarian for a painful week. SERVE THE PEOPLE; a stir-fried journey through China (Harcourt, 2008, 341 pages, $24 US hard covers) is by Jen Lin-Liu, a freelance food writer and Beijing cooking school owner. This is a cook’s journey and tour through cooking school to street food to dumpling house to intern cook at a high end Chinese restaurant. Thus, it is a story of her and the people she meets along the way. For some reason, there is excessive log rolling: nine people, including Jan Wong and the Zagats. In the book there are 29 recipes for basic dishes. Well-worth a read. EAT ME; the food and philosophy of Kenny Shopsin (Knopf, 2008, 288 pages, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Shopsin with assistance from Carolynn Carreno. Shopsin (an obviously made up name, linking “shop” and “sin”) is an eccentric, and chef-owner of Shopsin’s in Greenwich Village. It has been around since 1971. The foreword by Calvin Trillin has also been around, since and article in the New Yorker magazine in 2002. This collection of profane rants can be mitigated by the 150 recipes (albeit with NO index: that’s the ultimate insult). This is diner food and comfort food, with basics such as cornmeal-fried green tomatoes and bean polenta melt. He has renamed his luxury pancakes Ho Cakes and Slutty Cakes… WHERE SHALL WE GO FOR DINNER? A food romance (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2007, 281 pages, $37.95 hard covers) is by Tamasin Day-Lewis, UK food writer and TV food host. She wrote a weekly food column for 6 years for the Daily Telegraph; now, she’s a magazine free lance writer. Here are 29 recipes, mainly Italian-inspired. This “food romance” was written with her boy friend Rob Kaufelt of Murray’s Cheese in NYC. They search for the best and unusual food of the regions of the earth. They go to different countries and uncover some gems, meanwhile discoursing on the role of food in their lives. It is part memoir, part love story, with travels to Italy, New York, San Francisco, Ireland, Pyrenees, and the UK. There is also an interesting chapter on boarding school food. WRESTLING WITH GRAVY (Random House, 2008, 352 pages, $16 US soft covers) is a reissue of a 2006 book by Jonathan Reynolds. For five years he write a monthly food column for the NYT Magazine. This is a collection of 39 columns (about three years worth) from that time period. These are all short chapters on life with a recipe or two. No index, so it is hard to retrieve the recipes. ARTISAN FARMING; lessons, lore and recipes (Gibbs Smith, 2008, 160 pages, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Richard Harris and Lisa Fox. It is a charming book about life in New Mexico, with anecdotes and stories from locals in that state. Part-memoir, part-cookbook (there are 50 recipes), the book deals with a history covering 4000 years from the aborigines through to the hippie communes of the 1960s. Harris writes guidebooks, while Fox hosts and produces “Farming in Season” on Taos public radio. Try chile relleno, pozole, enchilada casserole, and corn with squash. APPLES TO OYSTERS; a food lover’s tour of Canadian farms (Viking Canada, 2008, 272 pages, $34 CAD hard covers) is by magazine writer, editor, and instructor Margaret Webb. It is the story of her journey through Canada seeking Canadian quality food, a sort of Canadian Slow Food movement. There are 11 places: oysters in PEI, scallops in Nova Scotia, cod in Newfoundland, hogs in Manitoba, flaxseed in Saskatchewan, cows in Alberta, apples in BC, cheese in PQ, dulse in New Brunswick, Yukon golds in – where else? – the Yukon, and wine in Ontario. These are all artisanal producers who she describes and interviews, many of them organic, all of them sustainable. She points out that successful farmers operate as a team; unsuccessful farmers have to sell their land. She has 25 recipes from across Canada. This is part-memoir since she connects with growing up on a farm and relates family memories to us. Some chapters have been previously published in magazines and newspapers, and my son-in-law was involved with her Nova Scotia adventures. FEED THE HUNGRY (Free Press, 2008, 205 pages, $23 US hard covers) is by novelist Nani Power. This is the “journey of the stomach”, and about three dozen recipes are here. She has had three food jobs: funeral caterer in the Deep US South, a sandwich producer in Rio De Janeiro, and a waitress in the East Village NYC. As she notes, she has a decidedly eccentric Southern US bohemian family. She believes that food consumption is the ultimate American pastime. These are, then, her eating experiences. THE LOST RAVIOLI RECIPES OF HOBOKEN (Penguin, 2008, 331 pages, $15.95 paper covers) is another book in search of US food and family. Here, it is food writer Laura Schenone’s turn. This is an examination of her Italian heritage in her attempt to retrieve her great-grandmother’s ravioli recipe. She ranges from New Jersey to Liguria, and stresses the importance of place. A good family memoir, complete with some recipes, cookbook listings, and resources lists. TASTE; the story of Britain through its cooking (Bloomsbury UK, 2008, 463 pages, $48 CAD hard covers) is by Kate Colquhoun. It is promoted as a “British culinary biography” and it deals with both heavy and light subjects in a standard social history of descriptive narration. You’ll learn why the sale of fruit was banned in 1569 and how the Black Death lead to the beginning of rural baking. The book is illustrated with historical and archival pictures and drawings. There’s a list of historic sires and houses, some end notes, and an extensive bibliography of primary sources. Things are a little slow in the memoir world of wines. I saw only a handful. One was PASSION ON THE VINE; a memoir of food, wine, and family in the heart of Italy (Broadway Books, 2008, 225 pages, $24.95 US hard covers) by Sergio Esposito, a New York city wine merchant. It describes his colourful family life in both Italy and America, plus his subsequent travels in Italy. Another was A VINEYARD IN TUSCANY (Penguin, 2008, 250 pages, $13.95 paper covers) in which two New Yorkers (Candace, a painter, and Ferenc, a writer) begin a new life near Montalcino. They restore a 13th century friary, plant 15 acres of wine, build a winery, and trying to get secrets of great winemaking from Angelo Gaja, a famous neighbour. They now make about 2,000 cases of wines, using sangiovese (2/3 of the estate), cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and merlot. There are also a baker’s dozen recipes. Check out www.matewine.com. THE BILLIONAIRE’S VINEGAR; the mystery of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine (Crown, 2008, 304 pages, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Benjamin Wallace, former executive editor of “Philadelphia” magazine. Wallace tells the story, in an engaging style of a mystery novel, of the bottle of Chateau Lafite 1787 from Thomas Jefferson’s cellar. It is basically a story of greed as investors and wealthy people wanted to buy a piece of history. It came down to two people, the publisher of the “Wine Spectator” and the son of the publisher of “Forbes” (who actually won the bottle for $156,450). It was a fraud of course, and this is also the story of the alleged fraudster Hardy Rodenstock and fake wines in general. There’s no index, so it is hard to piece together the story of the main characters without having to read the book right through. But there are extensive end notes and a list of sources which reads as a who’s who in the wine world. Just the book to read at Christmas, with poverty all about us and the investment world collapsing. Part Four: HUMOUR & NOVELS ========================== What’s a holiday without humour or a novel to curl up with? We seem to have another bumper crop this year… DO TRAVEL WRITERS GO TO HELL? (Three Rivers Press, 2008, 272 pages, $13.95 paper covers) is by Thomas Kohnstamm. There are 12 great chapters here detailing high adventures, questionable ethics, and professional hedonism amongst travel and wine writers. He exposes the sins, the pitfalls, and the excesses of the travel-writing industry, sharing his own trips through Brazil with sex and pills. He was hired in 2004 to contribute to the “Lonely Planet Brazil” guidebook. He soon learned that reality was different from his expectations. An exciting, humourous book. GOURMET SMARTS: feed your mind (Smartsco, 2008, $16.95) is a set of cards, actually 60 questions and answers cards. Together they form a gourmet tips guide, complete with dos and don’ts. There is even a score pad. This fun game has been pulled together by Manny Howard, food writer for New York Times, Food & Wine, and others). There are three topics: lingo, cuisines, and ingredients. It can be addictive, and if you are as smart as I am, you’ll clean up against your friends… THE WINE SNOB’S DICTIONARY; an essential lexicon of oenological knowledge (Broadway Books, 2008, 111 pages, $12.95 paper covers) is a follow-up to last year’s remarkable “The Food Snob’s Dictionary”. David Kamp is back, assisted by David Lynch, once a wine director at Babbo’s Ristorante in NYC. While much of this is funny, they have no idea what “claret” is, nor what “cigar box” is. They also miss the boat on spoofing barrels and treatments. There are no entries for types (French, US) or aging (barrel fermentation, barrel aging). In fact, there is a whole range to satirize here. The true wine snob goes on ad nauseum about barrel character. Most of the parodies are on American wines, French wines, supertuscans, and labels. Still, a good effort that could have been better. THE QUILTER’S KITCHEN; an “Elm Creek Quilts” novel with recipes (Simon and Schuster, 2008, 214 pages, $19.95 hard cover) is by Jennifer Chiaverini. The story is about quilters eager to preserve their culinary heritage. Chef Anna, one of the newest members of the circle of quilters, is to write the official cookbook. It is an elaboration of previously established fictional characters. There is even a metric equivalents page for the avoirdupois ingredients. The 100 basic recipes were created by Sally Sampson, and there is even a recipe index. TURNING TABLES (Dial Press, 2008, 352 pages, $24 hard covers) is by sisters Rose and Heather MacDowell. They are former waiters, so of course much of the book is based on their own experiences. It is a tell all story disguised as a novel, part of the “chick lit” genre. A corporate worker has lost her job, and must survive. She waits tables. Of course, there is a notorious celebrity chef, the restaurant owner’s wife, difficult diners, undercover food critics – life is hell. Can she escape? Of course, but read it first. HIGH TEA (Pocket Books, 2008, 259 pages, $14 US paper covers) is a first novel by Sandra Harper, who has written a cooking column. She also wrote a play, “Maggie’s Tearoom” which enjoyed a run in Los Angeles. So it becomes a spinoff from the play. The characters are warm and informative: a chef, a British expat owner, the waitstaff, and a restaurant critic from the UK. It’s a little like herding cats, but great fun. Recipes are included at the back (unindexed) and there are many tea menus. Part Five: DIET =============== Okay, this is the hard part since we must pay for our sins of overeating during the December period. It is January 1, and the start of a New Year (2009) means new resolutions to keep or break. If you are really comfortable with your friends, you could give them health books for the holiday. At least, you might be able to use them yourself! DIABETES & HEART HEALTHY MEALS FOR TWO; over 150 tasty recipes with half the work (American Diabetes Association, 2008, 226 pages, $18.95 paper covers) is also issued by the American Heart Association. But never let the word “diabetes” put you off. We should be living this diet anyway, even if we are totally healthy. Heart healthy recipes are best of all for diabetics (as studies show). This is a follow-up to the successful 2006 book, “Diabetes & Heart Healthy Cookbook”. But this time, it is 150 recipes for two servings. Leftovers are kept to a minimum. THE GLYCEMIC-LOAD DIET COOKBOOK; 150 recipes to help you lose weight and reverse insulin resistance (McGraw-Hill, 2008, 288 pages, $16.95 paper covers) is a follow-up to the 2006 “Glycemic-Load Diet”. Rob Thompson, MD is back, with new preps co-created with cookbook author Dana Carpender. Here’s a good opportunity to lose weight, cut cravings, speed up metabolism, and manage insulin resistance. The book has many tables of GI foods. Buy all of these books and have a great holiday. Dean Tudor, www.deantudor.com ON THE DEAN’S LIST: MY 11TH ANNUAL SURVEY OF FOOD AND WINE-RELATED BOOKS SUITABLE AS HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR THE 2007/8 PARTY PERIOD NOVEMBER 10, 2007 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Ryerson Journalism Professor Emeritus and Gothic Epicures Writing, www.deantudor.com (World Wine Watch Newsletter). Blog: http://gothicepicuresvincuisine.blogspot.com. ------ For those of us at Gothic Epicures, it gets more difficult each year to match a recipient with a food or wine book gift over the holidays – there are so many new and newish items out there and people, lately at least, have such picky tastes!! I have cast about for material for my newsletters and my Internet site, and I have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook, any host, and any friend. All books and book-like materials are recommended, and probably can be purchased at a discount via Amazon.Ca or Chapters.Ca (with free delivery on a total purchase of over $39). Price Alert: because of US dollar parity and more, the Canadian prices quoted below may actually drop. It will depend on the publisher, or the distributor, or the book store, or the dollar itself. Unfortunately, the GST remains (it will drop one percentage point on January 1, 2008)... Part One: STOCKING STUFFERS/ANNUALS/CALENDARS ============================================= Stuffers -- Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody’s gift list: something affordable (under $10 - $30) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. Most of the books here are paperbacks. And of course they can stuff an adult stocking. Typical is FOOD FOR THOUGHT: fish and feather (Think Books, 2007, 160 pages, $12.95 hard covers) which is a second collection of essays by Brit food writer Simon Courtauld. They had originally appeared as part of his Spector columns. The first collection was “Fruit, Herbs and Vegetables”. Here he observes and describes seafood and poultry. The essays are divided by month (January through December) and the best eating season. There are 51 recipes, in narrative style. A BUTLER’S GUIDE TO TABLE MANNERS (National Trust Books, 2007, 136 pages, $16.95 hard covers) is an etiquette book, British in tone, authored by Nicholas Clayton who has been a butler for 11 years. The book shows how to wine and how to dine, with material on eating habits, dressing habits, cutlery, and table manners. There are diagrams for table placements and folding napkins. There is also an index. THE CURRY COMPANION (Think Books, 2007, 160 pages, $12.95 hard covers) is a deftly presented handbook by Sonja Patel. It purports to tell you all about curries: as she says, the British took India with gunpowder, and India took Britain with curry powder. The spice trail is highlighted, as are the individual spices which go into curry. Recipes are also here. It comes complete with a bookmark ribbon and a bibliography of source material. THE BEST OF MRS. BEETON’S CHRISTMAS (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2007, 250 pages, $16.95 hard bound) has been hived off from her 1861 book – with updates, of course. This is a good book for that Victorian Christmas season. There’s a traditional feast with all the trimmings, baking and party food. There are menus, drinks, and formal table layout. There is even a countdown for the Christmas preps, beginning a year in advance with the pudding. It has been fully updated for freezing and microwaving. Other little books include PATRICIA UNTERMAN’S SAN FRANCISCO FOOD LOVER’S POCKET GUIDE (Ten Speed, 2007, 220 pages, $14.95 paper covers) has more than 600 listings for the best and most interesting eateries, market, and other food-related spots in the region (East Bay, Marin, Napa). THE FOOD LOVER’S GUIDE TO FLORENCE, with culinary excursions in Tuscany (Ten Speed, 2007, 256 pages, $18.95 paper covers) is in its second edition, written by Emily Wise Miller. It purports to be the only travel guide to Tuscany devoted solely to food. There are 100 restaurant reviews (ristorantes, trattorias, enotecas, and gelato shops). She has a glossary and two maps, and for credibility, she is based in Florence. Still other smallish books include FRESH FROM THE OVEN (Hamlyn, 2007, 128 pages, $11.95 paperback) which is an anonymous collection of some 70 recipes for home baking of cakes, muffins and cookies, particularly apt for holidays. ANTIPASTI MADE EASY (New Holland, 2007, 80 pages, $14.95 paper covers), by Abigail Brown and Melissa Webb, is a collection of small Italian dishes suitable for openers. There are about 30 master recipes with variations. For a single food product book, then look no further than EGGPLANT (Sterling, 2007, 128 pages, $17.95 paper covers) by Ofir Jovani. It is a collation of some 75 recipes covering every course. The recipes are all well-chosen classics (stuffed, moussaka, bolognaise lasagna). Then there is the charming GENTLEMAN’S RELISH; a gourmet’s guide (National Trust Books, 2007, 143 pages, $16.95 hard covers) that is packed with the strangest English culinary oddities that you would ever want to read about. That includes “Bovril”, “Piccalilli”, the evil “Marmite”, “Spotted Dick”, “Pickled Walnuts”, “Buck’s Fizz”, etc. There are about 80 of these, all with a little social history and in most cases a recipe. Great fun (and why have many people named their cats after these concoctions?). Calendars are always monster hits and are often appreciated, both the wall and the desk type. The best of the desk are the three “page-a-day” (PAD) calendars from Workman. THE WINE LOVER’S CALENDAR 2008 (Workman, 2007, $13.95) has been put together by Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible”, and Emily K. Bell. There is a new varietal highlighted each month, tips galore for pouring and tasting, food and wine matching, bargains, pop quizzes, etc. etc. And 160 “must try” wines are highlighted. 366 BOTTLES OF BEER FOR THE YEAR 2008 (Workman, 2007, $13.95) is by Bob Klein, author of “The Beer Lover’s Rating Guide”. It’s a Leap Year, so we’ll get one more page. Most of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few Canadian brews included. Lights, lagers, ales, porters, stouts, and lambrics – they’re all here. Other material in the PAD includes beer festivals, beer facts, label lore and vocabulary. If you buy any of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other stuff, usually free at www.pageaday.com. For wall calendars, there is THE COLLECTIBLE TEAPOT & TEA CALENDAR 2008 (Workman, 2007, $15.99) with text by Joni Miller. Size is 12” by 12”. These are vintage teapots arranged in settings, with historical details and lore. The teapots come mainly from company archives. 12 colour postcards are also included. SCOTCH CALENDAR 2008 (Workman, 2008, $17.99) is packaged in a die-cut gift box that doubles as a mailer. It includes six punch-out custom coasters with scotch-themes quotes. Each spread features a photograph of a special bottle plus notes: aroma, appearance, flavour, tasting chart, water source, casking, map, and history of the distillery. Meet Miss March (The Balvenie) and Miss June (The Glenlivet). Another non-book entry is the collection of recipe cards, often called recipe decks. This year there is SEMI-HOMEMADE COOKING (Quirk Books, 2007, 55 two-colour cards and 5 dividers, $19.95 set) is from Sandra Lee who has a Food Network show in combining 70 percent store bought ingredients with 30 percent fresh foods to create a meal at home. The recipes come from her two cookbooks. Check out www.semi-homemade.com. Clarkson Potter has a whole slew of decks, but only four concern food. There is THE CRAFT OF THE COCKTAIL DECK; artful tips and delicious recipes for serving masterful cocktails (Clarkson Potter, 2007, 50 cards, $20 set) is by Dale DeGroff. CHEESE DECK; a connoisseur’s guide to 50 of the world’s best, is by Max McCalman and David Gibbons. It concentrates on choosing, tasting, and sharing 50 cheeses, along with wine pairing. They show how each one is made and who the best producers are; the material is derived from their book CHEESE. TAPAS DECK; 50 little dishes that capture the essence of Spanish cooking, is by Jose Andres, from his book TAPAS. Try the chorizo stewed in cider. SHORT & SWEET DESSERT DECK; 50 mouthwatering recipes with 8 ingredients or less, is by Gale Gand, and come from her books. The cards are tabbed so that you can bring them to the grocery store or prop them up on the counter – a good idea. Other non-book items include WINE LOVERS GIFT TAGS (Crown, 2007, 50 tags, $15 set) which also includes ribbons for attaching the tag. There are three colours for the ribbons, and three sizes for the tags. Different quotes are used on each tag. This is a real charmer of a gift. WINEPARTY; the sniff, swirl, and sip winetasting kit (Quirk Books, 2007, 16 page guide, 24 wine wrappers, 36 stem tags, 12 aroma sheets, tasting notepads, $29.95 set) is fun for a party. The guide tells you how to set it up, plus gives some creative ideas for a party. It also has material on aromas and flavours. It was pulled together by Jennifer Elias and Julie Tucker (both San Francisco) who also did WINESMARTS (Quirk Books, 2007, 12 page booklet, 100 cards, scorepad, $21.95 set), a game of 100 Q and A in categories such as region, grape, and vocabulary. It was created for the novice wine lover. It can be played as a social game at a dinner party – no experience necessary. All details are in the booklet, including a pronunciation guide. These two authors were also involved in WINEPASSPORTS (Quirk Books, 2007, 24- 32 pages, $10.95 each paper covers), a series of five pocket guides with pop-out maps, for California, Italy, France, Portugal (this one authored by Amy Sherman) and “Bubbly”. The grape and region guide gives a brief overview of the country’s forte. There is an explanation of labeling requirements and local wine terminology. Yet another non-book is the journal. I have one for food and two for wine. The food journal is COOK’S RECIPE COLLECTION (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2007, 144 pages with 8 card pockets, $24.95 spiral binding). You can keep all your loose recipes in one place (unless you have hundreds of them). There are many lined pages for making notes or indexing recipes from books. There is a quality elastic closure band. One wine journal is WINENOTES (Quirk Books, 2007, 112 pages, $14.95 paper covers) which is pulled together by Elias and Tucker (see above). It has material on winespeak, pronunciation, glossary, geography of wine, and a quick guide to grapes. There is also a bibliography for more reading, and 50 pages for notes (two wines to a page). It’ll get filled fast, which is unfortunate, and there seems to be no provision for refills. But hey – you can always make photocopies of the lined pages, and just attach them to the main book. Some of the same criticism can be made for TOWN & COUNTRY WINE COMPANION; a tasting guide and journal (Hearst Books, 2007, 175 pages, $14.95 hard covers). Author Ted Loos covers the basics and then some fill-in-the-blank pages for your wines. Each wine page is headed by a significant wine quote. Since they are the same price, I might give the nod to Loos’ book because it is a hard cover edition. There is a category of foodbooks called “little cookbooks”; these are usually placed at POS (point-of-sales) spots. I’ve located a very good collection, from Ryland Peters and Small, all published in 2007. They are 64 pages each, and sell for $15 (cheaper than last year because of the dollar) – but they are also hard covers, so they look a bit more posh -- especially with the photography and the metric conversion charts. There are about 30 recipes in each. First, there’s WRAPS by Jennie Shepter, proposed as an alternative to sandwiches or snacks. These are just the basic wraps and rolls (chicken, spring rolls, lamb wraps, corn flautas, etc. with flour and corn tortillas, chapattis, crepes). Then, there’s DINER (36 recipes) by Jennifer Joyce. There’s nothing much about American diners per se, just the recipes: Manhattan clam chowder, Cobb salad, meatloaf, cheesecake, apple pie, et al. PATES & TERRINES is by Fiona Smith, and embraces pork, chicken, livers, lentils, mushrooms, goat cheese, veggies, and smoked fish. Mousses are also included. OLIVE OIL has only 25 recipes, which includes bagna cauda, sauces, dressings, pesto and pistou. TAPAS covers fish and shellfish, such as garlic shrimp and mussels in overcoats, lamb with lemon, and chorizo in red wine. PUMPKIN, BUTTERNUT & SQUASH by Elsa Petersen-Schepelern includes salads, breads, and cakes – in addition to pies and soups. Zucchini, acorn, hubbard and patty-pan squashes are in the mix. TAGINE by Ghillie Basan is a closely focused book on the Moroccan kitchen, using lamb or chicken or fish or beef. Vegetarians can try a sweet yams and carrots and prunes tagine, or artichoke hearts with peas and saffron. ONE-BOWL MEATS by Tonia George includes eggs and pasta, such as a thin stew for a soup or a thick soup for a stew. Chorizo, meatballs, beef polpetti, chick peas, and tagines are here. Lastly, look at COFFEE INDULGENCES by Susannah Blake, emphasizing dishes with coffee in them as well as dishes to eat with a drink of coffee. Some chocolate is also here. A TASTE OF TEA by Brian Glover only has 4 recipes, but is heavy with basic data about tea, from delicate Oolongs to smoky Souchongs to sweet Darjeelings. Periplus Editions (Ten Speed Press) also has a series, for less money. This publisher specializes in SEA food. WOK COOKING MADE EASY (Periplus, 2007, 128 pages, $12 spiral bound) has easy instructions for stir-frying – and not everything need be done in a wok. There are v65 recipes with good illustrations from all over SE Asia and India, plus websites for more data. QUICK & EASY ASIAN TAPAS AND NOODLES (Periplus Editions, 2007, 128 pages, $12 spiral bound) deals with SEA appetizers and picnic meals, about 60 recipes. It is matched by QUICK & EASY ASIAN VEGETARIAN RECIPES and includes rice and tofu dishes. The spiral binding is always a good idea for the kitchen. There are four other previously published books in this series. There is also the River Cafe pocket book series from Ebury Press, 2007, 192 pages apiece, $23.95 paper covers. Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, founders of the River Cafe in London, have re-packaged and re- positioned recipes from their cookbooks and their restaurant. There is FISH AND SHELLFISH (100 recipes, as in all the books) with basic stuff about grilling, roasting, poaching and curing, as well as salads and risottos. PASTA AND RAVIOLI has 105 recipes, with raw sauces, cheese sauces, vegetarian, fish, meat, gnocchi, and stuffed pasta. SALADS AND VEGETABLES and PUDDINGS, CAKES AND ICE CREAMS complete the quartet. All the books have large print too. Kyle Cathie has a Festive Food series, all 96 pages, $12.95 hard covers, which cover ethnic celebratory foods. Each book provides historical information on its country’s religious, cultural and culinary festivals and holidays. THE FESTIVE FOOD OF CHINA is by Deh-Ta Hsiung, THE FESTIVE FOOD OF FRANCE is by Marie-Pierre Moine, THE FESTIVE FOOD OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN is by Louise Nicholson, THE FESTIVE FOOD OF ITALY is by Maddalena Bonino, THE FESTIVE FOOD OF MEXICO is from Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz, THE FESTIVE FOOD OF SPAIN is from Nicholas Butcher, and THE FESTIVE FOOD OF THAILAND is by Jacki Passmore. There are about 50 colour photos throughout, and about four dozen recipes. Small drink guides abound this season. There is the Mini Bar series from Chronicle Books in San Francisco. Each has been called “A Little Book of Big Drinks”, with 50 recipes for the home bartender. They are about 80 pages in length, with 16 colour photos, and only $9.95 in hard covers. Mittie Helmich has put them all together, at 4” by 5.75”. There is GIN, RUM, TEQUILA, VODKA, and WHISKEY. Another book is HOT DRINKS; cider, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, spiced punch, and spirits (Ten Speed, 2007, 96 pages, $19.95 hard covers), a collection by Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss of 50 hotties for the winter season, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The classics are augmented by new twists such as Hot Root Beer Float or Candy Cane Mojito. WHISKY; a brief history (Facts, Figures and Fun, 2007; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 96 pages, $6.95 hard bound) is by Gavin Smith. He has, ahem, distilled as much as he could to present the techniques, the history, the lore and anecdotes about Scotch whisk. Then he goes on to give background about whiskies of the world and cocktails, festivals and awards, visitors’ centres, statistics, and a bibliography. It’s just too bad that he mentions the Seagram Museum in Waterloo, which has been gone for years... Annuals -- There is a sub-category of stocking stuffers that is really appreciated by wine and food lovers: the ANNUAL…Most of these books are pocket guides, at least the wine ones are. The food books are regular-sized. But you can wedge them into a stocking -- somehow. BEST OF THE BEST, v10; the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of the year [i.e. 2006] (American Express, 2007, 287 pages, $35.95) has more than 100 recipes, about four from each book, all re-tested. Cookbooks include “Biba’s Italy” (Biba Caggiano), “Jamie’s Italy” (Jamie Oliver), “Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook”, “Kitchen Diaries” (Nigel Slater), and four other Italian-themed cookbooks. Twenty brand new recipes have been contributed by the cookbook authors. In addition, there are interviews, quotes, extra reading, and ingredient and technique advice. Websites are listed for even more recipes. This is a great formula annual. FOOD & WINE ANNUAL COOKBOOK 2007 (American Express, 2007, 408 pages, $38.95) delivers good value in its more than 500 recipes: and then why bother to subscribe to the magazine? There are no adverts here in this book. There are accompanying wine recommendations for just about every prep. Some categories have been rearranged to allow for a section on fast foods, healthy foods, comfort foods, and “chef recipes for home use”. There is a plethora of advice (50 new ones this year, plus a glossary of accessible wines). Unfortunately, the year covered is 2006, so the book will always be a year behind. Too bad. On to the wine annuals. The two leaders are HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2008 (Mitchell Beazley, 2007, 304 pages, $17.95 hard bound) and OZ CLARKE’S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2008 (Harcourt Books, 2007, 344 pages, $16.50 hardbound). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. Similarities: Johnson claims more than 6000 wines are listed, while Clarke says more than 7000, but then recommends 4000 producers. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer – this is his 31st edition - - and has more respect from erudite readers for his exactitude and scholarliness. Johnson also gives a thirty year overview, as a sort of celebration of his achievement. Bravo! His book is arranged by region; Clarke’s book is in dictionary, A – Z form (about 1600 main entries). It is really six of one, or half a dozen of another which one to use. Johnson’s entry for Canada is 1.2 pages (big deal). Oz has only one paragraph apiece on Canada, Okanagan (recommending just red wines), and Niagara (recommending just icewines). Both books have notes on the 2006 vintage, along with a closer look at the 2005. It is fun to look at both books and find out where they diverge. Note that Oz is selling for $1.45 less. Both books could profit from online accessibility or a CD- ROM production. Other wine annuals – mostly paperbacks -- deal with “recommended” wines, not all of the wines in the world. Thus, they can afford the space for more in-depth tasting notes (TNs) of what they actually do cover (usually just wines available in their local marketplace). FOOD & WINE’s WINE GUIDE 2008 (American Express Publishing, 2007, 320 pages, $13.95 paper covers) offers notes on 1500 wines from all over the globe; there are plenty of European wines here. Sections cover the elements of tasting, a Bargain Wine Finder (a listing of 50 rated wines that offer the best value for the price: thankfully, only five chardonnays are listed). New to this edition are food pairing guides, wine country trend reports and the year in wine. Canada is listed along with Mexico and Uruguay. Glossaries, guides, tips, wine and food pairing charts, best of lists – it goes on and on, and his top 230 star producers are highlighted. Many of the wines can also be found in Canada. FOOD & WINE COCKTAILS 2007 (American Express Publishing, 2007, 232 pages, $18.95 paper covers) is a spirits companion to the wine guide. It keeps tabs on the trendiest nightlife and drinks. These are the top 150 drinks that bartenders get asked for again and again. The arrangement is by type of spirit, and there are plenty of anecdotes. KEVIN ZRALY’S AMERICAN WINE GUIDE 2008 (Sterling, 2007, 246 pages, $16.95 paper covers) tries to cover all 50 United States. It is by the author of the best selling “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course”. Not all wines in his book are derived from grapes; some come from other fruit such as pineapple, rhubarb, pears, apples, and the like. He has maps for each state, with grape-growing areas clearly presented as well as illustrations of noble labels. The accompanying fact box highlights state wine production, the number of wineries producing what types of wines, and the key varietals. There are also wine trails and guides, vineyard tours too. Zraly also has a recap on wine tasting and wine history in the US. Most of the detail is on big state producers, which are (in order) California, Washington, New York, and Oregon. Websites of well-known wineries are also listed. The back of the book has lists of his hot picks and best values under $50. WINE REPORT 2008 (Dorling Kindersley, 2007, 432 pages, $18 paper covers) is edited by Tom Stevenson, author of The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia and other great and useful reference books. This book reports on what happened during the previous 12 months in the wine business. It will never go out-of-date, so hang onto your copy of the previous year. The Wine Report is a sort of insiders’ guide to the world of wine, with the latest data from each wine region, plus tips on recent vintages and on your wine investments. There are sections for new wine finds, bargains, the latest harvests, wine science and the greatest wines. The contents are arranged by country and region within, with local experts (each credited, and with a photo). Many have MWs. The 40 or so contributors include David Peppercorn on Bordeaux, Clive Coates on Burgundy, Nicholas Belfrage on Italy, Julian Jeffs on Sherry, Dan Berger on California, and our own Tony Aspler on Canada. Each has key top ten type lists of the greatest wine producers, the fastest- improving producers, up and coming producers, best-value producers, greatest quality, best bargains, and “Most exciting or unusual finds”. Part Two: ART BOOKS & EXPENSIVE BOOKS ===================================== Actually, these might be the best books to give a loved one (or yourself, since you are your own best loved one), because most are going to cost you an arm and a leg, even at a discount. Books for the coffee table have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And don’t let the prices daunt you. Most such art books are available at a discount from Amazon.Ca. These books here are mainly wine and travel books, with some elements of food… * AROMAS OF ALEPPO; the legendary cuisine of Syrian Jews (Ecco, 2007; distr. HarperCollins, 388 pages, $52.95 hard covers) is by Poopa Dweck, an expert on Aleppian Jewish cooking. She performs cooking demos and lives in New Jersey. The book weighs five and a third pounds; it is the heaviest book I’ve reviewed this season (and it ships 12 to a carton: that’s 65 pounds a box!)...180 Syrian-based recipes are presented in a historical and cultural context, with material on customs and celebrations and observations. The range is from appetizers to small dishes to daily food to holiday fare (e.g., a 12 course Passover seder). There is a 40 page guide to Syrian Jewish holidays, and six menus, along with historical photos, glossary, and bibliography. This is a very comprehensive package. * MY LAST SUPPER; 50 great chefs and their final meals: portaits, interviews, and recipes (Bloomsbury USA, 2007, 224 pages, $49.95 hard covers) is deliciously described via the subtitle. Unfortunately, the index is only by chef, so you wouldn’t want to use this book in looking for a recipe. Each chef is asked: what would be your last meal? Who would prepare it? Where would it take place? Who would sit with you at the table? The photographs are of chefs in unusual settings, and are worth the price of the book alone. I am not going to spoil the fun by telling you what the chefs want to cook. But I will tell you that there are few women here. Chefs include Anthony Bourdain, Mario Batali, Alain Ducasse, Ferran Adria, Rick Bayless (great pork recipe), Charlie Trotter, Thomas Keller, Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, et al. * THE FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUES OF CLASSIC CUISINE (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007, 496 pages, $90 hard covers) comes from the 20-year old The French Culinary Institute in Manhattan (think Pepin, Immer, Soltner). Contributions came from Alice Waters, Bobby Flay, Alain Sailhac, and a bevy of alumni. Judith Choate is the focusing food writer (“distill it into an accessible book”). There are 650 colour photos and 20 illustrations, and 200 recipes. This book presents the six- and nine- month courses at the FCI, and illustrates 250 basic techniques of French cooking. Each of the sessions opens with theory, moves to techniques, and then creates a demonstration for you to try in the home kitchen. All measurements for each ingredient are in both US volume and metric. There is also a glossary. Be warned: the book is heavy in weight. * THE ART OF DRINKING (Victoria & Albert Publications, 2007, 144 pages, $60 hard covers) has been edited by Phillippa Glanville and Sophie Lee, both researchers and curators at the V and A. Glanville curated “Drink: a history 1690-1920” at the UK National Archives a few years back. Here, she and Lee pull together a lot of visual material (paintings, cartoons, sketches, architect plans) from the past and three dimensional objects (stemware, vessels, tankards, cups) in a stunning array of photography. It celebrates attitudes, ritual and ceremony, drinking establishments, drinks and vessels. The scope is 500 years in the UK; the range of material is principally derived from the V and A, but collectors, auction houses, dealers, and other museums furnished items for discussion. Glanville wrote most of the text, but there are about two dozen other contributors. * FANDANGO; recipes, parties, and license to make magic (Artisan Books, 2007, 314 pages, $49.95 hard covers) is by Sandy Hill, a free lance writer and owner of Rancho La Zaca and Oak Savanna Vineyard. There are 125 recipes contributed by Stephanie Valentine (currently chef at the Vineyard), once a sous chef at Charlie Trotter’s and a chef at Roxanne’s (raw food in San Francisco). They purport to create an environment for true entertaining, and it is a lot of work. This big book is not for the faint of heart. They admit it upfront. Entertaining ain’t easy: no pain, no gain. While the preps look easy enough, they must be done with just fresh ingredients – nothing prepared by others. Here are accounts of memorable parties: rodeos (I’ve just had one in my city backyard, thank you), treasure hunts, shooting skeet, riding horses on the beach, reciting poetry, blind wine tastings, and the like. Recipes also have wine pairing notes, using the Oak Savanna wines and other California wines, beers and spirits. Recipes embrace French, Mexican, Italian, Spanish, and Indian cuisine. A good concept: when the going gets tough, the tough get going... * WHERE FLAVOR WAS BORN; recipes and culinary travels along the Indian Ocean spice route (Chronicle Books, 2007; distr. Raincoast, 287 pages, $51.95 hard covers) is by food writer Andreas Viestad, who is also a TV chef specializing in Scandinavian cooking. He currently lives on a farm outside Cape Town, South Africa. The book weighs just under 4 pounds...The spice route here rims the Indian Ocean and includes the Red Sea. The 100 recipes (all sourced as to country) are augmented by travel material and historical matter for about 20 different countries in the region (India to Australia to Bali to Zanzibar, etc.). It is atmospheric with its street scenes and agricultural farm fields. The arrangement is by spice (cumin, pepper, ginger, chilies, cardamom, and coriander – 14 in all). The book concludes with a bibliography. * NO RESERVATIONS; around the world on an empty stomach (Bloomsbury USA, 2007, 288 pages, $39.95 hard covers) is by bad boy chef Anthony (“Call me Tony”) Bourdain, and is derived from the Discovery Channel series of the same title. Bourdain had previously written eight other books, including Kitchen Confidential and The Nasty Bits. Here are 400 photos with a written opinionated commentary, warts and all. The warts include pictures of hazardous bathrooms, strange and indigenous beverages, and weird looking cooks. Go with Tony on the planes, hotels, boats, and through the jungles. * COUNTRY COOKING OF FRANCE (Chronicle Books, 2007, 392 pages, $59.95 hard covers) is by Anne Willan. It weighs 5.25 pounds, a perfect size for the coffee table. Rustic cuisine is emphasized, with more than 200 recipes, from all regions in France, There is, of course, the cassoulet de Toulouse, Provencal fish stews, savoury tarts, and Alsatian treasures and Burgundian beef stews. There are 270 colour photos, split amongst food styling, markets, and people. There is even sort of a bibliography. * THE TASTE OF FRANCE: 25th anniversary edition (Stewart, Tabori & Change, 2007, 288 pages, $60 hard covers) was first published a quarter-century ago. This tour of France went on to sell 200,000 copies over the years. It now has 375 colour pix and 100 recipes, plus a narrative description of some 14 food regions, as written by Richard Olney, Alan Davidson, Anne Willan, Jill Norman, and others. Robert Freson did the photography; Jacqueline Saulnier researched and adapted the recipes, which have the ingredients expressed in both US volume and metric weight measurements. Part Three: MEMOIRS, HISTORY & TIPS =================================== For the more literate person, there are the “memoirs” of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non- fiction”, suffering from embellishments and gilding. And also suffering from a lack of indexing, which makes it difficult to find what the writer said about another person or subject. But this also avoids the potential for lawsuits and disjointed noses. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from last year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. Here we go, in no particular order… * THE AMATEUR GOURMET; how to shop, chop, and table-hop like a pro (almost) (Bantam Books, 2007, 216 pages, $32 hard covers) is by Adam D. Roberts, who has both a jurisprudence degree and an MFA in writing. Noted logrollers assembled to help this amateur along include the Lee Brothers, Michael Ruhlman, and Clotilde Dusoulier. It’s a good read if you like schadenfreude. Roberts takes readers through everything from slicing and dicing an onion to cooking for a date.. He interviews Amanda Hesser as she tours her pantry, he lunches with Ruth Reichl to get the ten commandments of dining out. There are a dozen or so sourced recipes from Batali, Child, Shere, et al, and the print is large enough so you cannot miss anything. There is more stuff to check out at www.amateurgourmet.com. But unfortunately there is no index to retrieve the tips or the recipes. * KITCHEN WISDOM (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2007, 96 pages, $18.50 hard covers) is by Anne Sheasby. It’s a basic book of tips, advice, hints and tricks, with chapters on staples, flavourings, produce, dairy, and so forth. There is a reference section on food safety and food preserving. What I like about this book is the large typeface; I hate squinting when I am reading for reference. * ALICE WATERS AND CHEZ PANISSE; the romantic, impractical, often eccentric, ultimately brilliant making of a food revolution (Penguin Press, 2007, 336 pages, $35 hard covers) is a biography of both Waters and Chez Panisse, surely the most influential California restaurant in the 1970s. Thomas McNamee has written this “authorized” biography; he had access to her and to her friends, private collections and memorabilia. The story is revealing of how Alice fell into the food business: she was essentially a Francophile replicating Provencal food (as in the name of the resto), quite similar to Julia Child of twenty years earlier. She was the first “foodie”, no doubt about it. But she is now a public figure: chef, activist, advocate, and spokesperson for the good food movements. There are also some recipes and some historical menus. * ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE; a year of food life (HarperCollins, 2007, 370 pages, $33.95 hard covers) is by novelist and essayist Barbara Kingsolver, with her husband academic Steven L. Hopp and teenage daughter Camille Kingsolver. This is the story of a year in which they make every attempt to feed themselves with items whose provenance they know about. They moved from Arizona to a farm in Appalachia. Of course, all of this only works if you live on or close by to a farm, as they did. Hopp contributes the scholarly analysis of the food environment (journalistic investigation) while both Kingsolver women deal with the memoir part. The daughter provides good material on teenage “adjusting”. There are some recipes, a bibliography, a list of organizations and websites (including some from Canada). The book is also available as an audiobook, with readings by the same principals and printable recipes. There are more recipes and resources at www.animalvegetablemiracle.com * COMFORT FOOD FOR BREAKUPS; the memoir of a hungry girl (Arsenal Press, 2007, 171 pages, $19.95 paper covers) is by Marusya Bociurkiw. She’s a fiction writer, film maker, and food blogger. These are vignettes (4 – 5 pages each) about food in her life: how it nourishes, comforts, and heals. There are about a dozen recipes, mainly Ukrainian and Italian food. Some stories have been previously published; many deal with travels throughout the world. * EATING INDIA; an odyssey into the food and culture of the land of spices (Bloomsbury USA, 2007, 304 pages, $30.95 hard covers) is a travel memoir, with cultural history and descriptions of festivals and traditions. Most of the Indian food in North America is based on Punjabi recipes. Chitrita Banerji, a food writer, takes us through the influences of other aspects of India: the Aryan tribes, Greeks, Jews, Mongols, and Arabs who have left their mark on Indian food. Recipes are included. * TABLE TALK; sweet and sour, salt and bitter (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2007, 271 pages, $34.95 hard covers) is a collection of previously published articles by Brit food critic A.A. Gill; they are from his Sunday Times and Tatler columns (four of the latter). He is exuberant about great eating and caustic about poor preps. He suffers from one disease: he is allergic to bad food – and he writes about it. His writings here focus on specific experiences of food fads, tipping, chefs, ingredients, eating in town and country, and eating abroad. They cover the range of a decade, and there is nothing on individual restaurants such as a review or critique. All material has a source date, and there is even an overall index. * THE LAST CHINESE CHEF (Houghton Mifflin, 2007, 288 pages, $32.95) is a novel by Nicole Mones (she write “Lost in Translation”). A food writer is coming to grips with her husband’s premature death. From out of nowhere comes a paternity suit filed against her husband’s estate. Could he have fathered a child while in his firm’s Beijing office? A good read. * THE YEAR OF THE GOAT; 40,000 miles and the quest for the perfect cheese (Lyons Press, 2007, 224 pages, $28.75 hard covers) is by food writer Margaret Hathaway. This memoir explores the possibility of starting a goat farm and fromagerie. Her therapist suggested it: “Take off a year, away from New York city”. She and her boy friend photography Karl Schatz (he took the pictures here; they are now married) went through 43 states in search of the perfect goat cheese. She talks with (and we listen in on) farmers, breeders, cheese makers, and chefs. They now live in Maine, and are involved with the Slow Food movement and the Maine Organic Farmers group. * A PIG IN PROVENCE; good food and simple pleasures in the south of France (Chronicle Books, 2007, 224 pages, $29.95 hard covers) is by Georgeanne Brennan. It is a culinary history from a Beard winner and an IACP winner, but it has still been log rolled by Alice Waters and Frances Mayes. She now runs a seasonal cooking school in Provence. Thirty years ago she relocated her family to the south of France. Each chapter is centered on a traditional Provencal food or meal. Local material includes eight informal recipes plus histories and talks with local people and markets. Things are a little slow in the memoir world of wines. I saw only a handful. One was A DAY IN TUSCANY; more confessions of a Chianti tour guide (Globe Pequot, 2007, 256 pages, $23.75 hard covers) by Dario Castagno, who earlier had written “Too Much Tuscan Sun”. This current book concerns the activities of one spring day in 2005 (they don’t bother to say which day). “The sights he sees and people he meets as he takes a one-mile walk through his village during the course of this day trigger memories of his childhood and adolescence in Tuscany.” He also talks with the village elders and reviews his career as a Tuscan tour guide. Did you know that more than a million Americans visit Tuscany each year? HISTORY ======= Nostalgia and popular history come together in the form of THE TOOTHPICK (Knopf, 2007, 443 pages, $35.95 hard covers) by Henry Petroski, an engineering prof at Duke who has written a dozen other books in popular history (such as The Pencil, The Evolution of Useful Things, and Small Things Considered). This time he goes even smaller, driving the pencil into the toothpick. He begins in Rome with silver toothpicks; in mediaeval Spain it was used by maidens to resist those with an ardent pursuit of the kiss. Charles Forster in 19th century Boston hires Harvard students to create a demand for toothpicks in area restaurants. A modern day factory can churn out 200 million toothpicks a day. A fascinating microstudy. Another useful popular book is TEA; the drink that changed the world (Tuttle Publishing, 2007, 256 pages, $21.50 hard covers) authored by Laura C. Martin, a botanical illustrator and storyteller. The illustrations are black and white, and mainly historical. This basic history comes with added material such as “best times of day for sipping various teas”, a bibliography, and a website listing. For culinary historians, we’ve got plenty this year. * THE LAST FOOD OF ENGLAND: English food – its past present and future (Ebury Press, 2007, 488 pages, $65 hard covers) is by Marwood Yeatman. He and his photographer-wife Anya live in a farmhouse in Hampshire, on two acres, from which they derive fuel, fruit, nuts, and vegetables. They brew their own beer, salt their meat, and bake bread in an original brick oven. The region covered in this book is just England – not Wales, not Scotland. He abhors the words British and Britain. His contention is that English food had a provenance, and that a lot of it still does. He does a deep analysis of regional food, such as Cheddar (cheese), Hereford (cows), Middlehorn beef, and Southdown mutton. For example, he notes that there are thousands of types of apples, and that there are different varieties for eating, for storing, for sauces, for pies, for mincemeat, and for cider. The same for pears. He covers the cattle markets, the local shows, towns and villages, and rural outposts. His people chapters include bacon curers, seine fishermen, and tripe dressers. Other products include historic breads, homemade butters, mediaeval peas, seagulls and eggs. He claims that England has more breeds of livestock and fruit cultivars than any other country in the world. He has some basic recipes and a bibliography (of mostly older books). His history of milling is a compelling read. * THE PANTRY; its history and modern uses (Gibbs Smith,, 96 pages, $20.95 hard covers) is a useful small book. The author, Catherine Seiberling Pond, is a New England architectural historian and writer; she lives in an 1813 home with pantries (plural). It is a basic book with the past, present, and future possibilities for the pantry. She comments on storage solutions, design and layout. Topics include larders, butteries, store rooms, and Victorian farmhouses. There are 75 photos of old adverts, furniture, shelving, and the like. She has more details at http://inthepantry.blogspot.com. * FEAST; why humans share food (Oxford University Press, 2007, 364 pages, $60 hard covers) is by Martin Jones, an archaeologist professor specializing in the study of fragmentary archaeological remains of early food. This is an historical approach to communal dining, ranging from the chimps at a kill to the formal dinners of the 21st century. He covers Roman banquets, TV dinners, and drive-through diners. He also deals with the ecology of the surroundings in his scholarly approach to the history of the meal. There are illustrations, end notes, bibliography, and an index. * AMERICAN FOOD WRITING; an anthology with classic recipes (Penguin, 2007, 753 pages, $50 hard covers) has been collated by Molly O’Neill who was a food columnist for the New York Times – and a major cookbook author. The book is part of the Library of America series; the 50 scattered recipes come from both vintage and modern cookbooks. This book is supposed to present 250 years of US food writing, and not everybody here is a food writer. There is Thoreau on watermelons, Melville on clam chowder, Mencken on hot dogs, Ellison on baked yams, Styron on fried chicken, and Ephron on internecine wars among the food establishment. Food writers include Fisher (oysters), Claiborne (foreign restaurants), Brillat-Savarin (American food), Villas (being a waiter), Bourdain (cooking school days), and Child (early French Chef TV series). There is a bibliography listing for the original source material. * SECRET INGREDIENTS; the New Yorker book of food and drink (Knopf, 2007, 585 pages, $37.95 hard covers) is a selection of essays and fiction from 80 years of the New Yorker. David Remnick, the current editor, did the selecting. Topics: eating in, dining out, foraging, drinks, “tastes funny”, and fiction (e.g. Roald Dahl’s “Taste” from 1951, plus John Cheever). There are 58 in all, with a date supplied for their original appearance in the magazine: A.J. Liebling, Calvin Trillin, James Thurber, M.F.K. Fisher, Anthony Bourdain, John McPhee (but NOT the article on oranges nor on that great chef in New Jersey), and Adam Gopnik. Part Four: HUMOUR & DIET ======================== What’s a holiday without humour? We seem to have another bumper crop this year. DINNER PARTY DISASTERS; true stories of culinary catastrophe (Abrams, 2007, 96 pages, $17.95 hard cover) is by Annaliese Soros with Abigail Stokes. These are true tales of faux pas. Vital facts about each party are followed by a first person account, accompanied by sidebars offering real-life solutions (how to prevent fires, recovering from a hangover, sparking conversation, mending broken furniture). Soros also gives her formula for a goof-proof dinner party which is a perfect mix of guests, food, decor, and entertainment. THE FOOD SNOB’S DICTIONARY; an essential lexicon of gastronomical knowledge (Broadway Books, 2007, 176 pages, $16.95 paper covers) is one of series following on Rock Snobs and Film Snobs. David Kamp, one of the authors, wrote last year’s hit book “The United States of Arugula”. Essentially, this is a bluffer’s guide which has been done before, but now, of course, with the mushrooming information about food, needed to be modernized. This compendium, alphabetically arranged, of food facts, terminology, and names, is not a humourous book, but it does poke fun at foodies. A lot of the material is useful, such as how to pronounce names, definitive histories of foods and restaurants, and terms used. But the sarcasm can be hard to handle, and the sentences written to show usage are, quite frankly, useless. Typical entries include “grassfed beef”, “farmstead cheese”, and “dayboat fish” There are also internal cross-references. Fun to read before dropping off to sleep. ALL GONG AND NO DINNER; home truths and domestic sayings (HarperCollins, 2007, 414 pages, $24.95) is by the Brit wordsmith Nigel Rees; he is the author of over 50 reference books. These are over 1000 homely phrases and curious domestic sayings, illustrating every aspect of home life. They have been organized thematically, from the kitchen to the bedroom. There are topics of food, drink, health, and money. It is a humour portrait of British family life – and it is perfect it you are British, less so if not. There is some US stuff here, offered by comparison. For instance “delivered by the stork” is the same as “found him under a gooseberry bush” or “found under a cabbage patch” (in the US). BTW, the title is a reference to “all talk and no action”. MOONSHINE! (Lark Books, 2007, 176 pages, $19.95 paper covers) is a book all about illegal distillation. There are recipes, “tall tales”, drinking songs, history of moonshine in the US, jokes, techniques on how to make it, hangovers, and evading the law. Matthew b. Rowley is a food writer and historian; he sits on the board of the Southern Foodways Alliance at Ole Miss. There are good historical photos and neat how-to instructions. GASTROANAOMALIES; questionable culinary creations from the golden age of American cookery (Crown Publishers, 2007, 176 pages, $29.95 hard covers) is author James Lileks hysterical follow-u[ to his “The Gallery of Regrettable Food” (2001). This is like volume two, and is a collection of foodstuffs from the mid-century: pizza in the fifties, scalloped ham and potatoes, the “Bacon-Egger” implement, recipes for banana all-bran nut bread, the plate crab, the burning bush, and the like. It is a totally funny compilation of restaurant items, strange cocktails, “international: foods, and old menus. He’s got illustrations from old adverts, and lots of old coloured pictures. DESERT ISLAND WINE (Ambeli Press, 2007, 190 pages, $14.95 paper covers) is by Miles Lambert-Gocs. It is a collection of 28 humourous vignettes on wine. His previous humour book was “Greek Salad” in 2004, from the same publisher. He opens with a CNN-styled interview with Dionysus, followed by profiling of oenophiles as a wildlife species, wine-food combinations, and quality control. There are literary parodies and sinister puns. Good fun... DIET ===== Okay, this is the hard part since we must pay for our sins of overeating during the December period. It is January 1, and the start of a New Year (2008) means new resolutions to keep (or break). If you are really comfortable with your friends, you could give them health books for the holiday. At least, you might be able to use them yourself! * THE TRUTH ABOUT FOOD (Bloomsbury UK, 2007, 240 pages, $34.95 paper covers) is by Jill Fullerton-Smith, a BBC producer of science programs. The title is derived from her TV series of the same name. The show looked at our myths and asked: is drinking eight glasses of water a day really useful? Do blueberries increase intelligence? Her topics are about how to stay healthy, how to stay slim, how to feed the kids, and how to stay young and beautiful. * ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE MAGAZINE’S DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WEIGHT LOSS; 10 healthy ways to permanently shed unwanted pounds. 2d ed. (Celestial Arts, 2007, 320 pages, $23.95 paper covers) is by Ellen Kamhi, a holistic nurse and a clinical instructor at a medical school. The first edition was in 2000. Since then there have been major advances in understanding weight loss and how to keep it off. There are newer ideas here on major diet challenges such as a sluggish thyroid or sugar cravings. She has eating plans, recipes, effective at-home exercises, and detox ideas. * THE EAT-CLEAN DIET COOKBOOK (Robert Kennedy Publishing, 2007; distr. By National Book Network, 344 pages, $23.95 paper covers) is a follow- up to Tosca Reno’s successful earlier book, The Eat-Clean Diet – which had only offered 30 recipes. Here she restates her dieting principles and gives us 150 recipes, emphasizing low-fat meats, protein-rich vegan dishes, gluten-free meals, and nutritional information on all the food that we put into our system. Excellent photographs. Her basic principles: eat six meals a day, drink two litres of water a day, avoid fats and simple carbs, and exercise. Simple...check also www.eatcleandiet.com. * WEIGHTWATCHERS’ ALL-TIME FAVORITES; over 200 best-ever recipes from the WeightWatchers test kitchens (John Wiley, 2007, 336 pages, $35.99 spiral bound) is actually a collection of 225 preps culled from all of their previous books: a sort-of greatest hits anthology. Here are appetizers to desserts, for all kinds of meals. It includes the POINTS system for every recipe and both the Flex Plan and the Core Plan for the whole meal. A good way to start the New Year... Buy all of these books and have a great holiday season. Dean Tudor, www.deantudor.com ON THE DEAN’S LIST: MY 10TH ANNUAL SURVEY OF FOOD AND WINE-RELATED BOOKS SUITABLE AS HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR THE 2006/7 PARTY PERIOD NOVEMBER 2006 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Ryerson Journalism Professor Emeritus and Gothic Epicures Writing, www.deantudor.com (World Wine Watch Newsletter). ------ For those of us at Gothic Epicures, it gets more difficult each year to match a recipient with a food or wine book gift over the holidays – there are so many new and newish items out there and people, lately at least, have such picky tastes!! I have cast the web for material for my newsletters and my Internet site, and I have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook, any host, and any friend…All books and book-like materials are recommended, and probably can be purchased at a discount via Amazon.Ca or Chapters.Ca (with free delivery on a total purchase of over $39) … STOCKING STUFFERS/ANNUALS/CALENDARS =================================== Stuffers -- Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody’s gift list: something affordable (under $10 - $30) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. Most of the books here are paperbacks. And of course they can stuff an adult stocking. Non-book stuffers include spoken-word food CDs. TALES FROM MY TABLE (Molten Gold, 2005, 75 minutes on one Compact Disc, plus 13 recipes in Word, $15) has been developed by Ann Tudor, my wife. This is an original collection of food tales, including “Julia and I” – her take on Julia Child. There is no print version, but of course you can run off the recipes, which are related to the stories. Those who hear it order additional copies for gifts. This is a knockout hostess gift. And surprisingly enough, the CD is a hit with kids who probably miss the storytelling period. Check out www.anntudor.ca for ordering details. Other non-books are calendars, which are always monster hits and often appreciated, both the wall and the desk type. The best of the desk are the three “page-a-day” (PAD) calendars from Workman. THE WINE LOVER’S CALENDAR 2007(Workman, 2006, $15.95) has been put together by Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible”, and Emily K. Bell. There is a new varietal highlighted each month, tips galore for pouring and tasting, food and wine matching, bargains, pop quizzes, etc. etc. And 160 “must try” wines are highlighted. 365 BOTTLES OF BEER FOR THE YEAR 2006 (Workman, 2006, $15.95) is by Bob Klein, author of “The Beer Lover’s Rating Guide”. Most of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few Canadian brews included. Lights, lagers, ales, porters, stouts, and lambrics – they’re all here. Other material in the PAD includes beer festivals, beer facts, label lore and vocabulary. The third PAD is COCKTAILS! (Workman, 2006, $15.95) by Seth Kaufman which is full of toasts and drinking games, as well as recipes (both classic and contemporary), US watering holes, and quotes. If you buy any of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other stuff, usually free at www.pageaday.com. A new addition to the calendars this year is THE CHEZ PANISSE 35TH ANNIVERSARY 2007 ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR (Ten Speed, 2006, $24.95 hard cover), featuring art work and posters by David Lance Gaines and reproductions of his wine labels, menu designs, olive oil labels, coffee labels, and the like. Alice Waters comments on both the restaurant and the art posters. It moves from Monday through Sunday, in the Euro mode, which may bother some people who co-ordinate with wall calendars. Another non-book entry are recipe cards. Gordon Ramsay has two out this year – GORDON RAMSAY’S HOT DINNERS and GORDON RAMSAY’S COOL SWEETS (both from Ten Speed, 2006, 20 recipe cards apiece, $17.95 box each). Each pack also features a shopping list of ingredients. Typical preps include turbot with asparagus and caramelized apple tart. Quirk Books also has two. One is from Mark Bittman (HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING, Quirk Books, 2006, 55 recipe cards, $20.95) with 68 core dishes for all basic courses, and the other from Good Housekeeping (PERFECT DESSERTS, Quirk Books, 2006, 55 recipe cards, $20.95) with 80 recipes in all, featuring the usual classics such as Black Forest cake and Lemon Meringue pie. There is a category of foodbooks called “little cookbooks”; these are usually placed at POS (point-of-sales) spots. I’ve located a very good collection, from Ryland Peters and Small, all published in 2006. They are 64 pages each, and sell for $19.95 – but they are also hard covers, so they look a bit posh. Especially with the photography and the metric conversion charts. First, MEZE, by Greek food writer Rena Salaman, has two dozen Greek and Lebanese recipes, plus dips. Detailed recipes include mussels in saffron lemon sauce. Next, COOKING WITH LEMONS & LIMES, by Brit Brian Glover, covers appetizers, mains and deserts, all in 24 recipes from around the world (Moroccan lamb tagine with preserved lemons and key lime pie). Then, SEAFOOD, assembled in-house, is a small collection of 30 recipes from Clare Ferguson and Elsa Petersen-Schepelan among others. Fourth is ITALIAN SALADS by Maxine Clark. She uses cooked vegetables, fish and seafood, plus meat in the preps, so this is not a fully vegetarian book. 40 preps all told. For something different, try THE ALCHEMISTS’S KITCHEN (Walker and Company, 2006, 64 pages, $12.95 hard covers), subtitled “extraordinary potions and curious notions”. Here are ancient recipes for glues, varnishes, paints, herbal tinctures and oils, all illustrated with marvelous woodcuts. Take a tour of the mediaeval laboratories and kitchens. This book does explain some of the hows and whys of mythical recipes. Some small, nifty pocket reference guides can be useful for furtive browsing to show off your expertise. There is EUROPEAN MENU READER (HarperCollins, 2006, 224 pages, $13.95 paper covers) which covers France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Greece and Great Britain. In addition to dishes and ingredients, there are photos for each country featuring eating places, menus, and essential phrases for ordering food. Just take a quick peek under the table so you won’t have to reveal your ignorance. For the rest of us, it can serve as a quick reference lookup. THE ITTY BITTY KITCHEN HANDBOOK (Broadway Books, 2006, 224 pages, $17.95 paper covers) is handbook in shape, and is meant for cooking in a small place. It has a subtitle: “everything you need to know about setting up and cooking in the most ridiculously small kitchen in the world – your own”. It is meant for apartment and condo dwellers plus college students, empty nesters, owners of boats and RVs – anyone with a small kitchen. A lot of the book deals with set ups; there are only 100 recipes. This is an extremely useful gift for a high-rise hostess. Check out www.ittybittykitchen.com. 21ST CENTURY COOK (Cassell Illustrated, 2006, 480 pages, $25.95 hard bound) is a quick reference guide to ingredients, terms, ethnic cooking, tools and techniques, and pantry staples, all A – Z in arrangement. It has a section on how to read and benefit from a recipe. The size is handy for gifting, and there are handy ribbon markers. The silver cover is a wipe-down and splash-proof cover. If you think that we are all doomed, then check out PANTRY COOKING (Gibbs Smith, 2006, 144 pages, $12.95 paper covers) which emphasizes having a food storage plan, which is certainly useful in case of emergencies or terrorism. Here you can learn how to cook with powdered food (eggs, milk), pouches, and the like. You’ll need to know how to make comprehensive menu plans, a 72- hour survival kit, and snack pack. There is a chapter on cooking without electricity, five weeks of storage menus, and a storage calendar. We all hope that it won’t come to that, but at least we get some guidance for wilderness survival. My question: what do you do after five weeks? Maybe I shouldn’t ask. THE MERE MORTAL’S GUIDE TO FINE DINING (Random House, 2006, 208 pages, $16.95 paper covers) is by Colleen Rush. It has been described as “from salad forks to sommeliers, how to eat and drink in style without fear of faux pas”. Covered are napkin service, wine corks, place settings, table manners, and the like in an easy q and a format. This can be followed by FIERCE FOOD (Plume, 2006, 218 pages, $17.50 paper covers) authored by Christa Weill who claims to have sampled two-thirds of the weird foods described. It has been alphabetically arranged by name, with two to four pages each. Check out armadillo, barnacle, bat, blubber, coconut (?!), dog, dragonfly...She’s been a restaurant reviewer in Paris. I wonder what the etiquette is in devouring Kazakhstan boiled sheep’s head, where the most honoured guest gets the eyeball. Rush doesn’t cover this in her book, above. Another useful reference work, if quirky, is Anneliese Doyle’s THE MIX- AND-MATCH MENU COOKBOOK (Fair Winds, 2006, 224 pages, $29.95 hardcover with concealed wire). Here are 300 recipes to creatively combine for meal service. You’ve got 100 side dishes, 100 mains, and 100 desserts, with the book divided into thirds. Thus, you can mix and match the three courses for 124,000 combinations. You can get your own apps. This is good for 170 years (might I live that much longer!) at two meals a day. I’ll report back when I’ve finished, but meanwhile, the idea seems reasonable for those people at a total loss on what goes into a menu. You could make a game out of it, and just stab at the pages. Everything seems to work, but repetition is bound to occur on a per course basis (“oh, no, not halibut pesto again! Didn’t we just have that with the doughnuts last month?”). Small drink guides abound this season. CHRISTMAS DRINKS (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2006, 64 pages, $9.95 hard covers) may be too late for stocking stuffing, but is okay as a hostess gift. There are 40 recipes to cover all the basics of parties, including Christmas Day brunch, party cocktails, nonalcoholic drinks, winter warmers (good through St. Valentine’s Day), and after-dinner cocktails – good anytime. SHOTS; 50 recipes for little drinks with a big kick (Whitecap, 2006, 96 pages, $12.95 paper covers) is by Allan Gage. The book has large type for the visually impaired. MULLIGAN’S BAR GUIDE (Collins, 2006, 112 pages, $14.95 hard bound) has 350 recipes for cocktails, liqueurs and shooters, plus toasts, Internet links, and a glossary, crossword puzzles, even poetry. MINI BAR: VODKA and MINI BAR: WHISKEY come from Chronicle Books (2006, 80 pages each, $9.95 hard bound) and have been written by Mittie Hellmich who has also written “The Ultimate Bar Book”. Each book has 50 recipes, a history of the product, and a glossary of bar terms, as well as metric conversion charts and index. BEN REED’S BARTENDER GUIDE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2006, 144 pages, $25.95 spiral bound) has over 250 photos and 200 recipes. It is tab indexed, with photos of techniques, and space for your own recipes in a pocket. This is a handy little book from an author who claims to have sold over a half million bar books. DRINKOLOGY EATS (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2006, 2006, 384 pages, $28.95) is another in the successful Drinkology series. Here authors James Waller and Ramona Ponce concentrate on food suitable for cocktails (Champagne brunches, beer bashes, drink-themed parties, pub grub, nightcaps) – little bites and nibbles, easy to make aheads, including a recipe for homemade potato chips. Garnishes are covered, as well as wine and cheese pairings. Two hundred recipes are accompanied by a ribbon bookmark. Classy job. HEMINGWAY & BAILEY’S BARTENDING GUIDE TO GREAT AMERICAN WRITERS (Algonquin Books, 2006, 97 pages, $21.95) deals with 43 US writers and the 43 drinks that they preferred. Here is Hemingway’s Mojito, O’Neill’s Gibson, Dorothy Parker’s Champagne cocktail, Sinclair Lewis, John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac, et al. Each gets a brief bio, a caricature drawing, a drink recipe, and a literary extract related to drinking. Great fun. In the wine world, there is HIDDEN SONOMA (Welcome Books, 2006, 144 pages, $26.50 paper covers) which has photos by Wes Walker; it follows on 2004’s “Hidden Napa” and some wall calendars. The pix are accompanied by quotes and poems, plus insights from local vintners, chefs, wine connoisseurs, and literary figures. Try also SECRETS FROM THE WINE DIVA (Sterling, 2006, 208 pages, $19.95 paper covers), by Christine Ansbacher, a certified American wine educator and consultant to corporations. Here she reveals her secrets and tips about wines, such as how to make a cheap wine taste better, how to avoid a red wine headache, how to determine a fair price for a bottle of wine at a restaurant, what wine to drink with Chinese food, reading the label, etc. She has 45 pages on matching food and wine with specific principles (including umami). It is, though, unfortunately named with a cover which also is appealing to women (all pink and frilly): but men can use it too. MR. CHEAP’S GUIDE TO WINE (Adams Media, 2006, 266 pages, $12.95 paper covers) has some material sourced from the larger EVERYTHING WINE BOOK (2005) but concentrates mainly on the “champagne taste with a beer budget” syndrome. Well, it can’t be done, but you will certainly have fun doing it. We don’t get to the actual meat until p128. Up to then, it is mainly a quick guide to wine styles. It is both a guide to modestly priced wines (around $10 US in the US market) and where (and how) to find wines on sale in the US and online. Still, there are some good recommendations. Then WINE WIT AND WISDOM (Think Books, 2006, 160 pages, $12.95 hard covers) is an impressive collation of literary trivia, put together by three authors. The book explains the difference between aroma and bouquet, biodynamic and organic, and other distinctions. There are classic food recipes which use wine, quotations, cartoons, wine labels, and other wine-related artwork, plus medicinal use of wine. And it is all indexed for easier retrieval. There is also the jaunt through the whimsical world of wine in A WINE MISCELLANY (Clarkson Potter, 2006, 176 pages, $22.95 hard covers) from Graham Harding who is chair of the UK’s Oxford Wine Club. These are facts and trivia about wine, and – good heavens – it has an index! Check out what he says about Robert Parker; there are seven references. For whatever reason, the entire promotion for this book (according to the catalogue) is through food and wine blogs and appreciation websites. If whisky is your cup of tea, so to speak, then check out THE WHISKY COMPANION (Think Books, 2006, 160 pages, $12.95 hard covers) which also has trivia such as how many different malts are blended into Dewar’s White Label, or mixing gunpowder with whisky. Plus many anecdotes and quotations from the usual great writers (Twain, Lawrence, et al.) plus cocktail recipes. Oh, yes, and also cartoons. The highlight of the wine stocking stuffers this season is the new series of pocket guides from DK. They are called TOP 10 WINES, and there is one for each country or region, beginning with Australia and New Zealand, followed by France, Italy, and USA (including Canada). Each book has 160 pages, $17 paper covers, and plenty of illustrative materials such as photos and maps. They are accessible and easy-to-use, and are full of top 10 lists for each country: 10 Greatest Red Wines, 10 Wines for Festive Occasions, 10 Best-kept Secret Wines, 10 Greatest White Wines, 10 Best Wine Producers, 10 Best Wines for Storing, etc. Texts are written in-house by the DK team, and Master Sommelier Vincent Gasnier created the top 10 lists. The books start with the major wine laws and then move through the regions; the texts are based on DK’s “Wines of the World” published in 2004. These are spin-offs, but are extremely useful if you are only interested in particular countries or if you want to give a gift to someone who is only interested in certain regions. Quite a nice series of books, and it is gratifying to see that the USA book also reaches out to BC and Niagara. Another useful wine guide in this price range is THE WINEACCESS BUYER’S GUIDE (Sterling Publishing, 2006, 320 pages, $19.95 paper covers) by respected wine critic Stephen Tanzer, editor and publisher of International Wine Cellar. It’s a basic guide to the world’s best wines and where to find them, albeit in the US. The producers here are all recommendations, and there are some general tasting notes. Canada is not covered at all (so much for icewine). The price includes a one year free subscription to WineAccess CellarNotes (www.wineaccess.com/specialoffer). Neither the book nor the company is associated with the Canadian magazine, Wine Access (www.wineaccess.ca). For the spirits consumer, try SINGLE MALT AND SCOTCH WHISKY (Black Dog and Leventhal, 2006, 199 pages, $19.95 hard covers). It’s a guide to both single malt and blended Scotch, originally published in 1997. It has been revised and updated. In addition to the basic history and production of Scotch, there is an alphabetically arranged directory of single malts, with the usual travel data of names and numbers plus tasting notes. Lots of colour photos, especially of bottles and labels. Bargain priced book. For the non-drinker, you might want to consider FINE WATERS (Quirk Books, 2006, 192 pages, $30.95) which, like many bottled waters, is overpriced. Still, it covers 100 popular brands found in North America. Six are from Canada, although the US waters have the snazzier labels (Bling H20, Famous Crazy Waters). Each is described and there is a colour photo of the bottle’s label. This is a US$9-billion industry in the US alone, so pay attention to Michael Mascha’s notes on matching or pairing water with food, or conducting a water tasting. More details are at www.finewaters.com Annuals -- There is a sub-category of stocking stuffers that is really appreciated by wine and food lovers: the ANNUAL…Most of these books are pocket guides, at least the wine ones are. The food books are regular-sized. But you can wedge them into a stocking -- somehow. One of the most useful is THE 150 BEST AMERICAN RECIPES; indispensable dishes from legendary chefs and undiscovered cooks (Houghton Mifflin, 2006, 352 pages, $39.95 hard covers) which has been assembled by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens, both cookbook editors and series editors for “Best American Recipes”, the decade old publishing phenomenon. This current book is a summation, a best of the decade, and is well-worth seeking out. There is a long list of credits which form a great bibliography of the best (if you are not John Thorne) cookbooks of the previous decade: Thomas Keller, Alice Waters, Jamie Oliver, Judy Rodgers, Rick Bayless, Paula Wolfert (beware Thorne), and more. BEST OF THE BEST, v9; the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of the year [i.e. 2005] (American Express, 2006, 287 pages, $38.95) is similarly shaped. Here are more than 100 recipes, about four from each book, all re-tested. Cookbooks include “Grilling for Life” (Bobby Flay), “Paula Deen and Friends”, “Brunch” (Marc Meyer), “Mexican Everyday” (Rick Bayless), “Cooking of Southwest France” (Wolfert) and “Mango and Curry Leaves” (Alford & Duguid from Canada). Twenty brand new recipes have been contributed by the cookbook authors. In addition, there are interviews, quotes, extra reading, and ingredient and technique advice. Websites are listed for even more recipes. FOOD & WINE ANNUAL COOKBOOK 2006 (American Express, 2006, 408 pages, $42.95) delivers good value in its 600 recipes: and then why bother to subscribe to the magazine? There are no adverts here in this book. There are accompanying wine recommendations for just about every prep. Some categories have been rearranged to allow for a section on fast foods, healthy foods, comfort foods, and “chef recipes for home use”. There is a plethora of advice (50 new ones this year, plus a glossary of accessible wines). Unfortunately, the year in mind is 2005, so the book will always be a year behind. Too bad. On to the wine annuals. The two leaders are HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2007 (Mitchell Beazley, 2006, 288 pages, $19.95 hard bound) and OZ CLARKE’S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2007 (Harcourt Books, 2006, 344 pages, $17.95 hardbound). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. Similarities: Johnson claims more than 6000 wines are listed, while Clarke says 7000, but then recommends 4000 producers. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer – this is his thirtieth edition -- and has more respect for his exactitude and scholarliness. Johnson also gives a thirty year overview, as a sort of celebration of his achievement. Bravo! His book is arranged by region; Clarke’s book is in dictionary, A – Z form (about 1600 main entries). It is really six of one, or half a dozen of another which one to use. Johnson’s entry for Canada climbed from 49 lines to 1.2 pages (big deal), but there are a few errors and typos due to editorial carelessness. Oz has only one paragraph apiece on Canada, Okanagan, and Niagara. Both books have notes on the 2005 vintage, along with a closer look at the 2004. It is fun to look at both books and find out where they diverge. Note that Ozzie is selling for two bucks less. Both books could profit from online accessibility or a CD-ROM production. Other wine annuals – mostly paperbacks -- deal with “recommended” wines, not all of the wines in the world. Thus, they can afford the space for more in-depth tasting notes (TNs) of what they actually do cover (usually just wines available in their local marketplace). THE WINE LIST 2007; the top 250 wines of the year (Headline Books, 2006, 256 pages, $24.95) is by Matthew Jukes, wine writer for the Daily Mail. His annual has been published since 2001. Although the book is British in orientation, the 250 wines chosen as the best usually appear in Canada. Full TNs, along with advice on food matching with wines and a gazetteer of the best wine estates in the world. The six major categories are covered (red, white, rose, sparkling, sweet, and fortified). And there is advice on food matching. ANDREA ROBINSON’S 2007 WINE BUYING GUIDE FOR EVERYONE (Broadway Books, 2006, 230 pages, $16.95) which is her fifth edition. She was formerly known as Andrea Immer. The book is 25 pages shorter and a buck cheaper this year. She looks at 800 top wines as found in many US stores and regular restaurants. Her choices are also available in Canada from time to time (200 wines were changed this year from the 2006 edition). There are comments on each wine from both consumers and wine trade professionals, along with TNs and a pronunciation guide. She has a lot of New World wines, but then, that’s what most Yankees are drinking. Missing this year is the section on newer trends. FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE’S WINE GUIDE 2007 (American Express, 2006, 320 pages, $15.95) offers notes on 1400 wines from all over the globe; there are plenty of European wines here. Sections cover the elements of tasting, a Wine Value Finder (a listing of 50 rated wines that offer the best value for the price: thankfully, only one chardonnay is listed). New this edition are wine country trend reports. Glossaries, guides, tips, wine and food pairing charts, best of lists – it goes on and on, and his top 230 star producers are highlighted. Again, many of the wines can be found in Canada. ANTHONY DIAS BLUE’S POCKET GUIDE TO WINE 2007 (Fireside, 2006, 357 pages, $19.99 paper covers) concentrates on US wines (they make up 75 percent of US wine sales), with material on the close competition of the New World (Chile, Australia, South Africa), followed by the Old World. Canada gets three pages, about the same text length as Johnson has (Blue’s font size is larger). It’s all here: key facts, best wines, overall ratings, even some downside comments (“tend to lack flair”), and the usual wine background notes and vintage charts. This is the second year for the book. WINE REPORT 2007 (Dorling Kindersley, 2006, 432 pages, $20 paper covers) is edited by Tom Stevenson, author of The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia and other great and useful reference books. This book reports on what happened during the previous 12 months in the wine business. It will never go out-of-date, so hang onto your copy of the previous year. The Wine Report is a sort of insiders’ guide to the world of wine, with the latest data from each wine region, plus tips on recent vintages and on your wine investments. There are sections for new wine finds, bargains, the latest harvests, wine science and the greatest wines. The contents are arranged by country and region within, with local experts (each credited, and with a photo). Many have MWs. The 43 contributors include David Peppercorn on Bordeaux, Clive Coates on Burgundy, Nicholas Belfrage on Italy, Julian Jeffs on Sherry, Dan Berger on California, and our own Tony Aspler on Canada. Each has key top ten type lists of the greatest wine producers, the fastest- improving producers, up and coming producers, best-value producers, greatest quality, best bargains, and “Most exciting or unusual finds”. EXPENSIVE and ART BOOKS ======================= Actually, these might be the best books to give a loved one (or yourself, since you are your own best loved one), because most are going to cost you an arm and a leg, even at a discount. Books for the coffee table have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And don’t let the prices daunt you. Most such art books are available at a discount from Amazon.Ca. These books here are mainly wine and travel books, with some elements of food… TEA (Chronicle Books, 2006, 192 pages, $50 hard covers) is by agronomist Lydia Gautier, the founder of the Ecole du The. She trains professionals in the perfumery and wine-stewarding sectors. Here, she mixes travel with tea-tasting and cosmetic usage. She sets out the principles of tasting tea, with recipes for both consumption and cosmetic applications. These are illustrated with photos, although the travel component has many more pictures, Well-worth a peek. CHINESE FEASTS & FESTIVALS; a cookbook (Periplus, 2006; distr. Ten Speed Press, 144 pages, ISBN 0-7946-0317-3, $31.95 hard covers) is by S.C. Moey, a freelance food writer and illustrator living in Penang (Malaysia). There are superb illustrations on every page to accompany the useful recipes. Note the reasonable price. PROVENCE HARVEST (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005, 254 pages, $56 hard bound) is by Louisa Jones, with 40 recipes by Jacques Chibois. It was originally published in France in 2004. This art book covers houses, gardens, and quality food of the region, including the lemons of Menton. Both Jones and Chibois have lived in the region most of their lives. Plenty of gastro porn pictures here for the ardent traveler and foodie. The bibliography is mostly in French, but there are indexes for recipes and ingredients. HOTEL AS HOME; the art of living on the road (Princeton Architectural Press, 2006, 248 pages, $37.95 paper covers) is by architect Gary Chang a professional traveler who spends over 120 days a year in hotels. Here he documents his faves, with lavish photos and small floor plans. He covers Hotel Le Corbusier in Marseilles, Soho House in New York, and W Hotel in Sydney, among others. An unusual book, to say the least. THE PARTING GLASS (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2006, 144 pages, $41.95 hardbound) is by Eric Roth with Eileen McNamara. He shoots assignments for interior design books and magazines; she’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Boston Globe newspaper. Together they have produced an opulent and nostalgic guide to 43 of Ireland’s city and countryside pubs. There are 75 photos, but no recipes. THE FOOD OF...series is a culinary journey around the world. The uniform series is British in origin, all edited by Kay Halsey. Each features more than 100 classic recipes along with colour photos to explore the core of each culture’s food and special cooking techniques. There is THE FOOD OF THAILAND (Whitecap, 2006, 296 pages, $34.95, paper covers) with recipes from a UK Thai food writer; THE FOOD OF CHINA (Whitecap, 2006, 296 pages, $34.95 paper covers) with some recipes by Nina Simmonds; and THE FOOD OF FRANCE (Whitecap, 2006, 296 pages, $34.95 paper covers), with details on cheeses and wines. Each book is oversized, and reasonably priced. Another food series is from Random House Canada. They are meant for the traveling food lover, sourcing the best of the local place. Both books here – on Paris and Rome – cover 250 destinations in each city, plus 40 recipes and 200 colour photos and maps. THE FOOD LOVER’S GUIDE TO THE GOURMET SECRETS OF PARIS (Universe, 2006, 208 pages, $60 hard covers) is by Kate Whiteman. She deals with French bistros, local markets on the Left Bank, the neighbourhoods of the Eiffel Tower and the Bastille, as well as specialty shops. THE FOOD LOVER’S GUIDE TO THE GOURMET SECRETS OF ROME (Universe, 2006, 208 pages, $60 hard covers) is by Diane Seed. She uses the same approach to deal with the Roman markets, trattorias, upscale restaurants, bakeries, etc. Each book divides the city covered into relative neighbourhoods for ease of digestion. THE SEVEN SINS OF CHOCOLATE (DK Books, 2006, 128 pages, $65 hard covers) has decadent photography by Thomas Dhellemmes on its oversized pages. 60 desserts are grouped by sin (e.g., lust, gluttony, sloth, anger, pride). Recipes are by Laurent Schott, and there is a removable recipe book so you’ll never need to dirty the master book. Gastroporn at its finest! OPERA LOVER’S COOKBOOK; menus for elegant entertaining (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2006, 224 pages, $45 hard covers) has been assembled by Francine Segan, a culinary historian and food writer, “in association with the Metropolitan Opera Guild”. Each theme and menu concerns opera. There a production for a five-course dinner, a brunch, a dessert party – scored to a particular operatic motif, Operas set in Spain, for example, are in the background for a tapas fiesta. The worldliness of Puccini inspires an international buffet. Verdi and La Traviata become a rustic Italian dinner. Gilbert and Sullivan translate into an English pub supper. 125 recipes, with all the gastroporn food and opera production photos. MADE IN ITALY (Fourth Estate, 2006, 623 pages, $59.95 hard covers) is a fat book by Giorgio Locatelli (with Sheila Keating) of UK’s Locanda restaurant. This is part of the Slow Food movement, with traditional recipes (about 200 of them) using DOP and IGP food where possible. The introductory text has material about the state of Italian food today, and there are full-size portrait pictures of farmers, chefs and cooks. Two ribbon bookmarks complete the package. LAROUSSE GASTRONOMIQUE RECIPE COLLECTION: four books (Clarkson Potter, 2006, 1536 pages, $110 hard covers) is the British Hamlyn translation, here available for the North American market. The recipe collection offers 2500 preps from the guide, first published in 1938, in a four- book boxed set. One volume deals with meats, another with seafood, a third with veggies, and a fourth with desserts. I suppose you could crack the box and offer the set to four different hostesses… NAPA STORIES (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2006, 312 pages, $70 hard covers) is a coffee table book originally published a few years back. It went out-of-print, but now it is back again, authored by Michael Chiarello (TV chef) and Janet Fletcher (food writer) with Steven Rothfeld’s photos. It is an insider’s look at the story of Napa Valley winemaking through interviews with more than 20 vintners (Mondavi, Trefethen, Duckhorn, Turley. et al.). 150 colour photos, some cultural history, and six menus (20 recipes in all). COGNAC (Cassell Illustrated, 2006, 272 pages, $35.95, paper covers) is a plush paperback reissue with flaps, written by Salvatore Calabrese, a British bar manager. There are over sixty pix, with large print and leading for us older folks to enjoy the magic of the elixir. It is a basic history of the region, a summary of the distillation processes, and a tasting session all rolled into one. CHATEAU MARGAUX Revised edition (Flammarion, 2005; distr. Random House, 160 pages, $70 hard bound) is edited by Nicholas Faith, who has published numerous books on French wines and spirits (Cognac, Champagne, Burgundy, et al). This current book was first published in English in 1980 by Christie’s Wine Publications. Over the years it has undergone several revisions in both French and English, with new contributors. It is basically a visual tour of the estate and vineyards, which descriptions of the people who work and live there. This edition has been revised and updated by Corinne Mentzelopoulos (the current owner), Paul Pontallier, and Aurelie Chobert. Others include Jean Dethier on the architecture, and sommeliers Georges Lepre, Markus Del Monego, and Shinya Tasaki on food and wine matching. The final section offers a useful chronology and assessment of the vintages from 1771 to the present, by the current cellar master for Chateau Margaux, Pavillon Rouge, and Pavillon Blanc. PERFECT TABLES (CICO Books, 2006, 160 pages, $39.95 hard covers) is by tabletop designer William Yeoward who shows us all how to set a proper table. He opens with an essentials chapter, for the basic linen, china, silver, and glass. Then he offers 24 themed celebrations (Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, summer wedding, child’s birthday, breakfast tray). Detail, colour and inspiration are revealed. You’ll also need a sense fabrics and centerpieces and lighting. LAYING THE ELEGANT TABLE (Rizzoli, 2006, 184 pages, $54 hard covers) is by Ines Heugel, a decorative arts writer who publishes regularly in Elle Decoration and Marie-Claire Maison. It was originally published in France. Profiled in the book are different types of plates, stemware, flatware, serving platters, soup tureens, serving trays, chafing dishes, egg cups, napkin holders, centrepieces, Faience, Majolica, tea sets, candelabra. She gives a brief history of each important manufacturer and craftsman. Excellent photographs, with reproductions of vintage engravings and lithographs. MEMOIRS AND TIPS ================= For the more literate person, there are the “memoirs” of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non- fiction”, suffering from embellishments and gilding. And also suffering from a lack of indexing, which makes it difficult to find what the writer said about another person or subject. But this also avoids the potential for lawsuits and disjointed noses. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from last year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. Here we go, in no particular order… HOW I LEARNED TO COOK (Bloomsbury USA, 2006, 309 pages, $29.95 hard covers) has been collated and compiled by Kimberly Witherspoon and Peter Meehan, the same team who brought you last year’s “Don’t Try This at Home” (chef’s stories of disasters in the kitchen). This time the trendy chefs of today tell us how they first started cooking, and the tales range from amateur disasters to amateur triumphs. This is outright confession time from forty chefs such as Ferran Adria, Rick Bayless, Marcella Hazan, Anthony Bourdain, and Michel Roux. Unfortunately, Rachel Ray did not make the cut. Maybe next year’s book will be “How I Auditioned for the Food Network”? MAKING GOOD; the inspiring story if a serial entrepreneur, maverick, and restaurateur (Capstone Publishing, 2006, 213 pages, $35.99 paper covers) is the story of the remarkable climb of fishmonger-cum- restaurateur Tony Allan, in his own words, up to the UK Sunday Times Rich List and a television program. Compelling reading, lots of anecdotes, and entirely British. SLOW FOOD REVOLUTION (Rizzoli, 2006, 312 pages, $24.95 hard covers) is by Carlo Petrini in conversation with Gigi Padovani. It was originally published in Italian in 2005. This is the definitive history of Slow Food, since Petrini was the founder in 1986. It now has 85,000 members in 45 countries, and has been described as the “WWF of endangered food and wine”. It is also a guide to organic gastronomic living, emphasizing the practices and traditions of global ethnic cuisines. Artisans abound, and while Slow Food is a forceful movement, unfortunately there is not enough of it around to feed the entire world. Petrini would never say it, but there is the whiff of stature here. THE DEVIL’S PICNIC (HarperCollins, 2006, 360 pages, $34.95 hard covers) is by Taras Grescoe, a Montreal author and occasional food writer. This is his account of going around the world in pursuit of “forbidden fruit”, and as such it forms a social history of prohibited foods. He looks at nine items, as a sort of nine course meal. These illicit indulgences (some break existing laws) include raw milk cheese at a French farm, criadillas (bull’s testicles) in Madrid, coca leaves in La Paz, real absinthe in Switzerland, and five others. He explores the motivations and regulations behind their banning. CHOW; from China to Canada – memories of food and family (Whitecap Books, 2006, 144 pages, $24.95 paper back) has just won a Cuisine Canada Gold medal for best English language book celebrating “Canadian Food Culture”. It is by Janice Wong (NOT the Globe writer). She has written a memoir about her dad’s Chinese-Canadian cafes in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She presents a collection of 50 or so family recipes, plus early photographs, immigration documents, 1940s restaurant menus, and handwritten recipes that trace the history of some of the Canadian Prairies’ first ethnic restaurants. And there is an index. MUST WRITE; Edna Staebler’s diaries (Wilfrid Laurier Press, 2005, reissued in paperback in 2006, 301 pages, $24.95) has been edited by Christl Verduyn, and now appears in the “Life Writing Series”. Staebler just passed away in September 2006. She is, of course, the award- winning chronicler of Mennonite cooking from the Kitchener-Waterloo area. She began writing her diary at the age of 16 and wrote for over 80 years (!), detailing the “frustrations, struggles, and joy of life”. This is one of the few memoirs-diaries with an index, which allows you then to look up her food writings and thoughts. The book also has a bibliography of her writings. CLIMBING THE MANGO TREES; a memoir of a childhood in India (Knopf, 2006, 299 pages, $33), by actress-chef Madhur Jaffrey, was a roaring success in the UK last year. It has just been released in North America. She grew up in Delhi, in a large family compound presided over by her grandfather. Over 40 members of the extended family attended dinners together, and this is her account of both her independent questioning childhood and of her meals. Indeed, there are 32 family recipes, all scaled down, at the end of the book, with memoirish details on the family history of each prep. Black and white photos throughout, mercifully clear. SETTING THE TABLE (HarperCollins, 2006, 320 pages, $32.95) is by Danny Meyer, a successful restaurateur, co-owner of 11 places in NYC, including the Union Square Cafe. It is a business memoir. Here he details how to be success in the business (bring money). He tells how to embrace and profit from mistakes. It helps for you to distinguish between service and hospitality, how to make customers feel welcomed, and how to get repeat business. The book was originally entitled “Enlightened Hospitality”. HEAT (Doubleday Canada, 2006, 318 pages, $32.95 hard covers) has been the hottest food memoir this year (there is even an audiobook version: check my reviews at www.deantudor.com). In fact, it may be hard to find a foodie who has not yet read it; this kind of makes it ineligible for gifting, so do ask the recipient first. The subtitle pretty well says it all: “an amateur’s adventures as kitchen slave, line cook, pasta- maker, and apprentice to a Dante-quoting butcher in Tuscany”. Bill Buford, the author, wanted to learn about food. He approached Mario Batali, and became his unpaid slave at Babbo. This book is an account of humiliations galore, and the book is about Batali as much as about Buford. He eventually ends up following Batali’s apprenticeship trail back to his first position in Tuscany. WRESTLING WITH GRAVY; a life in food (Random House, 2006, 336 pages, $34.95 hard covers) collates many articles by Jonathan Reynolds, who formerly wrote in a memoirish style for the New York Times Magazine as a biweekly food columnist. These are from his five year period, and contain 40 stories with 2 to 3 recipes each. If you are a fan, than this is a useful compilation, but be aware that there is NO index to the recipes. BON APPETIT; my life in France (Knopf, 2006, 317 pages, $35.95 hard covers) is by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme. It is a blend of Julia’s and Paul Child’s notes and letters, plus some interview material conducted by Paul’s grandnephew Alex. This is a memoir of her years in Paris, Marseille, and Provence, leading up to the two “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” books and her first television series “The French Chef” (1965). In time, it covers 1948 through 1954 with a scattering afterwards. There are 75 photos by Paul Child plus some reproductions of her manuscript marked “top secret”. There is also an audiobook version, which I reviewed at www.deantudor.com. THE NASTY BITS; collected varietal cuts, useable trim, scraps, and bones (Bloomsbury USA, 2006, 288 pages, $29.95 hard covers) is a collection of previously published articles in magazines and newspapers, by bad boy chef Anthony Bourdain. Some reviewers have criticized this book for being a miscellany of “scraps” and lacking valid contributions to food lore. But they must not have opened the book, for while it is true that the hodge-podge of articles just sits there, he has written a concluding commentary for most of the material, commenting on the circumstances of how or why he wrote it. There is also unpublished material too (and there is a reason why it has not been published until now). Fascinating stuff. THE REACH OF A CHEF (Viking, 2006, 334 pages, $36.50 hard covers) looks beyond the kitchen for author Michael Ruhlman whose main claim to fame is that he is a cookbook collaborator. It follows on his previous book “The Soul of a Chef”. He travels through the kitchens of New York and Las Vegas with Thomas Keller, Emeril Lagasse, Rachel Ray, and even Melissa Kelly (in Rockland, Maine). Some of this material was previously published in Gourmet magazine. LIFE, DEATH & BIALYS (Bloomsbury USA, 2006, 264 pages, $29.95 hard covers) is a father/son baking story, written by lawyer Dylan Schaffer who normally writes award-winning mysteries. This memoir tells how he finally reconciled with his distant and terminally ill father – while they both struggle to learn how to make bread. After his father Flip was diagnosed, Dylan was asked to join him at the French Culinary Institute for a week of artisanal breadmaking. This is the account of that time, and more, as father and son reconcile over the kneading. CULINARY BOOT CAMP (Wiley, 2006, 288 pages, $38.99 hard covers) travels through five days of basic training at the Culinary Institute of America (aka the CIA) with pix. The Institute runs a hands-on instruction in cooking basics that helps teach the non-professional cook to think like a chef. The basics are supposed to be covered in five days, with none of this sleeping in, preparing lunch, goofing off with wine in the afternoon, and going out to eat dinner -- as in some Tuscan schools. No, this is “tuff stuff”, albeit short: you’re not going to learn everything in just five days (just ask Bill Buford; see above). Martha Rose Shulman did the writing, and compiles the tips, tricks, cooking techniques and 100 basic recipes. You’ll also learn about teamwork, kitchen terms, knife skills, and plate and platter presentation. Like any kind of school, practice makes perfect: you’ve got to keep it up at home for the rest of your life. Things are a little slow in the memoir world of wines. I saw only a handful. One was TREADING GRAPES (Bantam Press, 2006, 329 pages, $21.95 paper covers), a walk through the vineyards of Tuscany with Rosemary George, one of the first female MWs, and current chair of the Circle of Wine Writers. Over 15 months of changing seasons, George explored the countryside on foot, visiting wine producers and observing. Each chapter features a walk through a mini-region, and includes travel advice on estates to visit and restaurants. Of course, Chianti is the feature, but there is also Montalcino, the newly emerging Maremma, Bolgheri (Sassicaia and Ornellaia), and even the island of Elba. Tuscan travelers would also enjoy this book. Another book is A HEDONIST IN THE CELLAR (Knopf, 2006, 320 pages, $32 hard covers) is a collection of 55 or so essays from Jay McInerney’s wine columns in “House & Garden” – five years worth of eclectic adventures in wine. HISTORY ======= Nostalgia and popular history come together in the form of AMERICA’S GREAT DELIS (Ten Speed Press, 2006, 176 pages, $48.95 hardcover) by Sheryll Bellman who has written about a lot of pop culture and nostalgia. Here she tackles recipes and traditions from coast to coast in the US, with historical photos, postcards, adverts, and gripping anecdotes. She has 75 recipes in the package, with multiple indexes for retrieval. MORE RETRO DINER (Collectors Press, 2006, 128 pages, $24.95 hardcover) is a second helping of roadside recipes. There are 75 here in this second volume (the first volume has 50,000 copies in print) – all the vinyl booths, bar stools, milk shakes, French fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, blue plate specials you can handle. Randy Garbin and Teri Dunn did the spade work for you. Together, they have founded and edited the magazine “Roadside”, dedicated to exploring the backroads and Main Streets of the US. Similar is THE DAILY COCKTAIL (Fair Winds Press, 2006, 394 pages, $27.95 spiral bound) by Dalyn Miller and Larry Donovon, a book which celebrates something every day in the year. And that “something” is alcohol-related. There are 365 intoxicating drinks in this book, plus the events which inspired them. For example, on June 7, we can say Happy Birthday to Dean Martin with a dry martini. Or, the day before (June 6) the first drive-in movie theatre opened in 1933. You can celebrate this with a “Backseat Boogie” (vodka, gin, cranberry juice, and ginger ale). Each drink is illustrated. ORGANIC, INC. (Harcourt, Inc., 2006, 294 pages, $32.95 hard covers) is the history of natural foods and how they grew. Sales of US organic foods have increased by about 20 percent annually since 1990. Samuel Fromartz, a business journalist, has here chronicled organic food back to its pre-assembly line origins of over a century ago, and tries to explain its fast-growing phenomenon. The marketing of the natural foods movement has turned it into a $12 billion US plus industry. And of course, you know it is going to collapse one day soon – just as the first of many mislabelling scandals hit. We’ve already seen the cutback of some of the markets through the E. coli spinach scare. (This is all my surmising, and NOT Fromartz’s). But enough of America – what about the rest of the world? EATER’S DIGEST (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2006, 320 pages, $25.95 hard bound) has been advertised as a “smorgasbord of food, fun, and trivia delivered in perfect snack-size portions”. Each short article is complete in itself, perfect for the john and for ADD sufferers. The book is replete with lists, such as the five hottest peppers, the eight most hated kitchen chores, and the like. Indeed, 400 readings about food and drink compiled by Lorraine Bodger who specializes in writing about food and about lists, and here combines these two skills. The book is exceptionally useful because of its long index. For culinary historians, we’ve got plenty this year. THE SHORT LIFE & LONG TIMES OF MRS. BEETON (Harper Perennial, 2006, 525 pages, $19.95 paper covers) is by Kathryn Hughes, a biographer who specializes in Victorian biographies. It was originally published in hard covers in 2005, but here it has been reissued in paper with added material. Unfortunately for her, Bella Beeton died at age 28 from bad hygiene – hardly a recommendation for anything in her book. It was mostly covered up, and her hubby took her slim Household Management book and ran with it for years, exploiting the “Mrs. Beeton” part for all she was worth. Author Hughes was attracted to Bella at a time when she too was 28. There is a “P.S” section in which Hughes is interviewed. She’s even tried the recipes (loves the rice pudding, which is good if it is done properly). This is a gripping biography; I found it hard to put the book down. Fiona Lucas has written HEARTH AND HOME (James Lorimer, 2006, 72 pages, $19.95 pages), a double columned work with plenty of colour photos showing women working the open-hearth in 19th century Canada. There is a history with astute observations and quotations from primary sources (all duly noted at the back of the book). This social history by a co- founder of the Culinary Historians of Ontario (she’s also the Museum Site Co-ordinator at Mackenzie House in Toronto) details the experiences or women who worked long hours tending the fire. She also covers hired cooks, tavern mistresses, and early professional cooks in the kitchens of forts, inns and the homes of the wealthy. She ends with a selection of menus from archival sources, and a range of historic sites in Canada with open-hearth programs (and some with cookstove and gas stove programs). HISTORY IN A GLASS (Modern Library Random House, 2006, 374 pages, $34.95 hard covers) is sixty years of wine writing from “Gourmet” magazine. It has been compiled by Ruth Reichl who is its current editor. “Gourmet” wine articles are the closest North America has come to UK elegance in wine writing. It began with Frank Schoonmaker, and then expanded to Andre L. Simon (though he was French and British), James Beard, Frederick S. Wildman Jr., Hugh Johnson (another Brit), and mostly Gerald Asher. CONSUMING PASSIONS (Harper Press, 2006, 604 pages, $39.95 hard covers) by Judith Flanders deals with leisure and pleasure in Victorian Britain. Do I hear you say: “was there any?” The same industrial revolution which made serfs out of the poor (see any work by Dickens) also made an industry out of leisure, with newspapers, advertising, promotions and publicity. It was Wedgwood of china plate fame who invented money-back guarantees, free delivery, and celebrity endorsements. The railroad brought tourism to the seaside and to European continental travel, which also meant food, wines, and clothes, vacations, entertaining, Thomas Cook tours, WH Smith bookstores. A good chunk of this book deals with food and wine as sort of personifying “the good life” such as it was amidst Victorian poverty. There is an extensive bibliography and plenty of older advertisements and pictures. THE JOY OF EATING (Virago, 2006, 416 pages, $38 hard covers) has been collated by Jill Foulston. This is an anthology of some 250 writings about food from women around the world and throughout history. There are the occasional menus and recipes, such as Elisabeth Luard’s Afghan Betrothal Custard and Martha Washington’s marzipan birds. Other writers include Margaret Atwood, Eliza Acton, Isabella Beeton, Agatha Christie, Julia Child, Emily Bronte...There is an index to the authors plus a bibliography for further readings. BITTER CHOCOLATE; investigating the dark side of the world’s most seductive sweet (Random House Canada, 2006, 326 pages, $34.95 hard covers) is by Carol Off, a CBC documentarian and new host of “As It Happens” who has now taken on the chocolate cartel. Half of this book is a history of exploitation and inequity, plus the usual synopsis on the growth of the major chocolate firms. The other half is about the current situations in Cote d’Ivoire (which supplies about half of the world’s cocoa), Mali, and Belize. This multi-billion dollar industry exists in some of the most indebted nations in the world, creating poverty and making it easy for organized crime to create slave labour among young boys. Off has conducted extensive interviews in West Africa; there are many primary sources cited. This appalling abuse is yet another reason to buy Fair Trade and Organic chocolate. HUMOUR ====== What’s a holiday without humour? We seem to have another bumper crop this year. There’s THE MODERN DRUNKARD (Penguin, 2006, 224 pages, $20 paperback) collated by Frank Kelly Rich, editor of “Modern Drunkard” magazine. It is a comic, illustrated drinker’s companion: how to drink well. There are articles, anecdotes, cartoons, and great general illustrations (from old time posters), on such weighty matters as etiquette for inebriates, the lost art of the lost weekend, juicing on the job (be a wine writer). The magazine claims to be the voice of the recreational drinker (say it loud and say it plowed!); check it out yourself at www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com , with its almost 4 million hits over the past four years. Thank god there’s almost nothing on wine: I loathe this kind of attitude, but you might like it. MARILYN MERLOT AND THE NAKED GRAPE (Quirk Books, 2006, 256 pages, $21.95 paper covers) is by Peter F. May, British creator of www.winelabels.org – you’ll find more wins there. Here is a collection of about 100 weird wine labels (one page per actual label with full- colour reproduction, one page for a description which includes brief stories about the name’s origins and artwork). Labels include Big Ass Red, Dancing Monkey, Goats do Roam, White Trash White, Fat Bastard Chardonnay, etc. While tasting notes are given, no wine prices are mentioned, but my guess is (based on Ontario’s prices) that these are the basic bottles of $12 or so. DRINKING GAMES (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2006, 64 pages, $9.95 hard covers) is by Terry Burrows, and covers everything any smartass will want to know about the rules of any drinking game (hilarious promo on the jacket: “ever find you can’t remember the rules of any of the drinking games you’ve played?” Gee, I wonder why…who writes this stuff. Tip: alcohol destroys your little grey cells. Anyway, editorial digression aside, the games here are divided into chapters dealing with words, actions, cards, dice and coins. Glory be, there is also an index! HOW TO BE A BETTER FOODIE (Quadrille, 2006, 304 pages, $24.95) is by UK food writer and restaurant reviewer, Sudi Pigott. Humourous style, of course. It is a compendium of basic food knowledge, albeit slyly presented: how to seek out the finest, the latest, the rarest and most delicious knowledge. She begins with a questionnaire, “what kind of foodie are you?” Topics (humourously arranged) include Foodementals of Gastronomy, Store Cupboard Essentials, How the Better Foodie Entertains, Farmers’ Market Etiquette, Who’s Who. There are five kinds of salt you will need, as well as the “new” pesto, but don’t eat any more arugula. With its UK orientation, it can be a little twee, but what the hell? Readers may also enjoy KAFKA’S SOUP (Harcourt, 2006, 92 pages, $18.95 hard covers) written and illustrated by Mark Crick. He purports to provide a complete history of world literature in 14 recipes. He has taken the writing style of a literary giant to re-write the instructions for preparing the recipes. Try Tarragon eggs a la Jane Austen (“It is a truth universally acknowledged that eggs, kept for too long, go off. The eggs of Oakley Farm had only recently been settled in the kitchen at Somercote, but already Mrs B----“, or Lamb with Dill sauce a la Ray Chandler (“I sipped on my whisky sour, ground out my cigarette on the chopping board, and watched a bug trying to crawl out of the basin. I needed a table...”). Proust, Pinter, Chaucer, Steinbeck (but no Hemingway) – they’re all here. At this price, this is sure to be the hottest new book this season. DIET ===== Okay, this is the hard part since we must pay for our sins of overeating during the December period. It is January 1, and the start of a New Year (2007) means new resolutions to keep (or break). You could try WHAT TO EAT (McGraw-Hill, 2006, 268 pages, $22.95 paperback) by Louise Lights (a nutritionist and former editor of “Vegetarian Times”), a research-based alternative to the USDA’s food guide. The subtitle of the book is “the ten things you really need to know to eat well and be healthy”. There are ten rules to foil the big food lobbies and the fad diets. I’m not going to tell you what they are (Light has to make money off this book), but there are recipes and menus here. You can also look at THE ULTIMATE CALORIE, CARB AND FAT GRAM COUNTER (McGraw-Hill, 2006, 603 pages, $9.95 US paperback) which covers 7000 foods (US labels), along with the principles for quick and easy meal planning using the counts for your favourite foods. Wines, beers and spirits are covered too, as well as fresh food (produce, seafood, meats, etc.). I wish that the book was also available as a CD-ROM or PDF spreadsheet file. For G.I. lovers, try THE G.I. DIET COOKBOOK (Random House Canada, 2006, 284 pages, $35 paper covers) by Rick Gallop. It is the third in a best- selling series. Here are 200 recipes, plus a recap about what the GI is all about. Everything is family friendly, that is, all the foods can be consumed by everyone, whether on a diet or not. Nothing strange here. Endorsements seem to be all from women, but men can profit too. Weight loss is permanent, so long as you stick to the diet for the rest of your life. Buy all of these books and have a great holiday. Dean Tudor, www.deantudor.com NINTH ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE-RELATED BOOKS SUITABLE AS HOLIDAY GIFTS NOVEMBER 2005 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Ryerson Journalism Professor Emeritus and Gothic Epicures Writing, www.deantudor.com (World Wine Watch Newsletter). ------ For those of us at Gothic Epicures, it gets harder each year to match a recipient with a food or wine book gift over the holidays – there are so many new and newish items out there and people, lately at least, have such picky tastes!! I have cast the web for my newsletters and my Internet site, and I have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook, any host, and any friend…All books are highly recommended, and probably can be purchased at a discount via Amazon.Ca (with free delivery on a total purchase of over $39) … EXPENSIVE ========= Actually, these might be the best books to give a loved one (or yourself, since you are your own best loved one), because they are going to cost you an arm and a leg, even at a discount. At the top of the list is EL BULLI: 1998-2002 (Ecco, 2005, 496 pages, 22 page guide to book, plus a CD-ROM, $490 hard covers in slipcase) 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 books 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). These books too have CD-ROMs. The big 22 page guide explains the setup of the books and the CD-ROMs, 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 books are arranged by year and month. This is the picture and the theory. The CD-ROMs contain all of the recipes for PCs and Macs, for each book, 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 the menus. The English language book 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 two earlier books in Spanish are mainly pictorial, and the preps and schemes are largely repeated on the CD-ROMs. In total, there are 825 recipes in the three books. The English-language book has 371 recipes, beginning with #455. I just know that you will have hours of fun with this book, or the whole set. Although pricey, the book is available at Amazon.ca for a mere $343 CDN. Indeed, all three volumes together at Amazon cost only a total of $1000, a night out for some people. The next most expensive book on my list, well down from $1000, is GRAND LIVRE DE CUISINE (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005, 1,080 pages, $375) which is Alain Ducasse’s culinary encyclopedia. It contains about 700 recipes, using 10 major cooking styles. Each dish has a colour photo alongside the step-by-step technique of plating the food. Material is in both French and English. At the end of the book there is a large section on the choosing and buying of the basic 100 ingredients used in the recipes (such well-known items as acacia, woodcock, tartufi di Alba, and roebuck [isn’t that a department store?]). Everything is exceptionally well-detailed by Ducasse, probably the best French chef on the planet. This is followed by THE OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FOOD AND DRINK IN AMERICA (Oxford University Press, 2005, 1200 pages in 2 volumes, $250) which details the development of American culinary styles during the colonial period to the multi-national food corporations that have monopolized the world. Andrew F. Smith who teaches culinary history at The New School University in Manhattan is the Editor-in-Chief. Topics, arranged in dictionary A-Z format with cross-references, include ethnic and regional foods, food advertising, development of baby food, vegetarianism, special holiday traditions, microbreweries, wine industry, snack-fast food, and the Slow Food movement. There are plenty of historical overviews dealing with the Precolumbian Period, the world wars, and contemporary America. 800 articles and 400 illustrations (many historical) in all, plus sidebars and definitions, but with very little on Canada. It is an American book. Some preps are noted, but the book has no recipes. A good read, one or two articles a night for a year. And now the bargain of the expensive books, just in time for Christmas: you can get a $75 book and a $50 book plus a searchable CD-ROM for only $100 (actually, just $70 at Amazon.Ca). This is a slipcased set by Hugh Johnson, probably the world’s most respected wine writer: THE WORLD OF WINE – SPECIAL EDITION (Mitchell Beazley, 2001, 2004, 2005, two books plus CD-ROM in a case, special ISBN 1-84533-165-6, $100). It is comprised of THE STORY OF WINE (Mitchell Beazley, 2004, 256 pages), which is an abridgement of his first edition (1989, part of his TV series) that scooped up every major award for a wine book. The text has been condensed but also updated to cover the past 15 years. Great illustrations have been added (historical pictures, old maps, etc., mostly in colour on glossy paper) and sources have been updated. The second book is THE WORLD ATLAS OF WINE (2001, $75) which is now being co-authored by Jancis Robinson (she’ll probably take it over, for the next edition). It has 178 maps, and is indispensable. There have not been that many changes since 2001 – just expansion. The free bonus is the CD-ROM of HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2006 ($19.95 for the print version; see later under the Annuals category). Everything in the book is here, and it is fully searchable by your computer. What a treat!! Now you can compare various wines and vintages. If you buy anything at this price level for the holidays, then buy this set first… ART BOOKS (well, less expensive books) ========== Books for the coffee table have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And don’t let the prices daunt you. Most such art books are available at a discount from Amazon.Ca. These books here are mainly wine and travel books, with some elements of food… Such as MY TUSCANY; recipes, cuisine, landscape (Duncan Baird Publishers, 2004, 160 pages, $34.95) which is by Lorenza de’ Medici, who has authored 30 cookbooks on Italian food and has hosted a PBS series “The De’ Medici Kitchen”. Thirty recipes are photographed in her Siena kitchen, and there are also photos of the surrounding countryside shot over the changing seasons. Lots of interesting characters and personalities dominate her pages. A similar, but more eccentric book is UNTRODDEN GRAPES (Harcourt, 2005, 246 pages, $46.95) by Ralph Steadman, who also wrote and drew “The Grapes of Ralph”. Steadman is better known as a caricaturist, drawing wine motifs. Here he also provides a literate wine commentary on his character-driven visits to Chile, Spain, California, Burgundy, Alsace, South Africa…truly an eclectic passage through the wine world but made all the more notable by his delicious colour drawings. Lots of tasting notes, but, alas, no index. Wine tourism meets photo tourism in WINE PLACES (Mitchell Beazley, 2005, 160 pages, $39.95) with text by David Furer and photos by Charles O’Rear. This is a collection of some 225 photos ranging over 10 wine producing regions, and covering the winemaking year, from the vineyards to the harvest to the selection process for the final wine cuvee and blend before bottling. The sub-title says it all: “the land, the wine, the people”…More regional specific wine books on this theme includes ONE HUNDRED & ONE BEAUTIFUL TOWNS IN ITALY: FOOD & WINE (Rizzoli, 2005, 280 pages, $65) which has been designed to show off regional breads, wines, cheeses and olive oils. This is a tour through the landscape: white truffles in Alba with Barolo wine; prosciutto di Parma and parmigiano-reggiano (just local wine in Parma); Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in Tuscany with a duck breast; mozzarella di bufala further down the coast. As with any tourist-y type book, there are engaging sidebars for the key restaurants, where to shop for food and wine (do try to bring home a wheel of parmigiano!), plus a few recipes. Photos and texts are by Paolo Lazzarin, an Italian journalist and photographer working in Milan. There is also something similar, but for France, in THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WINE VILLAGES OF FRANCE (Mitchell Beazley, 2005, 168 pages, $39.95) which was originally published in France in 2002. Francois Morel explores the history and culture of 55 wine-producing communities, with key tourism facts (wine bureaus, co- ops, museums, local wine laws and terroir), and contact details. There are over 200 colour photos for such towns as Chablis, Sancerre, St.Emilion, Ay, Riquewihr, Vougeot, Condrieu – about 2 pages for each town. Of course, the USA is no slouch when it comes to wine tourism. There is BEAUTIFUL GARDENS OF THE WINE COUNTRY (Ten Speed, 2005, 128 pages, $22.50), a photographic tour of Northern California’s wine country gardens, with a detailed itinerary and directory for contacts. The almost-Mediterranean climate allows for rose gardens, lavender fields, Japanese gardens, and organic edible gardens (fruit, flower, veggies). Jennifer Barry wrote the text, and Robert Holmes shot the scenes. Barry also wrote BEAUTIFUL WINERIES OF THE WINE COUNTRY (Ten Speed, 2005, 128 pages, $22.50), but this time her photographer was Charles O’Rear (see above). Again, it is Northern California: 50 wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties – all with a variety of building styles reflecting their heritage of Euro sensibilities or American frontier openness. SONOMA; the ultimate winery guide (Chronicle Books, 2005, 120 pages, $26.95) is by Heidi H. Cusick-Dickerson, a noted Northern California food and wine writer. Its first edition was in 1995. Here, in the second, she adds five new winery profiles and a comprehensive wine directory (names, addresses, websites, and other resources). Lots of nifty photos, and additional comments by chef John Ash and winery guy Rodney Strong. The photographs by Richard Gillette make this book seem exceptionally strong. The New World makes another entry into wine tourism with CHILE; the art of wine (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2005, $49), authored by Sara Mathews who specializes in wine photography. This is her sixth book. It is in both English and Spanish, having been published first in Chile. She covers all the high end estates such as Almaviva, Casa Lapostolle (opening a new winery next year), Errazuriz, Montes, and others. Topics include grapes, equipment, cellars, mountains, vineyards, and the like. Turning to picture books with more food elements, I enjoyed CHEESES OF THE WORLD (Hachette Illustrated, 2005, 215 pages, $39.95) by cheese retailer Roland Barthelemy and journalist Arnaud Sperat-Czar. It was first published in French in France in 1999. The lavish pictures are arranged by the seasons; it is essentially a guide to buying, storing and serving some 1200 cheeses from around the world. Each cheese is photographed and various names are listed for different countries. For example, the gruyere family has 27 different names in Europe. Listed are the milks and products and the animals used (whether cow, goat, ewe or buffalo or a blend). No real indication of morning and evening milk usage. Other useful information includes a bibliography and a website. With cheese, you’ll need bread. To make your own, choose THE HANDMADE LOAF (Mitchell Beazley, 2004, 192 pages, $40), which is by Dan Lepard, a renowned British baker and co-author of “Baking with Passion” (1999). These are 80 contemporary European recipes cut down for the home baker; most are dense and heavy. Crispbreads are included as well. The artisan bread is complemented by gorgeous photos such as the blocks of homemade yeasts or the pictures of starters. There are more photos of people and food from all over Europe. SUSHI SECRETS (Hachette Illustrated, 2005, 200 pages, $34.95) is a mix of classic and contemporary by Kazuo & Chihiro Mazui, a Japanese mother and daughter team living in Paris. It tells the history of sushi, as well as culture and traditions. From start to finish, the book illustrates the sushi process (art of choosing, art of preparing, art of eating) with other material about the fish markets of Japan and sushi bars. There are also about 40 recipes. STAR CHEFS ON THE ROAD (American Express, 2005, 240 pages, $34.95) shows how 10 chefs traveled the world to find unique and inspiring recipes. Material had originally appeared in “Food & Wine” magazine. Jacques Pepin went through Botswana and Zambia exploring African flavours (hey, if someone else is willing to pay for your trip, then you might as well go to some place exotic); Wolfgang Puck returned to his native Austria in the Tyrolean Alps; and Bobby Flay went to Scotland to play golf (how American!). Photos and recipes, of course. Closer to home, there is PLATES AND DISHES (Princeton Architectural Press, 2005, 184 pages, $22.95) by photographer Stephan Schacher. He made a road trip throughout the US and Canada, hoping to document the diner in photos. Stopping only at diners, he photographed steaming hot typical diner fare and the waitresses who served them. Dealing with the food and the faces of the roadside diner, this is a fun book. No recipes. HUNGRY PLANET; what the world eats (Material World Books and Ten Speed Press, 2005, 288 pages, $60 hard covers) is by Faith d’Aluisio (text) and Peter Menzel (photos). Together they have produced a number of books dealing with the planet, principally on food. This book is devoted to the less fortunate, which makes it a useful book at Christmas (Victorian benevolence?). This is a study and photographic collection of 30 typical families from 24 countries featuring the food they eat during the course of one week. Each family is gathered around one week’s supply of groceries, and photographed. 600 meals are profiled! And there are some recipes too, from Bosnia, Chad, Greenland, Mongolia, et al. And there are essays on the politics of food. MEMOIRS AND TIPS ================= For the more literate person, there are the “memoirs” of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non- fiction”, suffering from embellishments and gilding. And also suffering from a lack of indexes, which makes it difficult to find what the writer said about another person. This also avoids the potential for lawsuits and disjointed noses. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from last year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. Francine Maroukian’s CHEF’S SECRETS (Quirk Books, 2005, $21.95) is a collection of insider techniques from celebrity chefs…Actually, 80 or so writers and chefs share their shortcuts about food. Thus, there are 80 tricks of the trade here, such as James Peterson on sauces, Steve Raichen on charcoal, Sara Moulton on dredging (no, not “The Wire”), and John Villa on duck. Other chapters concern fish, desserts, equipment. THE PERFECT EGG AND OTHER SECRETS (Bloomsbury, 2005, $23.95), has recipes and comments, curiosities, secrets of high and low-brow cookery, from watered salad to boarding-house pastina in brodo, from Apicius to Michel Guerard, from Alexandre Dumas to Carlo Emilio Gadda, from the Cure de Bregnier to St Nikolaus von Flue. It is by Aldo Buzzi, and was first published in Italian in 1979 and is now available in English. It’s a real hodge-podge, with 14 drawings by Saul Steinberg. DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME; culinary catastrophes from the world’s greatest chefs (Bloomsbury, 2005, 311 pages, $32.95) is a collection of some 40 or so true tales from the world’s kitchens, chosen and edited by literary agent Kimberly Witherspoon and focusing culinary writer Andrew Friedman. As the book says, even the best cooks in the world had had their disasters. We can only be heartened by this, in our own home kitchens: a little bit of schadenfreude never hurt anyone! There are 41 essays, in alphabetical order by surname of the chef. It begins with Ferran Adria of El Bulli, continues through Mario Batali, Daniel (”in my business, failure is not an option”) Boulud, Anthony (“I’ve seen it all”) Bourdain, Pino (“Our work is never done”) Luongo, Sara Moulton. Here are all the missteps, misfortunes, misadventures, and mishaps dealing with hiring practices, fires and floods (the two go together but, unfortunately for the restaurant, never at the same time!), the stupidity of wait staff, problem employees, lack of money, theft, being slammed, decaying food, rescuing dishes (great essays), etc. Each essay is prefaced by a short biography of the chef. GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES; the secret life of a critic in disguise (Penguin Press, 2005, 333 pages, $36) is by Ruth Reichl, currently editor-in- chief at Gourmet and formerly restaurant critic at both the NY Times and the LA Times. This book is an account of her career at the New York Times. And it is a juicy one: actually, this is her third book of memoirs. She’s got a lot to say, and she has a great writing style. Here you can read about clashes with editors (as a journalist, I appreciate that) and as a restaurant reviewer she clashes with owners (as a former restaurant reviewer, I can appreciate that) with her double reviews. Read all about the hubris when Bryan Miller stepped down from the post of restaurant reviewer at the NY Times – and his phone stopped ringing. As she says, “Every restaurant is a theater…even the modest restaurants offer the opportunity to become someone else, at at least for a little while”. Gripping bedtime reading, one chapter at a time. She also includes 17 recipes (not indexed). BREWING UP A BUSINESS; adventures in entrepreneurship from the founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (John Wiley & Sons, 2005, 256 pages, $31.99) is by Sam Calagione, owner of the self-described U.S. “nation’s fastest growing independent brewery” located in Delaware. The Small Business Association had named him Business of the Year. Esquire called his IPA the best in America. This is actually more of a “small business” economics book ideal for entrepreneurs who wish to start up a craft brewery, subject to arcane Canadian regulations. This Delaware brewery is now distributed in about 30 states, and seems to be doubling its revenues every year. Calagione must be doing something right. An engaging read. Doris Christopher’s THE PAMPERED CHEF (Doubleday, 2005, 246 pages, $34.95) is another business memoir, about how to turn a $3000 investment into a $1 billion business (I have a restaurant available if anybody wants it: it’s in Nova Scotia). Here are real life lessons for small business owners and entrepreneurs. In 1980, she started selling high quality kitchen tools through cooking demos to groups of women in their homes (Tupperware anybody?). After 25 years, she has 71,000 “kitchen consultants” (Amway anyone?). The book claims that a million demos are held each year, attended by 12 million women (and men?). She has some interesting insights for starting up a business, including how to steer clear of naysayers. An interesting book, well worth looking at. THE UNPREJUDICED PALATE (Modern Library Food Series, 2005, 244 pages, $21) is by Angelo Pellegrini, author of ten books and an Italian bon vivant in Seattle who grew most of his own food.. It was originally published in 1948 as a part-memoir and part-cookbook. Here it has been subtitled “classic thoughts on food and the good life”. His book covers planting, cooking, eating and nourishing. There are no recipes per se (it is simply narrative prose), but you can use his ideas as a leaping off point. Another good read. Michael Ableman, farmer and photographer, has authored FIELDS OF PLENTY (Chronicle Books, 2005, 256 pages, $46.95). These are his personal insights and perspectives on the global state of farming. He traveled across the US (plus once into Canada) to record the personal stories of orchardists, cheesemakers, grain growers, and fruit farmers to illustrate how farming is changing today. Ableman did his own photography. He has won numerous “sustainable agriculture” awards; he currently lives and farms on an island in British Columbia. Doug Psaltis, who may or may not be opening his own restaurant in Manhattan (I cannot find recent info through Google), describes his journey from his grandfather’s Greek diner to Ducasse and to his own potential eating palace, in THE SEASONING OF A CHEF (Broadway Books, 2005, 294 pages, $34.95). His co-author is a literary agent who just happens to be his twin brother (Michael Psaltis). Gee, I wish I had a brother who was a literary agent…Anyway, this memoir covers his work in a diner in the Queens, Long Island, Manhattan, eventually rising to David Bouley’s Bouley Bakery and Alain Ducasse New York. He then left for a top posting at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry. Read all about a chef’s rise to fame. Plenty of kitchen politics and intrigue, but I’m not going to ruin the surprises. LAUGHING WITH MY MOUTH FULL (HarperCollins, 2005, 224 pages, $29.95) has some material by author Pam Freir, drawn from her weekly food column in the Victoria Times Colonist, since 1997. She covers her childhood in Nova Scotia, to a culinary coming-of-age in Toronto, and then moving to the Gulf Islands in BC (actually, Galiano Island). Topics include fiddleheads, haggis, Cornish hens, lobster, blueberries, and tea parties. Sprinkled throughout the book are some of her favourite recipes. Gordon Cope concentrates on vivid writing in his A PARIS MOMENT (Fifth House, 2005, 216 pages, $24.95). Sometimes too vividly as on page 85 when he compares swallowing oysters to French-kissing a calf. His wife Linda was posted to Paris for a year, from July 2001 to June 2002, and these are his remembrances, presumably from a diary. These vignettes are almost all food and wine intentioned, and we can all relate to this. The neighbourhood they settled in was the Right Bank in Le Marais (which he describes as rich in controversy, conspiracy, and culture) – meet all the characters here! HISTORY/TRIVIA/CARTOONS ======================== What’s a holiday without humour? We seem to have a bumper crop this year. OLIVE OR TWIST? (Harry N. Abrams, 2005, $27.95) is a book of 122 drinking cartoons from the pen of Jack Ziegler who has had more than 1000 cartoons published in the New Yorker over the past 30 years. He also contributes to Playboy and other periodicals (at least four of the drawings here come from Playboy). Sign for low grade beer: Import, Domestic, Micro, and Crap. His last book was HOW’S THE SQUID? (Harry A. Abrams, 2004, $30) which collected 125 food cartoons. Deadpan humour all the way, and strongly recommended for the jaded. THE CHAS ADDAMS HALF-BAKED COOKBOOK (Simon & Schuster, 2005, 112 pages, $27.50) was an unexpected delight, since the cartoonist had died in 1988 (or had he?). Apparently, his great passion was food. Many of his memorable cartoons depicted automats, cannibals, witches, mystery soup, and blackbird pie. Half of the 80 cartoons here have never been published before. As well, there are some bizarre recipes for macaroni and oysters, stuffed heart, black pudding, and other macabre food. FOOD FOR THOUGHT (O Books, 2004, 216 pages, $19.95 US) has been compiled by Ed Pearce, a collector of trivia who "enjoys knowing where his food comes from". This is a readable, fact-filled chronological history of food anecdotes from the world of sociology and anthropology, through 2002. There is a UK slant to it. Unfortunately, it has no topical/subject index nor sourcing (double horrors!). It is difficult to use except by reference to a year. It needs to be available as an etext, for better data retrieval. ALCOHOLICA ESOTERICA (Penguin, 2005, 264 pages, $20) is a collection of trivia regarding the history and consumption of booze. Author Ian Lendler also covers hangovers, drinking songs, and glossaries of words related to alcohol. Beer, wine and spirits are covered. DIET ===== Okay, this is the hard part since we must pay for our sins of overeating during the December period. It is January 1, and the start of a new year means new resolutions to keep (or break). You could try THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION GUIDE TO HEALTHY RESTAURANT EATING (McGraw-Hill, 2005, 734 pages, $23.95) a whopper of a book at a great price. It was compiled by Hope Warshaw, and contains some useful restaurant nutrition facts. This third edition covers more than 5,000 menu items from more than 60 chain restaurants, useful in Canada too. She has organized it into charts with nutrition facts such as calories, fat, carbohydrates, fibre and protein. This will get you through that fast-food lunch. There’s a companion: THE DIABETES CARBOHYDRATE AND FAT GRAM GUIDE (McGraw-Hill, 2005, 480 pages, $17.95) also in its third edition. Lea Ann Holzmeister has compiled a list of over 7,000 foods, and for each, she gives serving sizes and nutrition information for both generic and pre-packaged foods: calories, fats, carbos, fibre, protein, and the like. She even includes ethnic foods. Another resource book is EASY GI DIET (Hamlyn, 2005, 128 pages, $18.95). Helen Foster tells us all about how to use the Glycemic Index to lose weight and gain energy. This one really works. Just eat any GI foods with a ranking under 60 and you’re almost guaranteed to lose weight. Stay away from sugars and simple carbos (e.g., rice) and eat barley and dal all day long. She has four diet choices, including one for vegetarians. THE LOW-CARB BARTENDER (Adams, 2005, 304 pages, $14.95) is all about carbo counts for beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Bob Skilnik leads us through the party jungle with carb counts for about 1000 brand-name beers and 400 brand-name wines. He includes 200 low- carb drink recipes, including various hard liquors and cocktails. The extreme in dieting is from a duo of books. THE RAW FOODS RESOURCE GUIDE (Celestial Arts, 2005, 90 pages, $13.95) is by Jeremy Safron, a US consultant to several raw foods restaurants. He also wrote THE FASTING HANDBOOK (Celestial Arts, 2005, 90 pages, $16.95), which is, as he calls it, “dieting from an empty bowl”. Both books were originally published in 1999. They have been updated, especially to include new references to websites and periodicals. The raw book details the raw lifestyle (hey, walk on the raw side!) for vitality and weight loss. The fasting book has a variety of detox and healing techniques to cleanse the body, along with valuable suggestions on how to get through the day… Next week: stocking stuffer books!! FOOD AND WINE-RELATED BOOKS SUITABLE AS HOLIDAY STOCKING STUFFERS DECEMBER 2005 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Ryerson Journalism Professor Emeritus and Gothic Epicures Writing, www.deantudor.com (World Wine Watch Newsletter). ------ STOCKING STUFFERS ================= Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody’s gift list: something affordable ($10 - $30) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. Most of the books here are paperbacks. And of course they can stuff an adult stocking. Non-book stuffers include spoken-word food CDs. JULIE AND JULIA: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, is by Julie Powell (Time Warner, 2005, 5 CDs abridged, $39.99). For a year, she decided to cook every recipe in her mother’s battered copy of Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. She created a blog, and then a book, and now an abridged set of CDs. But no recipes. TALES FROM MY TABLE (Molten Gold, 2005, 1 CD 75 minutes, plus 13 recipes in Word doc, $15) has been developed by Ann Tudor, my wife. This is an original collection of food tales, including “Julia and I” – her take on Julia Child. There is no print version, but of course you can run off the recipes, which are related to the stories. Those who hear it order additional copies for gifts. This is a knockout hostess gift. Check out www.anntudor.ca for ordering details. Other non-books are calendars, which are always monster hits and often appreciated, both the wall and the desk type. The best of the desk are the three “page-a-day” (PAD) calendars from Workman. THE WINE LOVER’S CALENDAR 2006(Workman, 2005, $14.95) has been put together by Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible”. There is a new varietal highlighted each month, tips galore for pouring and tasting, food and wine matching, bargains, pop quizzes, etc. etc. And 154 “must try” wines are highlighted. 365 BOTTLES OF BEER FOR THE YEAR 2006 (Workman, 2005, $14.95) is by Bob Klein, author of “The Beer Lover’s Rating Guide”. Most of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few Canadian brews here. Lights, lagers, ales, porters, stouts, and lambrics – they’re all here. Other material in the PAD includes beer festivals, beer facts, label lore and vocabulary. The third PAD is COCKTAILS! (Workman, 2005, $14.95) which is full of toasts and drinking games, as well as recipes (both classic and contemporary), US watering holes, and quotes. If you buy any of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other stuff, usually free at www.pageaday.com. My top, top book for a stocking stuffer is A POCKET GUIDE TO ONTARIO WINES, WINERIES, VINEYARDS & VINES (McClelland & Stewart, 2005, 272 pages, $22.99), by Konrad Ejbich, a Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada colleague of mine who appears on CBC radio monthly and writes a wine column for Style at Home and CityBites (with some kind of reprint deal on the Gremolata website: how does that work, Mal?). 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. 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). 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. Near the end of the book he has VQA Vintage Charts, 2004 – 1988, which are based on surveys of winemakers. This alone is worth the book’s purchase. There is a category of foodbooks called “little cookbooks”; these are usually placed at POS (point-of-sales) spots. I’ve located a very good collection, mainly from Celestial Arts. Most of these books have no index, which is regrettable. There is VERY BLUEBERRY (Celestial Arts, 2005, 92 pages, $9.95). Jennifer Trainer Thompson wrote this one, and contributed 50 recipes for a mixed assortment of entrees, salads, breakfasts, desserts, and “gifts”. If you hurry up and buy the book, then you can clean out your freezer for jams, granola, breadsticks, even salsa. Clare Ferguson, a broadcaster-food writer, has OLIVE OIL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005, 144 pages, $16.95) which gives us 60 recipes for all courses, including desserts and sides. The short book is a history of the groves, how it is made, harvested, and pressed. And she has a thorough section on olive oil’s cosmetic usage. Good photographs too. Peter Mayle (who lived la vita loca with “A Year in Provence”) chimes in with a short CONFESSIONS OF A FRENCH BAKER (Knopf, 2005, 95 pages, $22.95). Here he reveals breadmaking secrets and tips and recipes from the Chez Auzet bakery (operating since 1951; Gerard Auzet is a fourth- generation baker) in Cavaillon, as featured in his original book. He describes the baking process, the flours used, dough for baguettes, boules and batards. There are also bread and wine food pairings and matches for the adventuresome. The 16 recipes are for different kinds of breads, both sweet and savoury. It’s a shame he didn’t rant on about pain industriel. Marilyn Powell has written COOL: the story of ice cream (Penguin, 2005, 272 pages, $24), another fun book for party time. She’s a Toronto-based writer, broadcaster and producer. Lots of trivia abound, such as the fact that the largest banana split in the world was made by Palm Dairies in Edmonton in 1988 – 44,689 pounds of ice cream, 9,688 pounds of chocolate syrup, and 537 pounds of toppings. There are also illustrations, anecdotes, and some famous recipes. A good social history. THE DONUT BOOK (Storey Publishing, 2005, 184 pages, $21.95) 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 of historical adverts, photos, etc., an index (yeah!), and some updating -- commenting on organic ingredients, chains (Krispy Kreme (which is fading fast), Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons), and websites. Recipes and illustrations are sourced, but not the text. Michael Turback’s HOT CHOCOLATE (Ten Speed Press, 2005, 150 pages, $13.50) has more than 60 recipes for hot chocolate; some of these deal with solid food too. Recipes were contributed by chocolatiers from around the world, such as the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Manhattan’s Serendipity 3. Turback also gives a history of liquid chocolate, and there are plenty of illustrations. What better time of year for this book as we segue into winter and Valentine’s Day… BOOK OF COFFEE (Hachette Illustrated, 2005, 128 pages, $19.95) and BOOK OF TEA (Hachette Illustrated, 2005, 128 pages, $19.95) were both published in 1999 in French in France. Anne Vantal provides about 28,000 words on coffee, while Annie Perrier-Robert does the same with tea. Both volumes come with over 200 photos, historical illustrations and drawings on glossy paper. The style is semi-academic. There are "ancient documents" and literary extracts where applicable. Both have a handful of recipes, bibliography (yea!), and website listings. Some small, nifty pocket reference guides can be useful for furtive browsing to show off your expertise. There is SUSHI (Chronicle Books, 2005, 80 pages, $11.95) which follows on last year’s successful “Dim Sum” from the same publisher. It is billed as an unobtrusive companion to take on your next visit to a sushi palace. Chapters present pictures of sushi served by the average restaurant with a brief description. Other descriptions cover the types of fish, flavours and textures. Just take a quick peek under the table so you won’t have to reveal your ignorance. For the rest of us, it can serve as a quick reference lookup. For wine lovers, there are a few travel guides. ACCESS CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY, 7th ed. (HarperCollins, 2005, 240 pages, $26.95) is a user- friendly guide that marries travel and wine. The title is misleading since it actually only refers to California wine country NORTH of San Francisco. There is no Livermore, no Monterey, no Santa Barbara, etc. So here are Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties, featuring their top attractions and “worth a detour” sights. What’s here? Wine tasting events, fundraisers, restaurants, hotels, shopping, nightlife, places for gay travelers, offbeat places too…There are “Best” sections which list activities from local vineyard owners. More than 175 wineries and vineyards are tracked, large and small, which welcome visitors (listed are names and numbers, websites). There are profiles on the major vintners. As with any handbook, there are lots of symbols and legends to decode, along with a colour-coded system for retrieval of data, maps of the areas (and thumbnail maps with street locations and a street-by- street approach). More than thirty-five spas (what’s California without spas?) are also noted. The indexes are pretty good, and include the star ratings and prices for the wines, so that you don’t have to go to the main text to find a recommendation. Two new entries in the Mitchell Beazley “Discover Wine Country” series are BORDEAUX (144 pages, $29.95) by Monty Waldin and BURGUNDY (144 pages, $29.95) by Patrick Matthews – who is also the series editor. The emphasis in these books is on how to find great wines off the beaten track, along with a buying guide. The authors, all experienced travelers, show you which producers to visit plus how to get around, where to stay and eat, and some real insider info. These are great books for travelers; they come with maps, photos, and an index. If you are giving a party, then you’ll need a copy of Peggy Post’s EMILY POST’S FAVORITE PARTY AND DINING TIPS (Collins Gems, 2005, 276 pages, $10.95). Most of the material has been drawn from “Emily Post’s Etiquette” book, but it has been updated to take into account modern conventions, allowing for more choices. The pocket-sized book, about 3” by 5”, deals with table manners, eating out, parties, toasts, and house guests. A great read for a review of manners and tips on laying out flatware and glasses, etc. And, of course, it is compact. At every party, there’ll be need for alcohol. THE FIELD GUIDE TO COCKTAILS (Quirk Productions, 2005, 313 pages, $19.95) has the subtitle: how to identify and prepare virtually every drink at the bar. Rob Chirico, bartender and writer, has recipes and short histories for about 300 libations (the classics to the contemporary), along with 200 colour photos. MONDO COCKTAIL (McArthur and Company, 2005, 250 pages, $24.95) is for the more “serious” drinker, the one who wants details behind his favourite cocktail. In this case, his favourite had better be one of 12, such as bloody mary, mojito, daiquiri, margarita, mint julep, manhattan, martini, gimlet, or sidecar. Author Christine Sismondo, who has also tended bar for 15 years, devotes about 20 pages to each, examining each cocktail in context of travel, history, preparation, and audience. There are interesting reproductions of historical advertisements. A good read for the holidays… You want something totally off-the-wall? Look no further than the engaging THE ONE-PAN GOURMET (McGraw-Hill, 2005, 182 pages, $19.95) which was first issued in 1993. This is its second edition. These are old recipes recreated for the trail. Portions are for two people or one large meal for one person. “You need calories when you are on the trail….Diet at home, eat on the trail”. Words of wisdom. There is an illustrated guide to portable kitchens, menus (and how to plan a menu), and how to clean up. The 175 usable recipes and pocket size make this a great stocking stuffer for the bachelor in your life. ANNUALS ======= There is a sub-category of stocking stuffers that is really appreciated by wine and food lovers: the ANNUAL…Most of these books are pocket guides, at least the wine ones are. The food books are regular-sized. But you can wedge them into a stocking -- somehow. There is THE BEST AMERICAN RECIPES 2005/2006; the year’s top picks from books, magazines, newspapers and the Internet (Houghton Mifflin, 2005, 300 pages, $36.95) is out for the seventh time. All recipes (for all courses) are sourced, such as New York Times, Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Saveur, email lists, cookbooks (Flay, Bertolli, Bayless, Trotter, Waters, Pepin, Lawson) – even flyers. All are retested in the publisher’s test kitchens, and comments are added about any difficulties or how to fix things. Trends noted include the use of silicone tools in the kitchen, the return of pecorino romano, grinding your own spices, and the resurgence of Scandinavian foods. BEST OF THE BEST; the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of the year (American Express, 2005, 287 pages, $42.95) is similarly shaped. More than 100 recipes, about four from each book, all re-tested. Cookbooks include “Les Halles Cookbook” (Anthony Bourdain), “Celebration 101” (Rick Rodgers), perennials Emeril Lagasse, Marcella Hazan, Thomas Keller, Jamie Oliver. Twenty brand new recipes have been contributed by the cookbook authors; this is new this year. In addition, there are interviews, quotes, extra reading, and ingredient and technique advice. FOOD & WINE AN ENTIRE YEAR OF RECIPES 2005 (American Express, 2005, 408 pages, $42.95) delivers good value in its 650 recipes: why bother to subscribe? There are no adverts here. There are accompanying wine recommendations for just about every prep. Some categories have been rearranged to allow for a section on fast foods, healthy foods, comfort foods, and “chef recipes for home use”. There is a plethora of advice. Unfortunately, the year in mind is 2004, so the book will always be a year behind. Too bad. On to the wine annuals. The leaders are HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2006 (Mitchell Beazley, 2005, 288 pages, $19.95) and OZ CLARKE’S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2006 (Harcourt Books, 2005, 320 pages, $18.95). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. Similarities: Johnson claims more than 6000 wines are listed, while Clarke says 7000, but then recommends “only” 4000. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer and has more respect for his exactitude and scholarliness. His book is arranged by region; Clarke’s book is in dictionary, A – Z form (about 1600 main entries). It is really six of one, half a dozen of another. Johnson’s entry for Canada climbed from 49 lines to 55 (big deal). Jackson-Triggs and Pelee Island have been added. Both books have notes on the 2004 vintage, along with a closer look at the 2003. It is fun to see both books and find out where they diverge. Note that Ozzie is selling for a buck less, but Johnson’s book is available as a FREE CD- ROM if you spring for the slip cased set (see last week)… Other wine annuals deal with “recommended” wines, not all the wines in the world. They can afford the space for more in-depth tasting notes (TNs). THE WINE LIST 2006; the top 250 wines of the year (Headline Books, 2005, 240 pages, $19.95) is by Matthew Jukes, wine writer for the Daily Mail. His annual has been published since 2001. Although British in orientation, the 250 wines chosen as the best usually appear in Canada. Full TNs, along with advice on food matching with wines and a gazetteer of the best wine estates in the world. The six major categories are covered (red, white, rose, sparkling, sweet, fortified). And there is advice on food matching. You can match this annual with ANDREA IMMER’S 2006 WINE BUYING GUIDE FOR EVERYONE (Broadway Books, 2005, 255 pages, $17.95) which is her fourth edition. She looks at 700 top wines as found in many US stores and regular restaurants. Her choices are also available in Canada from time to time (200 wines were changed this year from the 2005 edition). There are comments on each wine from both consumers and wine trade professionals, along with TNs and a pronunciation guide. There is a section on new trends: screwcapped wines, pinot grigio, Chilean reds, Tuscan reds, Shiraz peaking. Maybe Tetra Paks next year? FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE’S WINE GUIDE 2006 (American Express, 2005, 320 pages, $16.95) offers notes on 1300 wines from all over the globe; there are plenty of European wines here. Sections cover the elements of tasting, a Wine Value Finder (a listing of 50 rated wines that offer the best value for the price: thankfully, only one chardonnay is listed). Glossaries, guides, tips, matches, best of lists – it goes on and on. New this year: 240 star producers are highlighted. Again, many of the wines can be found in Canada. New to me this season are three other books: SUPERPLONK 2006 (Collins, 2005, 288 pages, $19.95) is by Malcolm Gluck. He lists the top 1000 wines in the UK in a convenient disposable paperback format. These are all “terrific” wines at bargain prices, and many of them find their way over to our shores. The index of wine names also includes the ratings (out of 20), so you can quickly make an assessment. There is more stuff at his website superplonk.com. WINE BUYERS’ GUIDE (Mitchell Beazley, 2005, $14.95) comes from the annual “Wine International” magazine’s competition (International Wine Challenge). Robert Joseph runs this one, and he has organized over 2250 wines, rated by quality and price, with full tasting notes. These are for sale in the UK, although the book has application to North America. THE ULTIMATE WINE LOVER’S GUIDE 2006 (Sterling, 2005, 288 pages, $21.95) is from the US. Over 1000 wine selections are listed. Authors Fred DuBose and Evan Spingarn have a “Wines for Food” index which is certainly useful. Again, it is the US market, but there are good thumbnails of label reproductions. It’s too much wishful thinking to have a similar series of books for Canada, given our limited market. The LCBO’s decision to cancel the publication of its paper catalogue (pouring all of its resources into Vintages and Classics catalogues) is tempered by Toronto Life’s annual wine buying guide, which comes out every December. EIGHTH ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE-RELATED HOLIDAY GIFT ARTICLE: wine, spirits, books, software, stocking stuffers, etc, DECEMBER 2004 =============================================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca For my readers… Always available at www.deantudor.com For Gothic Epicures, it gets harder each year to match up the recipient with the gift – there are so many new and newish items out there!! I have cast the web for my newsletters and my Internet site, and I have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook and any friend… As always, I begin with an assortment of new toys and gadgets. One new item is the Wine Prism, a glass straw with a hole in the side. You suck in wine, and the hole helps to aerate it. Not for everyday drinking, but for tasting the first, finest moments of a quality wine. I’ve tried it, and it works. It even makes cheap wine taste good on the initial palate. It comes in a carrying case, so you can take it to wine tastings. Worth a try, at $20US or so, through www.wineprism.com or 1- 800-322-8878. Another gadget is the Breville Wine Chiller. It chills a room-temperature bottle of wine in about 5 minutes, without ice, making it ideal for spontaneous/impromptu gatherings. There is a coolant (which must be pre-frozen), a timer, and an insulated carry bag. An Australian product, about $70 in Canada (www.breville.ca). Software this year has gone big and small. First the small. Wine writer Tony Aspler (www.tonyaspler.com) has developed a wine program and tasting notes for the PDA. There are details at his website. There is also “Parker in Your Palm”, a Robert Parker software for the PDA. The stand-alone version ($49.95 US) includes a database of 5,000 affordable wines from recent vintages. The version for eRobertParker.com subscribers is $29.95, and allows downloading of as many wines as can be stored on the available memory of your PDA. You can do a text search, a specified criteria search, or a vintage chart search. Now the big. There are online versions of cellar software, developing high-tech ways for collectors to manage their bottles. The on-line inventory, which you can look at from any computer with Internet access, gives you the chance to monitor the size, the value, the purchases, the drinkability dates, and even wine futures. Vinfolio is a company which helps customers create an inventory in their own home or at the company’s warehouse. Through the company, you can photograph each bottle, enter it into a web database, and label it with a bar code. Changes are easy: after consuming or purchasing, just wave a wand over the label. Unfortunately, it only works in the US. Other countries have a send in a spreadsheet of their collection to be imported into the VinCellar software that is used. Vintrust is another firm. CellarTracker, though, is free for use. But you have to manually input your data and changes. About 1500 collectors use CellarTracker, with over 300,000 bottles in the collective databases. There is also a chat room for discussions about wine. collecting, vintages, TNs, etc. In between, of course, there are the software programs that run on your own PC. They all seem to come out of Australia or New Zealand – must be something about being antipodeans. The latest is The Uncorked Cellar, from Australia. In addition to the usual database setup, it also has updates three times a year, with new material about wines and software upgrades. You can, of course, arrange and sort, and search for wines. It has a fairly complete guide to wines as well. You can see and print graphs, do advanced searches, lists of wines by year, peak periods of maturation, printable tags for the cellar, etc. There is a free evaluation copy for sixty days. The Full Mode will then cost you $99 Australian. There are less expensive versions of Uncorked Cellar, but they do not have the full functionality. Contact brian@uncork.com.au for more details. Gift certificates are always appreciated. You can get them at the LCBO, Indigo, Amazon, any book store, but can you get them for wine appreciation? I suppose any wine education course will take your money on behalf of someone you wish to sign up for a course. But why bother? Try a gift certificate from The Centre for Vine Affairs (CVA) which runs out of the Crush Wine Bar. This will allow your recipient to sign up for anything he or she wants, on his or her own terms. Most of the tastings are limited to 24 people at any one time, and the tastings are themed. For details on certificates, call John Szabo at info@thecva.ca or 416-219-5873. Wine storage is also useful. In Toronto, there is the Fine Wine Reserve at King and Spadina Streets (www.finewinereserve.com) run by Marc Russell as a full-time venture. In addition to storage, he has some tasting facilities too (the Wine Writers Circle of Canada held a recent meeting there). It is secure and climate-controlled (13.5 degrees, 60% humidity), with space for 12,000 cases (5,000 square feet). The entranceway has pressurized rooms, and there are seven separate layers of security including thumbprints. Marc has room for both private cellaring and custodial cellaring. Access is 24/7. Gift certificates are available, such as a year’s storage. Stocking stuffers are at the top of everybody’s gift list: something affordable ($10 - $30) that can also double as a host gift, something small and lightweight. In the past few years, card sets have developed. Silverback, through Whitecap, has a series of “Smarts” games. There are FOODSMARTS (Whitecap, 2004, ISBN 0-9721876-2-6, $29.95) and WINESMARTS (Whitecap, 2004, ISBN 0-9721876-0-X, $29.95) which are boxed sets of 100 questions-and-answers cards, divided into four categories including ingredients or grapes, vocabulary, regions or cuisines, and wild cards. Each has a 12-page tip guide plus a score sheet. Lots of fun for over the holidays. THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE DECK (Chronicle Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, ISBN 0-8118-4344-0, $20.95) presents 60 recipe cards for traditional favourites (gingerbread, Lebkuchen, Norwegian lace cookies, brownie cookies) and some contemporary ones too. Perfect for that cookie exchange you’ve always wanted to start….Also from Chronicle Books is THE BUBBLY DECK (ISBN 0-8118-4296-7, $20.95), a 50 card set detailing the history, the vocabulary, the food pairing, the toasts, plus 40 recipes for such as Kir Royale and Champagne Sunsets and the classic sugar cube Champagne Cocktail…PARTY DRINKS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2004; distr. Thomas Allen, ISBN 1-84172-771-7, $19.95) goes with PARTY FOOD (ISBN 1-84172-770-9, $19.95). Both are collections of 40 laminated cards with colour photos. Party Drinks includes recipes for margaritas, coolers, champagne cocktails, martinis, while Party Foods has mini wraps, spiced nuts, potato skins, and sweets too… Other non-book stuffers include themed mini notebooks from Ryland Peters & Small, distributed by Thomas Allen, specifically, CELLAR NOTES (ISBN 1-84172-749-0, $9.95) and RECIPE NOTES (ISBN 1-84172-747-4, $9.95). Each book has 96 lined pages, a wire-o-binding, and an elastic closure band. The wine book has space for white wine, red wine, sparklers. The food book has soups and salads, eggs and cheese, pasta and rice, fish and meat, sweets and party food. Both books are meant for those people who need organizing. WINENOTES (Silverback, 2004; distr. Whitecap, ISBN 0-9721876-1-8, $19.95) has 150 pages for notes (two wines to a page), plus tips on decoding wine labels, grape varieties, and even regional maps. Portable, of course, for that wine tour of Okanagan or Finger Lakes or Niagara, Napa, Sonoma, Willamette, etc. One drawback: the book has no space for rose, so don’t taste any of them… Calendars are monster hits, both wall and desk. The best of the desk are the two “page-a-day” calendars from Workman (distr. Thomas Allen). THE WINE LOVER’S CALENDAR 2005(ISBN 0-7611-3174-4, $14.95) has been put together by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. There is a new varietal highlighted each month, tips galore for pouring and tasting, food and wine matching, etc. etc. 137 “must try” wines are highlighted. 365 BOTTLES OF BEER FOR THE YEAR 2005 (ISBN 0-7611-3349-6, $14.95) is by Bob Klein, author of The Beer Lover’s Rating Guide. Most of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few Canadian brews here. Other material here includes beer festivals, beer facts, label lore and vocabulary. If you buy and of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other stuff, usually free There is a category of foodbooks called “little cookbooks”; these are usually placed at POS (point-of-sales) spots. I’ve located a very good collection, mainly from Celestial Arts and distributed by Ten Speed Press. Most of these books have no index, which is regrettable. There is VERY PESTO (ISBN 1-58761-208-9, $8.95 paper) with 30 recipes (17 for herb pestos) for pasta, appetizers, salads, and sides and pizza. It was originally available in 1985. VERY SALAD DRESSING (ISBN 1-58761-209-7, $8.95 paper) has 50 recipes, involving oil and vinegar dressings, creamy salad dressings, dressings with fruits and vegetables and marinades. It was first published in 1997. THE ASPARAGUS FESTIVAL COOKBOOK (ISBN 1-58761-174-0, $8.95 paper) was first published in 1986; it has the winning recipes from the Stockton California Asparagus Festival, a three day event drawing 100,000 eaters. There are about 50 recipes here, including desserts. Some small, nifty pocket reference guides can be useful for furtive browsing to show off your expertise. There is DIM SUM (Chronicle Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, ISBN 0-8118-4178-2, $10.95 paper) which is a pictorial guide to all the main dishes (shrimp dumplings, etc.) plus chopstick usage and etiquette. Categories include steamed, deep fried, pan fried, congee, and desserts. All in 80 pages. HarperCollins has a Gems series. There is COLLINS GEM WHISKY (HarperCollins, 2004, 239 pages, ISBN 0-00-714411-3, $11.95 paper covers) by Carol P. Shaw. It was first published in 1993; this is the latest edition with updates to single malts and their marketing. 150 Scotches are covered. There are details of age, strength, and taste rating, with lots of small but useful photos. There is even a history and description of miniatures, plus website data. COLLINS GEM HERBS AND SPICES (HarperCollins, 2004, 240 pages, ISBN 0-00-712197-0, $11.95 paper covers) covers 90 herbs and spices, with usage in cooking and medicine. Material includes home cultivation and subsequent storage. Like the Scotch book, the arrangement is alphabetical from “alecost” to “yarrow”, each with a colour photograph. There is a sub-category of stocking stuffers that is really appreciated by wine and food lovers: the ANNUAL…Most of these books are pocket guides, at least the wine ones are. The food books are regular-sized. There is THE BEST AMERICAN RECIPES 2004/2005; the year’s top picks from books, magazines, newspapers and the Internet (Thomas Allen, 2004, ISBN 061845506X, 300 pages, $37.95) is out for the sixth time. All recipes (for all courses) are sourced, such as New York Times, Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Saveur, email lists, cookbooks (Flay, Bertolli, Bayless, Trotter, Lawson) – even flyers. All are retested in the publisher’s test kitchens, and comments are added about any difficulties or how to fix things. Trends noted include the use of silicone tools in the kitchen, the return of pecorino Romano, grinding your own spices, and the resurgence of Scandinavian foods. BEST OF THE BEST; the best recipes from the 25 best cookbooks of the year (American Express, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, ISBN 1-932624-00-7, 287 pages, $44.95) is similarly shaped. More than 100 recipes, about four from each book, all re-tested. Cookbooks include “From Emeril’s Kitchen”, Nigella Lawson’s “Forever Summer”, Bouley’s “East of Paris”, and Wolfert’s “The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen”. This is its seventh year of production. On to the wine annuals. The leaders are HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2005 (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. McArthur, ISBN 1-84000-895-4, 288 pages, $19.95) and OZ CLARKE’S POCKET WINE GUIDE 2005 (Harcourt Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, 320 pages, $20). Both are guides to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. Similarities: Johnson claims 6000 wines are listed, while Clarke says 7000. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are in both books. The major differences: Johnson has been at it longer and has more respect for his exactitude and scholarliness. His book is arranged by region; Clarke’s book is in dictionary, A – Z form. It is really six of one, half a dozen of another. Almost annual is MICHAEL JACKSON’S COMPLETE GUIDE TO SINGLE MALT SCOTCH (Running Press, 2004; distr. HarperCollins, ISBN 0-7624-1313-1, 448 pages, $38.50) now in its fifth edition. The history and corporate sections have been revised and brought forward. There is a dictionary arrangement for the single malts, arranged by distillery. More than one thousand TNs are complemented by sharp photos of the distilleries. A mammoth undertaking at a value price. Also almost annual is the WINDOWS ON THE WORLD COMPLETE WINE COURSE: 2005 EDITION (Sterling Books, 2004, distr. by Canadian Manda, ISBN 1-4027-1733-4, $37.95) an absolute bargain, written and revised by Kevin Zraly. It was last published two years ago. Unfortunately, Windows of the World went down on 9/11, but it continues to live on through the new editions. This is one of the best of the introductory wine course books, with basic data supplemented by a generous selection of “questions and answers”. There is a newer North American wine supplement with maps and AVAs explained. Full-colour labels and more maps complement the region-by-region vintage analyses. Other wine annuals deal with recommended wines. They can afford the space for more, in depth TNs. THE WINE LIST 2005; the top 250 wines of the year (Headline Books, 2004, distr. McArthur, ISBN 0-7553-1250-3, 240 pages, $18.95 paper covers) by Matthew Jukes, wine writer for the Daily Mail. His annual has been published since 2002. Although British in orientation, the 250 wines chosen as the best usually appear in Canada. Full TNs, along with advice on food matching with wines and a gazetteer of the best wine estates in the world. The six major categories are covered (red, white, rose, sparkling, sweet, and fortified). You can match this annual with ANDREA IMMER’S 2005 WINE BUYING GUIDE FOR EVERYONE (Broadway Books, 2004, ISBN 0-7679-1545-3, 255 pages, $17.95) which is her third edition. She looks at 650 top wines as found in many US stores and regular restaurants. Her choices are also available in Canada from time to time (200 wines were changed this year from the 2004 edition). There are comments on each wine from both consumers and wine trade professionals, along with TNs and a pronunciation guide. There is a section on new trends: prices up, Two Buck Chuck, pinot grigio, Chilean reds, Tuscan reds, Shiraz peaking. FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE’S WINE GUIDE 2005 (American Express, 2004; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, ISBN 0-916103-98-6, 320 pages, $17.95) offers notes on 1400 wines from all over the globe; there are plenty of European wines here. Sections cover the elements of tasting, a Wine Value Finder (a listing of 50 rated wines that offer the best value for the price: thankfully, only one chardonnay is listed). Glossaries, guides, tips, matches, best of lists – it goes on and on. Again, many of the wines can be found in Canada. Turning to wines and spirits, I see where the LCBO has unleashed more “special” gift products than ever before, with a dizzying variety of single bottles (with and without packaging), small bottles, combined bottles, large bottles, and bizarre bottles. And this goes for both wine AND spirits. Rather than recite a whole slew of items, I can easily refer you to www.lcbo.com where it is all laid out. The LCBO has also published two catalogues. One is Vintages Holiday Gifts 2004; the other is Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide 2004. The wine media get to pre- taste some of these items every November. Most of the time they taste as always: the packaging is just for the fancy gift. Leading the parade of the bizarre bottles is “Napoleon the Cognac Dog” (+600205, $49.95), a dachshund-shaped bottle with 350 mL of cognac…One of the less expensive presentations. There are other forms, such as a Dolphin, a Horse, a Pig, a Cat, etc. (check with the agent MCO at 905-562-1392). There is a Cinderella shoe grappa with cherry liqueur for that oh-so particular shoe (or foot) fetish person (+650143, 350 mL, $39.95). Something different from the US, there is Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, 94 proof, the only one from Tennessee. Each bottle is hand-labeled with distinctive information about that barrel. And, of course, it is charcoal-mellowed first (+480616, $50.45). Continuing with the grain, there is also a new Christmas treat on the market in beers: Mahr’s Brau Christmas Bock Beer, from Bamberger Germany, made from barley malt, 6.5% alcohol, 500 mL for $3.25 (+676031). If you need something old, try the value-priced Quinta do Castelinho 1961, a Portuguese colheita port now approaching the age of 43. It’s in the Vintages Classics Catalogue, and comes in a satin-lined suedette gift box with an extra re-usable cork (not that it would last that long in my house). Distinctively rich aromas, rancio tones, walnuts, cheese, the colour of brandy – with tons of barrel aging. An interesting concept is the collection of smaller bottles. If you’ve got a lot of money to blow, then buy the whole set for the recipient. Otherwise, this would be the perfect opportunity to “divide and conquer” by splitting up the grouping. Thus, the delightful Darroze Bas Armagnac 3-bottle 10-year-old gift set (200 mL apiece) can be given outright to one or three friends (or even two friends if you keep one for yourself). A mere $84.95 a set (+650101). Similarly, the Macallan Single Highland Malt Gift Pack has three bottles, 333 mL apiece: 10 Years Old, Elegancia 1991, and Cask Strength 10 Years Old (+650218, $119.95). If you are looking for a quick and easy hostess gift for holiday parties, get a Gromoff Nutcracker ornament. Inside each collectible mannequin is a 50 mL bottle of Gromoff vodka from Russia (+600189, $9.95). The Pommery Pop Art Collection has three 200 mL bottles, with fashionably weird art on the bottle. Although the LCBO description implies a screw cap, the photograph clearly shows a hood used with cork. Give to three of your good friends (+561647, $45.95). As for wine, look no further than the bizarre Georges DuBoeuf New Generation gift pack. The red wine is a Merlot Reserve 2002 from D’Oc; the white wine is a Chardonnay 2002 from the same area. These colourful bottles demand that you stick a candle into the empties, after consumption (+561621, $27.95)! There is a quaffable, 6.5% alcohol, Petalo Il Vino Dell’amore Moscato sparkler (+328930, $29.40) which comes with four glasses. Of special note to thrifty purchasers: the Banrock Station Christmas Gift Pack of Chardonnay and Shiraz from the land of Oz retails for $18.25, which is twenty cents cheaper than the combined price (+328880). For the unusual, there is the Matraaljai Pinot Noir 2002 from Hungary, which comes in its own framed wooden carrying case plus a rope handle (+328971, $14.95). For value, try the Vina Tarapaca Cabernet Sauvignon Gift Box, an enclosed wooden box with a rope handle, full of juicy black fruit wine from Chile, for a mere $10.95 (+623603). For Ontario wines, there are many, many different ways to celebrate Christmas. Just about all of them are NOT at the LCBO. One of my favourite values is the Colio Lily 2002 VQA sparkler, cuvee close method. For Christmas, it comes with two Bohemia crystal champagne glasses (with no lips) and a box. Special gift packages from Ontario wineries include crates, boxes, and baskets – many of them customized. You can check their websites through my Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net at www.ryerson.ca/~dtudor/wine.htm. Some examples from Angels Gate includes the Connoisseur Collection ($99.25 for a wooden case, three wines, and two Riedel chardonnay nine tumblers) and the Chef’s Basket ($89.50 for a basket with salsa, crackers, salad dressing, syrup, radiatore, chocolates, recipes, two bottles of wine). From EastDell, there is the Wine Lover's Tasting (choice of EastDell wine and a tutored food-and-wine tasting in EastDell's loft, priced from $30 per couple, including gift bottle of wine). Or, Bubbles & Brunch (a bottle of Cuvée Brut and Brunch for Two in EastDell's Bench Bistro including a glass of sparkling wine each during brunch, $70 per couple, including gift bottle of Cuvée Brut). EastDell also their Adventures In Winemaking. Send your favourite person to one class or all of EastDell's wine-and-dine series beginning January 2005. This is an interactive evening, including guest speaker, wine tasting and three- course winemaker's supper. 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. $55 p.p. per class plus cost of the gift bottle of wine. Call EastDell at 905-563-9463 Coffee table books have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And don’t let the prices daunt you…Most expensive books are available at a discount from Amazon.Ca or Indigo – with free delivery thrown in, above a certain price (usually $39). This year’s alcohol parade is led by SCOTCH WHISKY; a liquid history (Cassell Illustrated, 2003; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 288 pages, ISBN 1-84403-078-4, $59.95), authored by Charles MacLean, who has been a prolific writer on whisky for over 20 years. Most recently he has been Editor at Large of Whisky Magazine. The oversized book has historical photos, corporate histories, the development of the drink, some data on temperance movements and modern day operations. The style is largely anecdotal in a posh presentation. From the wine side, there are three definite winners. One is BURGUNDY AND ITS WINES (Raincoast, 2004, 144 pages, ISBN 1-55192-665-2, $39.95) by Nicholas Faith with Andy Katz photos. It is in the same series as Bordeaux and Its Wines (Joseph) and Tuscany and Its Wines (Johnson). Material covers the culture, history, landscapes, peoples, foods and wines. It is meant for the traveler (armchair or otherwise), but attempts to cover “thousands of stubbornly individualistic wine- makers”. The second is WINES OF SOUTH AMERICA (Mitchell Beazley, 2003; distr. by McArthur, 192 pages, ISBN 1-84000-609-9, $60), by Monty Waldin who has worked around the world for a range of wine producers in Bordeaux, Chile, California and Germany. He is also a free-lance writer, winning a major prize for his “Organic Wine Guide” in 1999. The gorgeous pictures are by Jason Lowe. There are lots of interviews and quotes from sources. Chile gets 80 pages, Argentina has 60 pages, even Uruguay gets 26. Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela have a handful. Key facts, maps, notes on producers, but no TNs. The third is NAPA VALLEY (Chronicle Books, 2004; distr. Raincoast, ISBN 0-8118-4088, 120 pages, $27.95 paper covers), now in its fourth edition (first published in 1993). The glossy book has great photos from Richard Gillette, and states which wineries have the best architecture, panorama view, art works on view, gardens, picnic sites. There are sections on local history and winemaking, winery tours, best times to come to Napa, directory data. Twenty-eight major wineries are covered. The fourth is an omnium gatherum of wine history: THE STORY OF WINE; new illustrated edition (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. McArthur, ISBN 1-84000-972-1, 256 pages, $50) by the prolific Hugh Johnson. It was originally issued in 1989 to accompany his TV series of the time. Now it has been revised, condensed, and updated through the past fifteen years to take into account the dramatic upsurge of the New World, previously almost ignored in his series. A fabulous presentation of words and illustrations (almost all historical), marred somewhat by the non- inclusion of icewine. The first edition was the winner of EIGHT major book awards! The food parade of coffee table books is gastroporn at its excessive best. I’ve reviewed many expensive books in my monthly column, and all of those books had extensive recipes. Here, I’ll just cover the more juicy ones, the one with few recipes. First up is PIERRE GAGNAIRE; reflections on culinary artistry (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2003; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 240 pages, ISBN 1-58479-316-3, $75), by the self-named Michelin three-starred chef. He opened his first restaurant in 1980 in France. He also owns Sketch in London. There are no recipes in this book: just mouth-drooling photos of his creations, photographed between January and November 2000. This is great photography (by Jean Louis Bloch Linee) of finished preps, plus zooms and close-ups. There are 170 dishes here, in full colour. Gagnaire became famous for his architectural nature, both horizontal and vertical. And you can plainly see that in the photos. FOOD AND TRAVELS ASIA (Mitchell Beazley, 2004; distr. McArthur, ISBN 1-84000-907-1, 240 pages, $50) is by Alastair Hendry, a renowned food writer and photographer who has won multiple awards. Here he travels to Burma, India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, and Bali. These are stories of home-cooking, with photographed people, places, and things, not to mention some recipes. An interesting travelogue. BRINGING TUSCANY HOME; sensuous style from the heart of Italy (Broadway Books, 2004; distr. by Random House, 228 pages, ISBN 0-7679-1746-4, $42) is by Frances Mayes, successful author of “Under the Tuscan Sun” and other books dealing with Tuscany. This one appears to be the next logical development, and is being heavily promoted for this season. It is mainly about home decorating with a side on cooking-eating-drinking: how to choose a Tuscan colour palette and personalize a room, how to cultivate a Tuscan garden, how to set a Tuscan table, what’s in the Tuscan kitchen and larder (olive oil, limoncello, panini, pesto), and Tuscan wines (too brief). Great photos of Tuscan Villa lifestyle, but only 25 recipes. There are resource lists for shoppers and travelers on where to find Tuscan goodies. At the other end of the coffee table books is FOOD; a culinary history from antiquity to the present (Penguin Books, 2004, ISBN 0-14-029658-1, 592 pages, $37.50 paper covers). It was first published in Rome in 1996, then in English by Columbia University Press, and is now available as a Penguin paperback. J.L. Flandrini and M. Montanari did the editorial work. It deals with a lot of origins, with a mostly European perspective on food history. There are reproductions of art works, but all are in black and white only. They editors try to address the question: “why are the same foods prepared differently in different countries?” Economic and demographic factors play a hand. They contend also that the roots of modern culinary history lie deep within France. That may be so, but the symbolic aspects of eating still need to convince me. Nevertheless, an affordable posh looking book which makes you think. For a “coffee table” communal with nature over these holidays, look no further than to Andy Noseworthy. You should see what this acclaimed artist does with wood and vines, combining landscape with art. HAND TO EARTH (Abrams, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 196 pages, ISBN 0- 8109-9180-2 paper covers, $60) is now available in paperback. It is a retrospective covering 1976 through 1990. There are 200 illustrations featuring early examples of his ephemeral art (leaves, stalks, sand and especially snow). A good precursor to a necessary viewing of his documentary “Rivers and Tides” which was released last year. Commissions take him all over the world, and these are noted in the movie. A pictorial remembrance of the film is PASSAGE (Abrams, 2004; distr. Canadian Manda, 168 pages, ISBN 0-8109-5586-5, $90) which focuses on the paths that people, rivers, landscapes, and stones take through space and time: cairns, elm trees, beaches, white chalk path, and the Garden of Stones at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (NYC). For the more literate person, there are, of course, NOVELS on a wine theme. Leading this year’s crush is Peter Mayle’s A GOOD YEAR (Knopf, 2004, 287 pages, ISBN 0-375-40591-7, $34), which stars Max Skinner as a fish-out-of-water vineyard owner in Provence (his late uncle left it to him). There are lots of comely wenches, food and wine in this book of great fun. Mayles is the author of A YEAR IN PROVENCE. This is his ninth book and fifth novel. And let’s not forget Canada’s leading wine novelist, Tony Aspler. It's murder in the wine business, he says punningly. He is the creator of these vintage mystery novels in which Ezra Brant (an internationally known wine writer) solves an intriguing series of murders in three of the world's most renowned wine regions. Along the way, Brant tastes his way through the fascinating inner sanctum of the wine world, from exclusive award ceremonies to centuries-old and suspenseful wine cellar. So follow Tony Aspler's fictional wine writer-detective in BLOOD IS THICKER THAN BEAUJOLAIS, THE BEAST OF BARBARESCO, and DEATH ON THE DOURO. An ideal Christmas gift for the wine lover/mystery buff in your life. Tony will autograph copies to you or your designated recipient. One title: $12.84 (includes GST) + $6 postage/handling. Set of three - $32.10 (includes GST) + $8 postage/handling. To order email tony.aspler@sympatico.ca or visit www.tonyaspler.com . Send cheques or money orders to: Tony Aspler, 53 Craighurst Ave., Toronto ON M4R 1J9. Related to novels are the “memoirs” of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non-fiction”, suffering from embellishments and gilding. And also suffering from a lack of indexing. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from last year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. SHAKEN AND STIRRED; through the martini glass and other drinking adventures (HarperCollins, 2004, ISBN 0-06-074044-2, 192 pages, $25.50) is by William L. Hamilton. This is a guide to the after-five lifestyle in New York. Hamilton writes the bi-weekly “Shaken and Stirred” column for the New York Times “Style” section, and this is a collection of his essays: 40 columns expanded, along with 25 unpublished efforts. Go on a pub crawl to the various lounges and bars in NYC. Or stay home and make drinks from his 60 plus recipes. THE ART OF EATING (John Wiley, 2004, ISBN 0-7645-4261- 3, 784 pages, $31.99 paper) is by M.F.K. Fisher. This is the classic collection, first published in 1954 as a gathering of five of her food books: Serve It Forth, Consider the Oyster, How to Cook a Wolf, The Gastronome and Me, An Alphabet for Gourmets. It has now been reissued as a “50th Anniversary Edition” in an affordable paperback, with various appreciations written by people most affected by her (Julia Child, Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl, James Villas). FORK IT OVER; the intrepid adventures of a professional eater (HarperCollins, 2004, ISBN 0-06- 058629-X, 324 pages, $34.95) is by Alan Richman, an 11-time James Beard award winner. The majority had appeared in GQ and Food & Wine magazines. Here are restaurant reviews and anecdotes from around the world. Some of his wittiest stuff was his article on wine expectoration (wine spitting) and drinking wines with US wine collectors in restaurants in France. Well worth a read. On the road again we go with TASTING PLEASURE; confessions of a wine lover (Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-027001-9, 342 pages, $22.99 paper covers) which is Jancis Robinson’s memoirs: who she meets, where she goes, how she got started, and even some tasting notes. She’s the editor of Oxford Companion to Wine, and has been slowly assuming responsibility for Hugh Johnson’s wine book properties. IS THERE A NUTMEG IN THE HOUSE? (Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-029290-X, 322 pages, $20.99) is by Elizabeth David, a sequel to “An Omelette and a Glass of Wine”. Both books were published posthumously. Both are anthologies, a selection of her published writings, as well as material from her files, letters and notes, never before published, from the 1950s through to 1980s. Plus 150 recipes of every sort (all indexed, of course). LOVE AND SWEET FOOD; a culinary memoir (Thomas Allen, 2004, ISBN 0-88762-153-8, $24.95) comes from the pen of Austin Clarke, a Giller Prize-winning author who has detailed his basic Barbados roots. These are the food memories and recipes from his childhood, concentrating on chicken, rice, okra, salt, and beef (when available). Here you will find smoked ham hocks with lima beans, pigtails and rice, kingfish and white rice, split-pea soup, pepper pot pelau, oxtails with mushrooms and rice. The recipes are in a separate section, and unfortunately there is no index to the recipes nor to the memoirs. A THOUSAND DAYS IN TUSCANY; a bittersweet adventure (Workman, 2004; distr. Thomas Allen, ISBN 1-56512-392, $35.95) is by Marlena de Blasi, who also wrote “A Thousand Days in Venice”. She (an American chef and journalist) and her Italian husband are now repairing an old stable to live in. There is no phone, no central heating, no real kitchen. Gee, life is tough. De Blasi goes down the fish-out-of-water path, describing her life with the locals, the food, and the wines. She combs the outdoor markets, harvests grapes, goes to an olive mill, and the like. There are a few recipes scattered through the book. GREEK SALAD; a Dionysian travelogue (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2004, 279 pages, $14.95US) is by Miles Lambert-Gocs, a wine writer (he produced “The Wines of Greece” for Faber and Faber). He covers – in 26 humourous essays – three regions: the Aegean Islands and Crete, the Mainland, and the Ionian Islands and Corfu. Just about everything happens in the tavernas. The backdrop is local food and wine, plus the usual assortment of local characters. There are even some regional maps, so that you can know where you are. Other related but non-vinous books include the remarkably efficient RECIPE FILE (Ryland Peters and Small, 2004; distr. Thomas Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 1-84172-762-8, $29.95) which was originally published in 2001 as “My Cooking Journal” but has now been revamped. It’s a place to keep all the scraps of recipe cards, notes, lists, addresses, clippings, ideas, in one place. It is organized on themes, so it becomes an elegant cookery book, journal, notepad, and directory. There are lined sheets for your own notes. There are also a few dozen classic recipes already in the book. Physically, the book has folders, concealed wire bindings, and an elastic banded closure to keep it all tidy. Napkin folding has apparently gone “big business”. I’ve reviewed at least three guidebooks over the past two years, and there are two more issued this year. THE ART OF NAPKIN FOLDING (Laurel Glen, 2004; distr. by Raincoast, 64 pages, ISBN 1-59223-192-6, $21.95) is unique in that, in addition to the illustrated book, there is a practice napkin. The book is origami based (the author Gay Merrill Gross is an expert). The designs are arranged in order of difficulty, and there are also unique table settings. Gross also claims copyright for seven of the 35 designs. The other is STYLISH NAPKINS (New Holland, 2003; distr. Canadian Manda, 64 pages, ISBN 1-84330-541-0, $22.95) which promises that the 20 napkin forms can be done in five minutes each. It too seems to be origami-based, and the book was originally published in 1998. The price difference can be put up to the use of more colours in the New Holland book. For the refreshing side of the holidays, a good gift for the music lover is THE PENGUIN GUIDE TO JAZZ ON CD (Penguin Books, 2004, 1725 pages, ISBN 0-14-101416-4 paper covers, $38), now in its seventh edition. It first appeared in 1992. It must be the world’s leading guide to recorded jazz, with plenty of facts and opinions and discographic listings and analyses. A book to leaf through while listening to jazz and savouring a glass of sherry or port. To continue refreshing, you might also want to cleanse yourself of the ravages of fatty foods and excessive alcohol. The perfect book is THE HIP CHICK’S GUIDE TO MACROBIOTICS (Penguin Books, 2004, 289 pages, ISBN 1-58333- 205-7 paper covers, $25) an unfortunately named title since it may put off anybody who is not a “hip chick”. Guys are eligible too….Author Jessica Porter, a Canadian who now lives in Maine, teaches macrobiotic cooking. Cooking tips and recipes are combined with lifestyle attitudes and diets that are effective for a brief regime. Unavoidable, but necessary in life. Have a Merry and a Happy…..Best, Dean Tudor. SEVENTH ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFTING ARTICLE By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing For my readers…. Always available at www.ryerson.ca/~dtudor For Gothic Epicures, it gets harder each year to match up the recipient with the gift – there are so many new and newish items out there!! I have cast my web for my newsletters and my Internet site, and I have come up with a decent selection to satisfy any pocketbook and any friend… I was unable to find anything really new in the way of wine accessories and wine software. Prices seem to be tumbling for screwpull-type corkscrews. I know that you can buy Chinese knockoffs for $1.75US apiece (wholesale price, lots of 144)…Software seems to been corralled by Wine Advocate, with plenty of Robert Parker’s tasting notes…Continuing in the market are plenty of wrappings (bags, boxes) through the LCBO www.lcbogifts.com and the usual gift shops. But nothing new in designs or patterns. Label Lifters continue to be available: these are stocking stuffer items, 12 to a package for $8.95. With proper application, they take labels off wine bottles…Check their availability at www.vna.on.ca . VNA (Vintage Niagara Adventures) also have a “Wine Tasting for Fun” kit, which provides the essentials for hosting a blind tasting (forms, wine glass tags, chilling bags, wine lifters, etc.), only $17.95… If you are not sure on what to buy for a wine lover, try a gift certificate at the Centre for Vine Affairs. The CVA holds its informative tastings at Crush Wine Bar, usually limited to 24 at a time. They have themed events, and they are a venue for wine education courses from Wine Access magazine. For details, email cva@crushwinebar.com or call John Szabo at 416-219-5873. There are huge selections of books for the wine lover. Let me start with the modestly priced “stocking stuffers” or host gifts. These are just about all under $20, with many at or near ten bucks. First up is my colleague “Tony Aspler’s Pocket Wine Companion, volume one” – Look Further Into the World of Wine – packed with concise data for $3.95. It’s a fold out sheet, like a map, with different categories of rules or suggestions, such as how to read wine labels (old world style and new world style are illustrated) and the precision of wine knowledge through sight, smell, taste. There is also material on wine service, VQA, winespeak, wine gifts, wine in restaurants, varietals, wine and food pairings. This is a top level summary information source covering several topics, in an easy-to-read portable format. It is available at many LCBO stores and at Chapters/Indigo. If you cannot find it, contact the publisher Thompson Vintage Trade www.vintagetrade.ca 1-866-390- 8745. Another form of stocking stuffer is the “Deck” set: a box of fifty or so cards, playing card shape, to describe something. These are not game cards, but rather easily accessible items on themes. For example, there is the “Beer Deck” which is 50 ways to sip and savor, by Babs Harrison. Fifty cards come in a shrink-wrapped lidded box, and each card describes a type of beer, such as Belgian wheat beer, brown porter, steam beer, barleywine, gueze, bitter, pilsner, Trappist ale, etc. Plus food matches. The “Wine Deck” by wine writer Brian St.Pierre, is similar: fifty cards describe the origin, reputation, taste, and food matches for Late Harvest Riesling, Vin Santo, Sauternes, Muscat, Madeira, Port, plus reds, whites, sparklers, and winemaking. These are fun ways to learn about wines, beers and spirits…and they are a great size! Others in the series include “Summer Cocktails Deck” by Penelope Wisner, with fifty recipes (some non-alcoholic) for summer patios (on the deck, as it were) plus photos and histories; “Bartender’s Deck” by Philip Collins, with classic recipes for martinis, mint julep, stinger, etc. “Cocktail Hour” by Babs Harrison has more complicated items such as tequila sunrise and mai tai – but no duplications. “Cocktail Food” by Mary Barber and Sara Whiteford is a slightly larger deck, to accommodate more text for food recipes (smoked salmon and cream cheese croquettes, chipotle shrimp salad in tortilla cups). There is a folding card here with data on how to do food at a cocktail party (supplies, food pairing, portion control), plus matching (“big and bold”, “light and delicate”). Each card has a recipe plus a pix of the finished product. These are all published by Chronicle Books of San Francisco, and cost $22.95 in Canada (the Cocktail Food deck is a couple of dollars more). If you cannot find them, contact Raincoast, the distributors, www.raincoast.com Another set of “deck” cards have been issued by Black Dog and Leventhal (distributed by Thomas Allen in Canada). One is “Martinis” by Sally Ann Berk, 50 classic recipes with photos, e.g. Waikiki Martini (using pineapple vodka), the James Bond, Cosmopolitan, Gibson, Gimlet. Another is “Toasts for All Occasions” by Sean Kelly. The fifty cards here have four blessings and cheers on each card, some serious and some funny. There is a card of international cheers (a cheat-sheet) with proust, skal, cin cin – but no chimo. Each card comes with a classic New Yorker cartoon about weddings, retirements, deaths, etc. Both sets are a little larger in format than the Chronicle deck series, so they’re a bit pricier. But good nevertheless as an actual stuffer. For wine buying guides, I have four solid examples, all in pocket shape and perfect for stuffing the Christmas stocking. Oldest running book first: “Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book, 2004”, published by Mitchell Beazley at $19.95 in Canada. He analyzes the 2001 vintage and gives an overview of 2002, indicating best value wines from every country, along with wine-food pairing notes and an updated vintage chart. He does give us a distressing thought, a sort of good news-bad news scenario. He says “the wines are getting better”, but “the wines are getting more alike”. He predicts that 2004 will see the rise of indigenous grapes from Puglia, Sicily, Greece and Portugal, plus the refinement of other French grapes such as Malbec, Mourvedre, Carmenere, Tannat, Pinot Gris. But the big news from Johnson is that after all these years Canada finally gets its own page!!! (minus three lines). BC has coverage for seven wineries, while Ontario gets notes for ten. Johnson will get come competition from “Oz Clarke’s Pocket Wine Guide, 2004”, published by Harcourt but costing a buck more at $20.95. That pricepoint, though, has got to hurt. Clarke has 1600 entries, all in an A – Z format (which makes his book different from Johnson’s). He has no regional approach, but you can quickly find the data you need because cross-references abound. He has his favourite wines listed – and why – plus top values, upcoming producers and regions, and new vintage reports. And a glossary. The third book is “Andrea Immer’s 2004 Wine Buying Guide for Everyone” published by Broadway Books at $19.95, and “featuring more than 600 top wines available in stores and restaurants”. It is meant for an American audience, but many of the wines listed here can be found in our LCBO. These are the most popular wines, and hence widely available. Thus, there is no coverage of the Gran Cru wines from France, no Screaming Eagle or Grace Family from California. The book was first published last year, so this is her second stab at it. And there have been changes, 200 new choices, based on a tasting panel that was 70% consumers. Each wine gets a pronunciation guide, a price guide, taste/value marks out of 30 points, reviewer comments, and its ability to survive as a leftover. For example, Yellowtail Chardonnay rates 21/30 in taste, and 23/30 in value. Scores are lower for Yellowtail Shiraz. There are lots of “best” lists: best taste, best value, best price, etc. Typical producers include Arrowood, Mondavi, Babich, Beringer, Black Opal, B & G. A good book for checking out current purchases, rather than as a wine reference book. The fourth book is Matthew Jukes’ “The Wine List 2004; the top 250 wines of the year” (Headline Books, 2003; distr. by McArthur, 240 pages, $16.99 paper covers). It is as British as Immer is American. He writes a wine column for the Daily Mail. The book has been published since 2001, and is updated through his website at www.expertwine.com He lists only outstanding and affordable wines, with tasting notes and purchase sources. Most of the wines are also available through the LCBO in Ontario. There is a gazetteer section for grape varieties and wine regions, as well as 65 pages on wine and food matches (probably the best part of the book for us). Products listed include Banrock Station, Bogle, Chapoutier, Jadot, Torres – all the international players. Other useful stuffers for the wine lover include virtually blank books. There is “A Wine Lover’s Journal” from Whitecap Books at $12.95. It is 128 pages, with some wine basics by Clare Rundall on labels, glasses, tasting parties, pairing wine and food, building a cellar, a vintner’s year, glossary of terms, aroma wheel, plus 70 pages of lined space for tasting notes and labels. “Preserve the memories of your favourite wines with this keepsake journal” read the press release. Another Chronicle Press book is “Restaurants to Check Out”, a spiral bound do- it-yourself restaurant guide for $16.95. It includes sections to keep track of favourite eateries and dishes when you eat out (either locally or out-of-town) or takeout/homedelivery. There is space for date, name, cuisine, address, phone number, opening hours, rating and price range. There is also a pocket for keeping notes and updates. But probably one of the best “bangs for the buck” is “The Pocket Wine Encyclopedia” (Whitecap Books, 2002, 560 pages, $29.95 softcover), which is unfortunately way too big and heavy for anybody’s pocket, except maybe a kangaroo. It seems meant for a briefcase. Originally published by Global Book in Australia, it is loaded with photographs, mostly small. My colleague Steve Elphick contributed some pix, and my other colleague Tony Aspler was among the 36 writer contributors. Tony wrote up the section on Canada, about 14 pages. The book is actually a fairly comprehensive guide to the world’s wines, regions and producers, beginning with history, vineyard conditions, winemakers and their wines. One hundred regions are featured upfront, along with over 100 maps. 8,000 individual wines are listed by region, with notes on style, food pairing and wine reference tables. There is a glossary and, of course, an index. More books later on in this column, but now I’d like to pause and look at some wine and spirits… Many Ontario VQA wineries list gift items and ideas on their websites. Go to my website at www.ryerson.ca/~dtudor/wine.htm for a listing of Ontario wineries. Click on the name and you will be transported to the winery’s site. An easy look around will reveal all kinds of gift ideas: VQA Wines, Wine and Food Baskets, Gift Certificates, and Wine Country Getaways Some gift basket ideas -- The Winter White Basket - $38.95 - Cilento Wines This basket includes your choice of either Cilento's 2000 Riesling Reserve or 2000 Chardonnay No Oak wine, and assortment of spreads and jams, cream crackers, Camembert cheese, gourmet coffee, tea and imported chocolate. Visit www.cilento.com Icewine Feast - $50 to $70 - Lailey Vineyards Choose between Lailey's classic unoaked Vidal Icewine and the one-of-a- kind Vidal Icewine in Canadian Oak. These are a match to the nuts, chocolates and dried fruit that come in the basket: Lailey vineyard Icewine jelly, locally grown shelled black walnuts, dried peaches and pears, local biscotti, Lailey Vineyard Icewine chocolates and Italian Icewine biscuits. Visit www.laileyvineyard.com Icewine and Chocolates - $34.75 - Peller Estates Founder's Series Vidal Icewine (200ml), five pack Peller Icewine Chocolates and two Icewine Glasses. Visit www.peller.com Wine and Terracotta Cooler - $28.20 - Hillebrand Estates Vineyard Select Gewürztraminer in a terracotta cooler. Visit www.hillebrand.com Also, check out Vineland Estates at www.vineland.com. There, you will find details about their Vineland Collections Wine Society membership package, which they are promoting as holiday gifts. The Chef Collection ($35 a month, including delivery) has two bottles of the same wine. The Winemaster’s Collection also has two bottles, but one of them is a Reserve ($50 a month), while the President’s Collection is $80 a month for four bottles. More of each wine can be separately ordered later, after you have tasted it. Each delivery, no matter what the level, includes recommended food matches and recipes, invites to private functions such as the Futures Tasting, discounts on wine accessories and stemware, and a reduced rate on the cottage b & b in the winter season (just perfect for picking icewine!!). Memberships can be purchased as gifts for three months, six months, or a full year. Additionally, the winery has created a special commemorative VinItaly 2003 gift package, to mark their win of the Grand VinItaly 2003 (they are the first Canadian winery to have won this award). Included in the series is an ice bucket ($42), a decanter ($42) and glasses ($8 a stem), along packaging and your choice of wine from their inventory. Other packages available from the website or phone (1-888-846-3526) include a variety of baskets and boxes, and cheeseboards. Wine Country At Home is another delivery service, offering wines from Hillebrand, Trius, and Peller Estates www.winecountryathome.com. They have a variety of gift certificates. They also have some wine clubs, but with a minimum of a six month membership. The Hillebrand By Request is $210 for six months, for two bottles a month for half a year (includes delivery, notes, recipes, special offers), the Peller By Request is $252, while a joint membership will garner four bottles for half a year at a reduced price of $432. And there are baskets and wine accessories, gift wrappings, and wooden crates. One such wooden crate collection offers six bottles of wine for $117.70, the same price as for individual purchases. But bought separately, the crate is $24. So the box is essentially “free”, and of course can be reused. There are over 100 locations of Vineyards Estate Wines stores in Ontario, and you can place and receive your orders through them, saving on delivery fees. Or use the website or call 1-800—263-8465. If you like to mix and match your VQA wines, then Winery to Home is just the ticket. There is a full account at www.winerytohome.com or customerservice@winerytohome.com or 416-492-3102. Konrad Ejbich’s annual Ontario Vintage Chart is on the website. The group has signed up many wineries to provide a standardized home delivery, now province- wide. Colio Winery from Lake Erie North Shore has newly signed on. Other wineries include Legends, Lailey, Stoney Ridge, Chateau des Charmes, Reif. You can buy one bottle, you can buy whole cases, you can buy mix and match (say, one case with one wine from each of twelve different wineries: perfect for a Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay or Riesling tasting). And there is a “Gift of Wine” program, plus other assorted holiday treats. Wines are tasted and evaluated by David Lawrason and Tony Aspler; these form a core list. But you can order ANY wine that is available at the winery, not just the recommendations. Of value at this time of year is the gift program… Turning to the LCBO products available: their holiday website just gets better each year, with better selections and more ease in getting product knowledge through the website. You can go to www.lcbogifts.com or call 1-888-LCBOGIFTS (522-6443) or email lcbogift@lcbo.com No excuses, now…Everything can be giftwrapped and sent on its way. Here’s some stuff I looked at, from the LCBO Holiday Gift Catalogue. Vintages has some gift ideas too. Some gift ideas -- Grappa Di Mazetti GLI Sport Golf Gift -The third in the GLI Sports series, it is a hand-blown, colourful golfer encased in a Murano glass decanter with Grappa di Grignolino inside. There is also a version of this grappa in a handblown Venetian glass featuring a hockey player. 500 mL $99.95 +600437 Denoix Cognac Napoleon Ship in a Bottle Gift Pack - Featuring finely crafted touches such as an etched world map and a handmade glass replica of a sailing ship. The bottle is filled with Denoix Cognac Napoleon Vielle Reserve. A modern take on the classic ship in a bottle. Denoix also have a range of painted bottles (500 mL, $39.95) with liqueurs in them, a Ringed Saturn cognac (350mL, $69.95), Three Monkeys (don’t ask), a Napoleon Dog, and other goodies. All via MCO…For details, mco@mcowines.com or 905-562-1392. Ship: 500 mL $99.95 +600221 Massenez Poire Williams avec Poire in Decanter with Stopper in Gift Box (Le Prisonnier) – see the pear grown inside the bottle ever since it was a bud! Good taste too… 500 mL $69.95 +710749 Vidal Icewine 2001 VQA Niagara Peninsula (Inniskillin) with Two Riedel Vinum Extreme Icewine Stems in Gift Box - These glasses are also perfect for Champagne occasions. 375 mL $89.95 +627323 Mission Hill Family Estate Holiday Jazz Gift Pack -Mission Hill Pinot Blanc VQA and Merlot VQA and a CD of festive holiday jazz. But I was unable to either get a contents list or hear the CD. The wine is worth $25.90 separately… 2 bottles x 750 mL $29.95 +699165 Aliscavin Cabernet Franc Barrique 1997 in Wooden Box - Fruity, but with a soft finish unlike typical franc. From Szekszard in Hungary, the wine has been aged six years. Great gift, for it unusual see through box (reusable). 750 mL +589275 $14.95 Cesari Amarone & Mara Di Ripasso with Olive Oil Gift -Amarone della Valpolicella & Mara Vino di Ripasso with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - all together in their own wooden box set. 2 bottles x 750 mL $54.95 +59000 Wolf Blass Gift Pack -This `Wolf pack' features four of Wolf Blass' varietals - "Yellow Label" Cabernet Sauvignon, "Green Label" Shiraz, South Australian Chardonnay, and Riesling - all in a handy 375 mL format. 4 bottles x 375 mL $39.95 +589465 Delphi Grappa Tippy Bottle - This grappa is made from 100% Cortese grapes, encased in an elegant hand crafted Murano glass bottle. 350 mL $124.95 +600098 Yvon Mau Merlot Wooden CD Gift Box - Here is a magnum (1.5 L) of some typical French merlot showing good MVC, packed in a reusable wood CD box. 1.5 L $22.95 +589820 Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Port - Showing dried fruits, honey, treacle and a really long finish. $21.95 in a gift box. Colio Estate Wines (Lake Erie North Shore) Lily Sparkler with Two Fluted Champagne glasses. - A Riesling blend, one of my favourite affordable Canadian sparklers. 750 mL $24.95 +534966 Henry of Pelham Special Select Late Harvest Vidal 2001 in wooden cylinder. - From low-yielding vines, SC=13, fruity with good bracing length for fruits and cheeses. 375 mL $24.95 +898528 Hennessy Cognac XO is blended from over 100 rare eaux-de-vie which have been ageing between 15 and 70 years. The result has rich aromas and nuances of oak, dried fruit and chocolate. Presented in a luxury red box with 2 branded Hennessy glasses. 700 ml. + 2 glasses set $184.95 +634600 Christoffel Beer Case with Glass - Two beers from Holland’s St. Christoffel Brewery, “Blond” and “Robertus” (a double malt lager). 2 bottles x 330 mL plus glass $9.95 +903716 Delaforce HEC and Tawny Wooden Gift Box - A ten year old tawny plus a regular tawny in a reusable wooden box, good price too. 2 x 375 mL +589135 $27.70 Stoney Ridge Bench Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc Gift Pack - This is probably the best buy in the VQA spread of wines available through the LCBO for the Holidays. Here you have a straightahead chardonnay ($11.95) and a fabulous cabernet franc ($11.95), which together cost $23.90. So you get a great sturdy black and clear thick plastic package container, reusable of course, for only a nickel! Other gift ideas from the winery itself are at www.stoneyridge.com 2 x 750 mL $23.95 +699207 For the food and wine art lover and armchair traveler, there are some gorgeous books this season. “Bordeaux and Its Wines” by Robert Joseph heads the list (Raincoast Books, 2003, 144 pages, $39.95) with plenty of photos of the region. The tour begins within the city of Bordeaux and then progresses through the Medoc, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes, Entre deux Mers, St.Emilion, Pomerol, Bourg, Fronsac, and Castillon. The practical reference section includes advice on choosing wines in Bordeaux, terroir, and a directory of recommended chateaux, with tasting notes and label reproductions. “Tea East & West” (Victoria and Albert Publications, 2003; distr. by Canadian Manda Group, 128 pages, $35) comes from the V & A Museum. It was edited by Rupert Faulkner, a senior curator and Japanese specialist. There are details with illustrated information on growing and preparing tea, the elaborate Japanese tea ceremony, and ceremonies is China, Tibet, Russia, Iran and Turkey. There are comments on the teabag, tea parties, “tea after 1900”, and even instant tea. The seven essays are joyfully illustrated with items from the collection, plus some prints or photos not from the museum. “Fruit: an illustrated history” is by Peter Blackburne-Maze, a fruit and garden writer (Firefly Books, 2003, 335 pages, $75). It is an oversized coffee table book, first published in 2000 by Scriptum in the UK, but now widely available in Canada. It was printed and bound in Italy, of course, with substantially thick paper. This is a history of fruit gardening and the fruit trade, with over 300 large illustrations and woodcuts from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Library (which contains a quarter million paintings, illustrations and rare books). Fruits here are divided into the four major groups: pome (apple, pear, quince in 80 pages), stone (plum, cherry, peach, nectarine, apricot in 60 pages), berry in 50 pages, and exotic (the rest: fig, grape, bananas, passion fruit, lychee, date, avocado, olive, cashew, etc.). Highly recommended for Christmas. “Sonoma; a food and wine lover’s journey” (Ten Speed Press, 2003, 224 pages, $64) is a coffee table book for the arm traveler and part-time cook. It is a package of 43 recipes (all courses) from restaurants in the region, as well as profiles of artisans, wineries, and some wine and food matches. There are many full-paged photos in this oversized book, about 190 pix in all. The county/valley is heavily agricultural, which puts it on the same level as Provencal or Tuscany, but without the centuries of history. Here there are chapters where you can visit a goat farm, a bakery, an oyster shack, an apiary, a garlic farm. There is a directory listing at the back of the book, with names, addresses, and the other usual numbers. And speaking of Provencal, the next big area in France to be explored is the loosely termed “South-West France”, which comprises Dordogne, Perigord, and Quercy (the latter two also known as the Lot). Here one finds a rich food culture plus rustic wines, a rural atmosphere, plus easy access to all the Bordeaux wine chateaux. Just in time comes Stephanie Alexander’s posh “Cooking and Travelling in South-west France” (Viking Press, 2003, 393 pages, $60) another mammoth coffee table book worthy of your attention. Here she presents 80 recipes, with excellent photography by Simon Griffiths. Contents include local farmers markets, local farm cheeses, wild mushrooms, confit, walnuts and chestnuts, prunes, black truffles, foie gras, local wines, and eating out. All the classic dishes are described: aillade toulousaine, boudon noir, cassoulet, confit, eel, prune and armagnac tart, salads, soups and vegetables. She has a great glossary, resource list with names of contacts in France, and a bibliography. A similar travel book from the same region is “From Here You Can’t See Paris: seasons of a French village and its restaurant” by Michael S. Sanders (HarperCollins, 2003, 322 pages, $21.95 paperback) an excellent read about life in Arques, a hilltop village in the Lot, south of the Dordogne in southwest France. The population is now 169, down from 800 a century ago. The sole business is a restaurant owned by chef Jacques Ratier and his wife, La Recreation. Sanders and his family move to Arques to chronicle a year in the life of this sleepy town and the restaurant. He explores the world of food and wine, with detail about the local markets, local wines, and the restaurant itself. For your information, the Lot has foie gras, lamb, duck, black truffles, and Cahors wine, PLUS seven Michelin-starred restaurants. I could easily live there… Another travel book: “Africa Uncorked: travels in extreme wine territory” by John and Erica Platter (Kyle Cathie, 2002; distr. by Whitecap Books, 288 pages, $39.95) is a fascinating, illustrated read. The Platters covered 13 countries in Africa, from tip to toe, from Ethiopia, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, through Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mauritius. Anecdotal in scope, this work is surely one of the most original wine books to be published in the last few years. There is some general material on South African wine industry, and tons of colour photos. A separate section deals with lots of wine notes. Platter, of course, founded the definitive South African wine guide in 1979… And not too far from home is “Toronto: the unknown city” by Howard Akler and Sara B. Hood (Arsenal Press, 2003, 288 pages, $21.95 paper covers), a sort of counterculture alternative guide to Hogtown. Delving into lesser known spaces and stores, the book is packed with revelations about Toronto history. And that includes a guide to one of the world’s most eclectic dining scenes. Here’s good detail on how to get into that secret club or dining spot. Major topics include transportation, sports, food, literature, shopping, entertainment, nightlife, and the like. There’s also a comparable book for Montreal and Vancouver. What about other media? Well, there’s a “Guide to Wine” from Naxos Audiobooks, 4 CDs, about five hours and 15 minutes. Perfect for the car – pick up a little knowledge during those traffic jams. You’ll appreciate the dulcet tones of Julian Curry, a Brit actor and wine buff (Diploma from Wine Trust) who wrote and read everything. The written material includes a 40-page booklet with sketch maps of the world’s main wine regions, a brief guide to the main styles of wine, and a useful basic wine vocabulary in several languages. The booklet also has food-wine matches indicated and a bibliography for further reading. Once you open the package, there is an invite to an online wine pronunciation guide at the naxos.com website. Each CD set has a personal password which will let you gain access to thousands of wines and terms spoken in the correct manner. The spoken word of the CD set begins with the vineyard cycle, moves on to management, pest control, fermentation, oak, bottled wine, how to taste, red grapes, white grapes. Checking the timings, I find that there are 43 seconds allotted to gewürztraminer and 49 to gruner Veltliner, despite the former being more important around the world. The discreet and spare music background for interludes and segues is from the Naxos catalogue. If spoken word CDs are not to your taste, then I heartily recommend some of the best joyful non-Christmas music for Christmas: Al Bowlly and Ray Noble. Al was a fine singer, far better than Bing Crosby; Ray was a UK bandleader in the 1930s, known for having the best dance band ever, comparable in his way to Duke Ellington in jazz. The historical significance of Ray Noble’s recordings is that they helped to create a musical atmosphere in which Benny Goodman’s orchestra, when it arrived in 1935, could be accepted. There were 240 recordings – none of them less than brilliant – that they made together in the early 1930s. Some well-known songs that’ll make you get out on the dance floor on New Year’s Eve: “Twentieth Century Blues” (Noel Coward), “Love Is the Sweetest Thing”, “Sweet and Lovely”. You can catch a sampler, “What A Perfect Combination” (24 tracks from the series, including “By the Fireside”, “Mad About the Boy”, “Dinner at Eight”) for only $10, and that includes taxes and shipping. Cheque or money order (no cards) to Rathbone Records, Box 577, 23 Sparling Street, Seaforth, Ontario N0K 1W0, 519-527-2400, or rathbone@ezlink.on.ca The whole series of 10 CDs covers all 240 tracks, and sells for $22 ppd apiece. They regularly sell well at Stratford and Shaw Festival stores. For the visually inclined, take a look at the Shelf Talk series, with erudite Michael Fagan of the LCBO’s Knowledge Resources Group. Currently, there are about a dozen VHS videotapes (maybe DVD soon?), all looking at wines, beers and spirits. Each video, about 30 minutes or so, costs $9.95, and can be ordered from the LCBO at 1-888-522-6443 or www.lcbo.com. For example, there is no. 6 in the series, on Tequila. showing the different styles, the differences between Tequila and Mezcal, how it is produced, and the three top distillers. Michael interviews distillers, winemakers, and brewers in the series, as well as placing the product in context. No. 9 is the Wines of South Africa (covering six wine producing areas such as Paarl and Stellenbosch). No. 12 is Alsace (this video took first place at the US International Film and Video Festival), which also covers the famed wine and food restaurants, and the unique varieties of pinot gris and gewürztraminer. No. 8 is on Port (take a trip on the Douro, learn the styles of port, food matches) – a Silver Screen Film and Video Award winner in New York in 2001. No. 11 is on Wines of the Pacific Northwest. Others include icewines, VQA Ontario, Belgian Beers, American and Canadian whiskey. I think something like these videos work better for non-table wine products since each has something distinct to show, such as a unique procedure. The wine process is similar throughout the world; hence, the distinction from one tape to another is mainly on the travel-tourist aspect of sightseeing. Nevertheless, I endorse the whole series as being very informative. The KRG at the LCBO also produces the “Product Knowledge Correspondence Course”, which began originally as a text to help upgrade LCBO employees in their quest for an understanding of wines, beers and spirits. There are three levels to this course. Level One (+753046, rev. 2000, $25) covers the basics of tasting terms, wine cellars, and how wines, beers and spirits are made. Level Two (+753053, rev. 2000, $25) goes on to deal with wine labeling, grape varieties, regions, beer styles, cider, wine service, corkscrews, and wineglasses. Level Three (+753061, $30) has more material on wine and beer regions, moving from the general to the specific. Taken together, all three books represent a considerable chunk of information. There are review multiple choice questions, but you’ll need to register for a credit and face a new set of exams. And the great news about this set is that it is now available on CD-ROM, at only $19.95 apiece (+752212, +752253, +752220 for volumes 1,2,3 respectively). For under $60, you can get the whole thing as a handy stocking stuffer! Not satisfied with any of this stuff so far? You want some totally off- the-wall yet food or wine-related gifts? Then try any one of the following: “Schott’s Food and Drink Miscellany” (Bloomsbury, 2003; distr. by Raincoast, 159 pages, $24.95) is a collection of odds and ends by Ben Schott. It is part cookbook, part wine list, part household guide, part culinary history – and all miscellaneous. What’s here? How about a list of final meals on death row? Or how to cook a Monster Egg? how to cook a swan, how Hemingway liked his Martinis, how to read tea leaves, how to blow smoke rings, seating plans for the Amish, Biblical food abominations, food and wine quotes…All of it indexed. Here are hours and hours of fun reading on Christmas day! But beware the heavy British orientation… More? Try “Gluttony” (Oxford University Press, 2003, 108 pages, $27), from the New York Public Library’s “Seven Deadly Sins” series. This one has been written by Francine Prose, the noted novelist. The back cover includes an endorsement from Anthony Bourdain, the bad boy of New York chefs. She explores the relationship of the table to sin, how we are obsessed with food and diet in North America, and the constant battle between over-eating and self-control. She explores historical themes of salvation and damnation, health and sickness, life and death. She believes, though, that over the years gluttony has gone from a sin to an illness. Chapter Four is exciting: “great moments in gluttony”, with material about Diamond Jim Brady, Rabelais, Fielding’s “Tom Jones”. The book also has excellent colour reproductions of fine art. A terrific read after you’ve downed the turkey, pinot noir, port and Stilton. Still more? Then try “Dinner is Served” by Arthur Inch and Arlene Hirst (Running Press, 2003; distr. by HarperCollins, 142 pages, $25.95). Inch, a professional butler (he was technical advisor on the Gosford Park movie) for fifty years, presents his notes on how dinner is to be handled. There is a chapter on how to eat everything, from A (artichokes) to Z (zablione), such nifty items as cocktail trimmings, caviar, frogs’ legs, pasta, pineapples. He is a fount of “dos” and “don’ts”, all nicely explicated here. He shows the proper way to set a table, to serve a meal, to mind our manners, to retire to the drawing room, to decant wines. Detailed information is given on how to polish silver (knives, forks and spoons). The book is illustrated with line drawings and outline shapes of vessels, flatware, and stemware. And the book has a resource list of websites! So not everything is “traditional”. A nice read, if you think you can get others to do your work for you… And finally, a book that actually has the word “Christmas” in it: “Elizabeth David’s Christmas” (Michael Joseph, 2003; distr. by Penguin, 214 pages, $32) has been compiled by Jill Norman, her literary trustee, from a collection of papers and recipes that came to light recently, from among her papers. She had intended to publish the material she had assembled, based on the Christmas preps for her sister’s family which included five children. Her are about 150 recipes, plus some articles, plus her introduction from 1978. The work is a combination of classics and leftover delights: mince pies, stuffings, sauces, the turkey, party dishes, festive fare. Soup to nuts, with a sidetrip to Christmas in France. Enjoy your holiday season! More next year for 2004… I first started doing computerized wine management in 1984. I took PC-File in DOS mode and created multiple templates for different categories of wines, indicating a wealth of fields including tasting notes, profiles, food matches, names and menus of fabulous dinners, etc. Plus importing and exporting data (to reduce re-typing), and multiple searches across all the fields. I have scores of thousands of notes; I have a modest 1200 bottle collection of aging red and fortified wines, all neatly defined by a database program. It took me awhile to setup, but I am still pleased with it. I have never looked back. Today, anybody can do a cellar management program (it is, after all, just a list, just a database): modify existing templates (CDs, house contents, phone numbers) in Microsoft Word, MSWorks, Lotus 1-2-3, Access, or the variety of shareware floating around. What is different and new with customized cellar management software is the level of tech support, the reduction of typing, the dropdown menus and clicking, the graphing, the illustrations, the report formats, and the updating features through the Internet. Every program I have looked at or demoed over the years does its basic job of "listing" very well. Some are more intuitive than others. What separates them all is the quantity and quality of the bells and whistles, and the labour saving devices. Recently, I got a review copy of Wine Cellar II (WINE CELLAR II Software with Internet wine updates and a demo version at www.winecellarsoftware.com, CD-ROM at $79.95CDN plus shipping, distributed in Canada by Vintage Solutions, POB 20064, St. Catharines, Ontario L2M 7W7, 1-905-937-3543, vintagesolutions@sympatico.ca). It will operate under Windows 95 (I used Windows ME), and it needs 25MB disk space plus space for data on whatever new wines you add. Its origins are in New Zealand (I once used a 1995 Australian program, Winebase, and it was pretty good too: it is still available as a shareware download from www.winebase.au.com). So what's different about Wine Cellar II? It does a great job of displaying and printing any window, any list, any search query result, any bottle listing. Some things I liked include its linkages with an update site on the Internet, which should include material from the wineries themselves including their URLs. There is also its intuitiveness, the lack of retyping in many cases (just click on categories of wineries, regions, grapes, etc. to add them to your wine's database), over 30 graphs and reports (including financial ones on what you spent and consumed), and the usage of a barcode necktag system that will minimize typing even further -- details are at the website. Help is the standard F1 key; there are also 12 shortcut keys. Problems are disposed of at the website (I downloaded patch.exe to get rid of a bug which won't appear in the CD-ROM you'll get). There is even a huge section in the CD-ROM on how and where to build a winecellar. The Canadian distributor has added Canadian wineries, regions and grape varieties. Icons determine status of wines: ready for drinking, overdue, tasting notes, whether racked or not, whether organic wine or not. There is a "Bottle Movement" list which keeps track of where you have moved your wines whenever you need to replace dead soldiers (there are a max of 999 wines in each bin, and you create multiple bins). Some things I didn't like: there is no category for where you bought the wine (Buffalo? LCBO? SAQ? gift? Opimian?) -- that'll have to be incorporated with the tasting note. Some annoying grammatical errors (it's, its) and the lack of distinctive Canadian grape varietals (vidal, baco noir), although that was promised to be fixed when I pointed it out. No wine details are supplied with the software -- just winery names. You'll need an Internet account to go to the website as a registered user and pick up the wine buying guides. The leader in the wine management software field is Robert Parker's Wine Advisor and Cellar Manager (Deluxe). In addition to the usual storage details, graphs, charts, etc., you get Parker's regional reports, his tasting notes back to 1992, a wine price file covering 100,000 listings, and linkage of your purchases to Parker's listings without retyping. If you have wines Parker has not reviewed, then you need to retype. This calls for over 100MB of space, and it is updated annually. Basic price is $230CDN, considerably more than Wine Cellar II, but it covers considerably more (but no updated Internet wine sites or information). It all depends on your cellar's depth, need for insurance, and your need for Parker's (love him or hate him) notes. Apparently, over 12,000 copies have been sold. I really think that anybody with a huge wine cellar would need something like this Deluxe. That person should be able to afford it! (as well as pay somebody to enter the data). A 6.5MB demo is at www.winetech.com and a demo for Wine Cellar is at www.winecellarsoftware.com ANNUAL WINE AND WINE-RELATED GIFTS FOR THE YEAREND HOLIDAYS, 2002 ================================================================= by Dean Tudor Gothic Epicures, Wine Writer Always found at At Gothic Epicures, the Annual Gift Guide has been a tradition for many years. It has been published and reprinted in a few community papers and one wine magazine. It has appeared on such websites as this one, and at winesource.tv and www.tonyaspler.com. I try to scrounge around for a variety of gadgets, software, wines, beers, and spirits, and books -- all suitable for "gifting". These are not necessarily the best of 2002 or the picks of the year 2002, but rather a wrap up of what's currently available that is "suitable". Everybody wants something new and different to give friends, relatives, and "the boss" on the occasion of Yearend Holiday...The usual is a bottle of scotch, or champagne or cognac, or a fancy book...In previous years, you could get interesting gadgets or new forms of wine cellar software for the oenophile. But there's nothing like that this year. Except for the national distribution of Private Preserve by Wineworld Importers. This handy gadget is an inert gas blanket wine preserver, a combination of nitrogen, carbon dioxide and argon. The pressure from the canister forces out the oxygen, and forms an inert gas layer over the wine, effectively preventing oxidation. Opened bottles of wines stay fresh for long periods of time, provided that the cork is secure. Perhaps its best use would be towards saving beverages that rarely are consumed at once, such as tender old ports, single malt scotches, and the like. Red wine by itself will last a few days, if decanted to a smaller bottle. White wine goes into the fridge. BUT -- if you are doing any verticals or are by yourself, then you'll appreciate the uniqueness of the preserver. Weeks and months can go by, and the product will stay fresh. A bargain at $14.99, good for 120 squirts... And, after a drought of some years, wine books have come thundering back... And there are also some interesting calendars. Karen MacNeil, author of "The Wine Bible" (2001's hot wine book) has developed THE WINE LOVER'S CALENDAR 2003 (Workman, 2002, ISBN 0-7611-2547-7, $14.95), a page-a-day pad with a container, allinone...She gives notes on a new varietal wine every month, and then explores it throughout the year. There are also tips on pouring and tasting wines, wine and food pairings. It is extremely useful for the daily tips and discoveries. And of course, the wines rotate around the seasons (e.g.,barolos and heavy wines in winter). A good purchase for the wine lover. If your recipient likes beer, look no further than Bob Klein's 365 BOTTLES OF BEER FOR THE YEAR 2003 (Workman, 2002, ISBN 0-7611-2517-5, $14.95). Klein has authored "The Beer Lover's Rating Guide", and his calendar has been around for a few years. It too is a page-a-day deal, with a new brew each day. He covers lagers to ales to stouts and lambics, with details on beer styles, microbreweries, and brewpubs -- as well as a beer vocabulary/glossary. Both calendars are also online at . A nifty wall calendar is WORLD IN YOUR KITCHEN CALENDAR 2003 (New Internationalist Direct Mail Marketing Group, 570 B Steven Crt., Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z2, $16.95). Here are twelve vegetarian recipes from Africa, Asia and Latin America, with illustrations and much space for daily notes and appointments. It's 11 inches wide by 14 inches high, spiral bound for flipping. Typical meals involve stir fried noodles, savoury rice with nuts and dried fruit, chick pea stew (vegan), and bananas with mangos. And it is also a good fundraiser... Speaking of fundraisers, there have been a few cookbooks published with local and regional recipes in aid of support for causes. One is TASTING DIVERSITY; a celebration of immigrant women and their cooking (Whitecap Books, 2002, 176 pages, ISBN 1-55285-404-3, $22.95 paper), which is part cookbook and part biography. About 50 recipes, some from notables such as Joy Kogawa or Olivia Chow, and others from women known only in their own community. The book is a project of Working Women Community Centre. At the launch, we were served tasty lamb and rice pilaff, bean stew, apple-fig pie with maple sauce, yuca rolls, plaintain, bean stew -- all cooked from recipes found in the book (and all cooked by the originating chef!). Excellent! Another book from the same publisher is EAT TO THE BEAT; a celebration of life with food (Whitecap Books, 2002, 224 pages, ISBN 1-55285-397-7, $24.95 paper), which collects recipes from the annual Eat to the Beat fundraiser event for Willow Breast Cancer Resource and Support Services. 180 recipes were sourced from over 40 top female chefs (Dufflet, Joanne Yolles, Elaina Asselin, Anna Olson, et al) -- most are desserts. There is a chapter with four menus, and all the recipes, for an Indian feast, a Moroccan, an Italian, and a "Contemporary" feast. Royalties accrue to Willow. A third such book is ANNE LINDSAY'S LIGHT KITCHEN; easy and delicious meals for a healthy weight (John Wiley, 2002, 249 pages, ISBN 0-7715-9029-6, $26.99 paper). Lindsay has been writing cookbooks for almost 20 years; this is a revision and update of one published by Macmillan in 1994. It's being distributed in co-operation with the Canadian Diabetes Association, as a fund raiser. Here are 200 recipes, many as makeaheads, with lots of menus and ideas -- all geared to creating tasty food for type 2 diabetes. There is new stuff on Glycemic Index, food values for eachy recipe, and nutrient analyses. Good value here... Some related books include FESTIVE FOODS; Christmas cooking around the world (New Internationalist Direct Mail Marketing Group, 570 B Steven Crt., Newmarket, ON L3Y 6Z2, 2002, 176 pages, $28.95), which is by Hanne Kruse, a Danish author. The emphasis is on Christmas celebrations around the world; thus, there is text about all regions plus their recipes. All courses are covered, from starters to desserts and breads. Luxembourg has goose liver pate at Christmas, Iceland has laufa leaf bread, Sweden has lucia bread, and from Canada there is (of course) our very own "bouche de noel"! There are lots of photos of food and celebrations. There are Christmas activities and recipes from Thailand, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Brazil, Ghana. The book's recipes and descriptions are organized by region. Quite nicely put together. You might want to consider it as a pre-Holiday purchase or a pre-gift to a friend... Television lends itself to establishing popularity. Two very good books this season include THE GREAT CANADIAN FEAST; a celebration of family traditions from Canadian kitchens (Key Porter, 2002, 160 pages, ISBN 1-55263-492-2, $19.95 paper). Here are more than 60 recipes from 60 diverse families across Canada. The top four recipes were published in July 2002 issue of "Canadian Geographic". There is a TV tie-in, with additional recipes from Food Network Canada. Themes include Italian, Indian, French-Canadian, Ukrainian, and Scandinavian, with a full range from soups-sides-mains-sweets to breads and breakfasts. Pete Luckett's Food Network Canada show, "The Food Hunter" (exploring 13 different regions, looking for exotic food) has an emphasis on vegetables, fruits and nuts. His previous cook book was THE GREENGROCER'S KITCHEN: fruit and nuts (Goose Lane Editions, 2001, 192 pages, ISBN 0-86492-289-2, $24.95 paper). Here he explores how to buy, store and prepare fruits. There are about 150 recipes, arranged by each fruit. Of course, a lot of fruit here is not indigenous to Canada, but it is still fun anyway. I appreciated the thorough indexing of products and recipes.... After an absence of many years, one publisher has rediscovered the pre-printed wine journal or wine log. I usually shy away from these, since I prefer to enter everything I have in a database -- which can then be printed out. This doesn't look "neat", but it is serviceable. However, I'm looking around for gifts for those people I know who do NOT have a wine database. First up, then is the WINE JOURNAL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2002, ISBN 1-84172-358-4, $29.95 spiral bound) from an editorial team with texts by Nicolle Croft, Andrew Jefford, and Jonathan Ray. All are wine writers in the Ryland stable. What I like about their notes is that the advice is signed and attributable. The book lies flat, and it has an elastic ribbon closure to hold back the pages. This wine organizer also has tabbed sections covering grapes and styles, storing and serving, along with the obligatory explanatory notes. There is space to write in for your own tasting notes as well as cellar notes (divided into stored wines and everyday wines) and special occasion notes. There are also some additional space plus pockets to add more notes and extra paper as necessary. A WINE LOVER'S DIARY (Firefly Books, 1999, 144 pages, ISBN 1-55209-369-7, $14.95 paper) is the only major competitor still in print. It has lined pages with sections for wines to try (based on recommendations: you have to add the source's name), wine to remember, wines to buy and cellar, wineries visited, wining and dining specifics, wine tasting clubs (too short). There is a section "wine for the neophyte oenophile", which I like: it has 10 pages neatly summarizing wine lists, labels, bottles, glasses, varieties, cellars. The price is certainly right for gifting. The Ryland book, though, has more space and provision for adding pages. A spinoff log book is ENTERTAINING JOURNAL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2002, ISBN 1-84172-359-2, $29.95 spiral bound), similar in setup as the WINE JOURNAL (i.e, lies flat, closure, signed advice from a number of experts, pockets to add notes, tabbed sections for organizing). Topics include "inspirations" (this has most of the text) for menu planning, food and wine matches, cocktails, table settings, decorations, napkins, flowers, place cards, candles, centerprieces, seating plans -- along with charts. Lined pages are devoted to lunch and dinner party records (who, when, decorations, flowers, menu). Good value as a gift for the flustered friend. Other books which come to mind...For the cold winter ahead, try HOT TODDIES (Clarkson Potter, 2001, 96 pages, ISBN 0-609-61007-4, $25.95), by Christopher O'Hara. These are the classic winter drinks of mulled wine, hot buttered rum, spiced cider, eggnog, punches, sangria, wassail bowls, Irish coffee. Want to drink something different? Try chocolate martini or chocolate eggnog. Gorgeous pictures, including how to make an ice ring. For your historian or social culture friends, try NEAR A THOUSAND TABLES; a history of food (Key Porter, 2002, 272 pages, ISBN 1-55263-472-8, $34.95) by Oxford academic Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. With thirteen books to his credit -- all dealing with civilization -- Fernandez-Armesto paints a broad picture of the impact of food. He explores this through eight themes which he calls "revolutions". First up, of course, is "cooking", which sets man apart from animals. Others include rituals, domestication, social differentiation, trade, Columbian Exchange, industrialization. An appealing read, principally because of his writing style. And there are bibliographic end notes for further reading. For your new wine drinker who is always asking questions, try ASK THE WINE DOCTOR (McClelland & Stewart, 2002, 296 pages, ISBN 0-7710-3112-3, $24.99 paper) by my colleague Edward Finstein, a former product consultant with the LCBO and now a wine writer and TV personality. Basically, the hook of the book is "all the questions you had about wine but were too busy sipping to ask". It is in Q & A format - what wine to drink with what food, what flavours are in grapes and wines, how to read labels, dealing with wine waiters, who are better wine tasters -- men or women. After that, get your new wine drinker to buy HUGH JOHNSON'S POCKET WINE BOOK 2003 (Mitchell Beazley, 2002, 288 pages, ISBN 1-84000-611-0, $19.95 pocket sized), one of the better QPR (Quality Price Ratio) values around in wine books. The first edition was in 1977; it has been revised and expanded each year -- it is now in its 26th year. I remember reviewing the first edition for inclusion in my revised sourcebook on wines, beers and spirits, way back in 1977...It needs no recommendation anymore: just buy copies for all your friends and for yourself. New each year are his reappriasals on what wines to drink now (2003, in this case), what vintages to lay down, a general updating of 6000 wines and growers, analyses of the 2000 and 2001 vintages, vintage charts, and "best value wines" for current drinking. Absolutely brand new comments are his takes on organic and bio-dynamic farming, the trend to dense, oaked, strong reds, coupled with higher alcohol levels to make wine taste sweeter. He also weighs in with corks, taints and scewcaps. I usually don't recommend specific bottles of wine for gifts, beyond the occasional champagne. But packaging does determine a certain flair for gifts. And here are some interesting ones from Ontario. Henry of Pelham's Special Select Late Harvest Vidal 2000 (+898528), with its sugar code of (13), comes from low yields, harvested at -4 degrees Celsius or lower (to -8), with a brix of 30. Similar to, but as extreme as, icewine. And far cheaper too, in a marvelous gift box: $24.95 gets you a 375 mL bottle in a birchwood tube, ideal for presenting to a host or hostess. Bring along some soft cheeses as well... Three Guys Pinot Noir 2000 comes from grapes grown on Butler's Grant Vineyard. Three winemakers -- Jim Warren from Kacaba, Eddy Gurinskas from Lakeview, and John Marynissen from Marynissen -- made their own versions of pinot noir from the same terroir. There is a fourth bottle, which is a blend of one-third from each cuvee, called Three Guys. It is superb, with forward fruit and some depth for further aging. The other three are also good; I know these guys, so I'm not going to rank them. Buy the set in an attractive wooden case for all four bottles, a mere $79.95 -- at any of the three wineries. You can buy the winery bottles separately, but if you want the Three Guys blend, then you are going to have to buy the box...Lakeview Cellars also have some promising icewines, again, due to the size packaging. There is a Cabernet Franc Icewine 2001, at 12.5% alcohol, in a 200 mL bottle ($34.95). It has a sugar code of (18), with flavours of strawberries and more body than the comparable vidal (but they should do a better job of proofreading the label)...The Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine 2001, 12.6% alcohol (+522672, $19.95), is also in a convenient size of 200 mL just enough for 4 to 6 people to have a shot apiece..It has a long finish of apricot jam... Ontario wine gift packs also include a Chardonnay Musque 2001 and a Merlot 2000 from Cave Spring Cellars at the LCBO (+709337, $29.95 with box), and a big bargain from Inniskillin -- their Vidal Icewine 2001 with two Riedel Vinum Extreme Icewine stems in a gift box (the Riedel glasses are about $40 apiece if bought separately; this reduces the Icewine to $9.95) for $89.95 (+993048) Vineland Estates offers a range of gift baskets full of holiday gift ideas and different wines, usually including a bottle of their newest release Riesling Cuvee Close 2000 (fine riesling aromas, with a fruit puree finish; riesling is one of my favourite sparklers) and other wines -- depending on the size you order. Call 1-888-846-3526 or www.vineland.com...Also available, but ultimately more pricey, is the "gift that keeps giving" -- a subscription to the Vineland Collections Wine Society. This wine club membership has three levels, beginning at $35 a month for a minimum of six months. The wines come to your door along with tasting notes, tips, recipes, food matches... As for imported wines, there are scores of combinations of red and white wines, all in boxes or tubes, some with glasses, special decanters, or some other added value item. Of all the ones I've tasted recently, the Newton Johnson Two-Pack 2001 Sauvignon Blanc and 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon in gift box stands out. This South African duo has its white from cool climate Walker Bay; the red is from the warmer Western Cape. Both were refreshing in a fruit-forward sort of way, and decently priced at $33.95 a pack (+719351)...the Cava Brut Heredad Sparkling Wine in a gift tin comes from Spain's Segura Viudas. The baroque pewter-based bottle has become a Holiday kitsch favourite of many. The tin has many handy uses. Typical older Spanish flavours of citrus/pear, toast and long length. $27.95, +558825)...A well-aged California sparkler is Royal Cuvee Sparkling Wine 1994 with two Romanian crystal flutes in a silk-lined gift box, from Gloria Ferrer, a Spanish wine business operating in the US. A mature wine, from Sonoma, at a price which includes the glasses and presentation ($99.95, +748384)...For that dinner party host gift, you could bring a bottle of the newly listed Vintages Essential Chablis Vielles Vignes Les Domaines 1999 about 15% oak aged for a small period (but otherwise done up with malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks) and released two and a half years after the harvest: floral, fruity, minerally in that well-known bone-dry chablis style, with some complexity for seafood..and a bargain price (+942243, $19.95). Turning now to spirits -- the ultimate alcohol gift -- the LCBO usually has a fine lineup every year, and there is no point in repeating all what the LCBO publicity team puts out through the ads and brochures. Anyway, if you are cheap, you can wait a few months: items not sold out are put on sale by the LCBO, usually at the end of February with the Vintages sale... Keep them as Easter or Mother's Day gifts... But some items can be highlighted now, since we wine writers had a chance to try some of the offerings at our weekly tastings...This is just a smattering from those agents who cared enough to pass along a few notes to go with the LCBO tasting (I did not receive nor taste ANY personal liquor samples)... For a reasonably priced brandy, try Vecchia Romagna Riserva 10 Year Old (+396036 Vintages, $43.90) in a gift box...Or, for a nickel more, there is Armagnac de Montal VSOP (+618496, $43.95) with no box, but with an added 2% 20 year old armagnac...Or, for $84.95 there is Armagnac de Montal XO, full of older, cask aged spirits (back to 1964), in a decanter -- but only 700 mL worth (+706978). There is a Francescano Limoncino, 500 mL in a frosted glass decanter with two glasses in a decorative gift box, only $29.95 (+592063)... How about a Denoix pair of Africaine bottles with Chocolate/Mint and Three Vanillas liqueurs, 200 mL each bottle ($49.95, +624106)? Let me see, that's wine, spirits and beer...Beer? Who gives beer for Holidays? Practically nobody. So it is time to start a trend, pwerhaps emphasizing the finer beers of the world, from Belgium and Holland. A six pack from Von Steenberge Brewery in East Flanders, Belgium (+562397, $13.95 for 6 x 330 mL) has medal winning ales such as Guiden Draak (triple ale and brewers yeast, 10.5%), Piraat (fruity, coriander, 10.5%), Bornem Double (malty, 8%), Bornem Triple (golden, 9%), Augustijn (spicy, 8%) and Bruegel (straightforward, 5.2%). The Petrus gift pack from the Bavik Brewery in Belgium (+902106, $14.95, 6 x 250 mL plus a glass) comes with a labelled glass and two bottles each of Old Brown (chocolate, vanilla, apples), Speciale (coriander, underbrush), and Triple (Abbey-style intensity). The St. Christoffel gift pack from Holland (+903716, $8.95, 2 x 330 mL plus a glass) has bottom- fermented Blond (pilsener-type lager) and Robertus (carmelized dark lager). There is also a St.Christoffel Blond Big Dutch Jug (+925800, $27.50, 2 L) for those who party hearty. Closer to home, Niagara Brewing Company produces each year an Eisbeer, about 8% alcohol. It is essentially a thick beer with a lot of water extracted by freezing, the same principles as icewine. A 750 mL bottle costs about $8... HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR THE WINE LOVER, 2001 ========================================= by Dean Tudor Gothic Epicures, Dec 8, 2001 Posted at Winesource.tv There is always something new under the tree for the committed oenophile, and this Holiday Season is no different. It is just a question of what kind of "toy" you want to pick up: books, software, giftpacks, accessories. Wine and books go together like wine and cheese. It is so easy to find a soft comfy chair and curl up with a great sipping wine while flipping through the pages, checking out what the writer has to say about your pet interests. I never recommend table wines for "gifts" or the Holidays; these are host offerings for dinners. Instead, I aim for the fortifieds, sweeties, sparklers, spirits, gift packages, and liqueurs. More on these later... Some readies I've been attracted to of late include Nick Pashley's delightful "Notes on a Beermat: drinking and why it's necessary" (Polar Bear Press, 2001, $19.95 paper, ISBN 1-89675717-0), a book which emphasizes a third place to drink (after home and work): the pub. More than just a guide (actually, it is a social diatribe against mediocre beer), the book is a record of all the major interesting pubs in North America (including Syracuse!!) and Europe, personally visited by Nick. His stream-of-consciousness style is quite witty and wicked, in some places even devastating. He tries to find the perfect watering hole, but depressingly fails. Nevertheless, there are SOME good ones. He has running commentaries on what makes a good beer, differences in drinking customs, interesting places to drink, the lore of pub names. One for the armchair traveller, although you could use the subway method: get off at any station in any city and drink in all the pubs within walking distance. It actually works. Take this book and go to a pub of your choice. Begin to read, and make sure the cover is visible to others, for it is a definite babe magnet... And if you are interested in relatively modest travel, then take a look at Linda Bramble's "Touring Niagara's Wine Country" (James Lorimer & Co., 2000, 72 pages, $16.95 paper, ISBN 1-55028-707-9). It is a colourful introduction to life on and in the Niagara Peninsula, which is just down the road from many of us in Southern Ontario. It's only been in the last 25 years that Ontario wineries have showed their promise. There were just four wineries in Niagara in 1975; now there are over 40 in the region, producing some award-winning wines plus stunning Icewines. Linda sections the wine part of the book into the Beamsville Bench, Vineland, Jordan and Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are names, addresses, phone numnbers, email and web URLs for a variety of tourist attractions, wineries, restaurants, accomodation (including bed and breakfast places) around the page margins. Other chapters deal with the official Niagara Wine Route and the Niagara Parkway. In between she covers Ontario winemaking, local cuisine, how-to-do a tour, along with maps and lots of interesting photographs. Still keeping it within Ontario, I have to mention "Billy's Best Bottles Top 100 Wine Picks for 2002", by Bill Munnelly (Whitecap Books, 2001, $21.95, ISBN 0-9693717-3-X) who also produces a monthly newsletter, Best Bottles. This spiral bound, portable book is essential for wine buying from Ontario's Liquor Control Board' General List, whcih is a sortof middle ground for the common wine man. Not expensive, not extensive, not limited in quantities. Thus, the General List is subject to a lot of mediocre wines. Just about all Ontario wine writers concentrate on the more trendy Vintages, Classic Catalogue, and Winery Only listings... And why not? they are more expensive, better, classier, and easier to write about. But there just isn't enough quantity for each wine to be listed all year long, as on the General List. We need a guide to the best of an average lot. And Bill's guide is a boon, useful for the beginner or anyone who wants quick answers on which wine to buy. I concur with most of his choices. In addition to commenting on his top 100 wines, he also gives an update on what's new in the Ontario wine scene in 2001. The basic arrangement in the book is by the Six Pack system. Get six different wines, and always have them on hand. The six categories: fresh white (such as Soave, Muscadet, Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Riesling), medium white (such as unoaked Chardonnay), rich white (Chardonnay, Burgundy), lively medium red (Beaujolais), medium red (Merlot, Malbec), and rich red (Cabernet, Burgundy). Bill also gives some suggested food pairings. Unfortunately, where the system falls down is in the "rich" categories. "Rich" only comes at a high cost, and there are very few wines on the General List that could be characterized as "rich" because there are very few costly wines on the General List. Many of the wines commented on are also available throughout Canada and the United States. Worried about drinking taking a toll on your health? Look at Andrea Schaffer's "Red Wine for Your Health" (Sarasota Press Key Porter, 2001, 96 pages, $19.95 paper, ISBN 1-55356-001-9). It was originally published in Germany in 1998; this English translation contains good information on the value of red wine. There are sections (with nice illustrations) on red wine in history as a curative, how the cardiovascular system works, the French Paradox, the use and abuse of alcohol, the nutrients and phenols in red wine, and other benefits, lacking only last year's Danish study which showed that the health benefits of wine consumption are also related to one's position in society and healthy lifestyles. One of the two publishing highlights of the year were the updating of Hugh Johnson's "World Atlas of Wine (fifth ed)" by Jancis Robinson at $75. I have not seen it yet, but the previous editions have all been stunning. The other highlight was the eponymously titled "Jancis Robinson's Concise Wine Companion" (Oxford University Press, 2001, 559 pages, $24.95 paper, ISBN 0-19-866274-2), a bargain at this price level. It is based on the much more expensive and extensive Oxford Companion to Wine, 2d ed. This Concise version has 2350 entries by more than 70 experts on all aspects of international wine and winemaking (including, of course, Canada). Grape varieties, types of wines, wine regions, vintners and vineyards, appellation controls, wine tasting, etc. It is one-third the size of the major work, with severe cuts to fortified wines (port, sherry, madeira) and no mention of distilled wines (brandy, cognac). I can live with that loss. Statistics are through 1998, and cover vineyard areas, wine production, wine consumption, and vintages. There are also seven blank pages in the last signature, and it is a shame that the publisher never thought to stick in some websites and a bibliography for further reading, especially to the writings and websites of the contributors. Something like "Hugh Johnson's Pocket Encyclopedia of Wine 2002" (about $20) is always useful, but it is not needed annually. Only the vintage charts change, and every other revision is a minor one. Instead, why not alternate a yearly purchase with a North American buying guide, such as "Food & Wine Magazine's Wine Guide 2001" by Jamal A. Rayyis (Food & Wine Books, 2001, 320 pages, $17.95 paper, ISBN 0-916103-70-6)? It has ratings of wines that are in retail stores and restaurant wine lists right now, along with recommendations. All countries (including Canada) are covered, with vintage charts, food and wine pairings, various indexes, and so forth. A nifty book for actually buying quality wines. And since it deals with national distribution, many of the wines are available in Ontario. And finally, everybody needs a wine journal -- unless you maintain a cellar software program (see next section). I'd recommend "Adventures with Wine Journal Collection", a versatile and interchangeable wine journal collection to display and organize wine labels and information. Refills are available, "More Adventures" and "Adventures Plus", and allow you to add photographs, recipes, and other mementos from travels. The gift boxed item costs $59.95 (in either French or English), and this includes 12 Label Lifters (see below). The refills are available separately. Check out the catalogue at . Orders or inquiries to 1-905-708-0159,for Vintage Niagara Adventures, POB 30016, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 4A1. I first started doing computerized wine management in 1984. I took PC-File in DOS and created multiple templates for different categories of wines, indicating a wealth of fields including tasting notes, profiles, food matches, names and menus of fabulous dinners, etc. Plus importing and exporting data (to reduce re-typing), and multiple searches across all the fields. I have scores of thousands of notes; I have a modest 1200 bottle collection of aging red and fortified wines, all neatly defined by a database program. It took me awhile to setup, but I am still pleased with it. I have never looked back. Today, anybody can do a cellar management program (it is, after all, just a list, just a database): modify existing templates (CDs, house contents, phone numbers) in Microsoft Works, Lotus 1-2-3, Access, or the variety of shareware floating around. What is different and new with customized cellar management software is the level of tech support, the reduction of typing, the dropdown menus and clicking, the graphing, the illustrations, the report formats, and the updating features through the Internet. Every program I have looked at or demoed over the years does its basic job of "listing" very well. Some are more intuitive than others. What separates them all is the quantity and quality of the bells and whistles, and the labour saving devices. Recently, I got a review copy of Wine Cellar II (WINE CELLAR II Software with Internet wine updates and a demo version at www.winecellarsoftware.com, CD-ROM at $79.95CDN plus shipping, distributed in Canada by Vintage Solutions, POB 20064, St. Catharines, Ontario L2M 7W7, 1-905-937-3543, vintagesolutions@sympatico.ca). It will operate under Windows 95 (I used Windows ME), and it needs 25MB disk space plus space for data on whatever new wines you add. Its origins are in New Zealand (I once used a 1995 Australian program, Winebase, and it was pretty good too: it is still available as a shareware download from www.winebase.au.com). So what's different about Wine Cellar II? It does a great job of displaying and printing any window, any list, any search query result, any bottle listing. Some things I liked include its linkages with an update site on the Internet, which should include material from the wineries themselves including their URLs. There is also its intuitiveness, the lack of retyping in many cases (just click on categories of wineries, regions, grapes, etc. to add them to your wine's database), over 30 graphs and reports (including financial ones on what you spent and consumed), and the usage of a barcode necktag system that will minimize typing even further -- details are at the website. Help is the standard F1 key; there are also 12 shortcut keys. Problems are disposed of at the website (I downloaded patch.exe to get rid of a bug which won't appear in the CD-ROM you'll get). There is even a huge section in the CD-ROM on how and where to build a winecellar. The Canadian distributor has added Canadian wineries, regions and grape varieties. Icons determine status of wines: ready for drinking, overdue, tasting notes, whether racked or not, whether organic wine or not. There is a "Bottle Movement" list which keeps track of where you have moved your wines whenever you need to replace dead soldiers (there are a max of 999 wines in each bin, and you create multiple bins). Some things I didn't like: there is no category for where you bought the wine (Buffalo? LCBO? SAQ? gift? Opimian?) -- that'll have to be incorporated with the tasting note. Some annoying grammatical errors (it's, its) and the lack of distinctive Canadian grape varietals (vidal, baco noir), although that was promised to be fixed when I pointed it out. No wine details are supplied with the software -- just winery names. You'll need an Internet account to go to the website as a registered user and pick up the wine buying guides. The leader in the wine management software field is Robert Parker's Wine Advisor and Cellar Manager (Deluxe). In addition to the usual storage details, graphs, charts, etc., you get Parker's regional reports, his tasting notes back to 1992, a wine price file covering 100,000 listings, and linkage of your purchases to Parker's listings without retyping. If you have wines Parker has not reviewed, then you need to retype. This calls for over 100MB of space, and it is updated annually. Basic price is $230CDN, considerably more than Wine Cellar II, but it covers considerably more (but no updated Internet wine sites or information). It all depends on your cellar's depth, need for insurance, and your need for Parker's (love him or hate him) notes. Apparently, over 12,000 copies have been sold. I really think that anybody with a huge wine cellar would need something like this Deluxe. That person should be able to afford it! (as well as pay somebody to enter the data). A 6.5MB demo is at www.winetech.com and a demo for Wine Cellar is at www.winecellarsoftware.com Videos are often not very interesting to look at: they seem to show the same thing (insides of wineries, picking grapes, the crushing, the bottling). Indeed, if you have seen one winery, you've pretty well have seen them all. What makes winery tours interesting is the chance to talk to the winemaker and the chance to taste the wines. Neither happen via video. Nevertheless, "Making Wine" (Bacchus Productions Inc., 2 Bloor St. West, Suite 100 - 370, Toronto M4W 3E2, $20, 45 minutes VHS) is constructive and affordable. Hosted by Martin Jordan of Cilento, it purports to tell "everything you need to know to get started on the road to making fine wine at home". This is a step-by-step development with grape juice concentrates. And then it is on to using fresh grapes and different equipment. Topics also include adjusting acid and blending varietals. So much goes on in the winemaking process, and this video is a great step forward in learning about wine. One for the dedicated oenophile. Some interesting accessories that I've come across include "Vine Vests", not for the consumer but for the elite wine bottle. Cute -- maybe too cute -- sartorial elegance to dress up the bottle (think Barbie Doll), either as a gift with a bottle, or by itself. Check out the designs at or call 1-905-566-0589. The wine journal people above also bring you "Label Lifters" and "Bottle Wraps" . The bottle wrappers disguise the wine at a tasting, while the label lifters remove the label afterwards -- and you can place them in your wine journal. A nifty idea is the "Wine Tasting for Fun" set, a gift-wrapped dozen bottle wraps and a dozen label lifters -- with instructions for a blind wine tasting party. The Label Lifters or the Bottle Wraps cost $7.95 a dozen each; the set is $14.95. The label lifters really work, and I have used them with success. Riedel stemware, in conjunction with Inniskillin, had developed an Icewine tasting glass last year. This year, NovaScotian Crystal -- Canada's only crystalmaker -- has developed a cut crystal version, in a slightly different shape. You can see it at , but the limited edition (1000 tulip-shaped glasses) will set you back $250 a pair. Terrific balance and cutting. Terrific gift. My wife Ann wanted a dozen, until she found out what the price was. But that's worth the effort of hand-cut crystal. Mission Hill Family Estate facilitated the taste trials for this Canadian-made crystal, bringing sommelier Mark Davidson and wine author John Schreiner together with the craftsmen. Alcoholic gifts can commonly be found at . This is the first year that the LCBO has actually consolidated all of its gifts and holiday baskets under one URL. Most popular are some of the packages with glasses, a sort of instant survival kit. You can get them online or through some of the larger stores, placing orders if need be, for local delivery. There is even free gift-wrapping in the larger stores and gift delivery for a charge. Some examples include stocking stuffers (50mL bottles, 150 mL, etc.) and also include the cognac fruit cocktail Alize (+592188, $29.95: two half-bottles of Sunset, Original Gold, or Red Passion in feminine flowered pack with a bath sponge), Remy Martin XO Excellence (+592212, $184.90: a bottle plus two tumblers, no extra charge for the tumblers), or Remy Martin VSOP (+592105, $74.90, in a gift box with 50 mL XO Excellence at no extra charge). Otherwise, you could try some Ontario wineries: they'll gift-wrap and deilver a wide variety of specialties, but only to an Ontario address. For example, you could enrol someone in the monthly wine club "Peller By Request" or "Hillebrand by Request", and receive two bottles of quality VQA not-available-elsewhere wine every month, along with tasting notes, recipes, and special offers. Minimum six month membership ($35/mo. for Hillebrand, $42/mo. for Peller, or a bargain $72/mo. for both), but that also includes the grand treatment at the winery should you ever turn up there (and I recommend it as a destination): complimentary tours and premium wine tastings, 20% off wine accessories, guaranteed seating at the restaurant, and special invites. Details at 1-800-263-8465 or or There, you can also find a variety of gift wrappings and boxes, and special packages, such as six bottles of 1999 Trius Red in a wooden case ($119.70). Cave Spring Cellars has a Vineyard Basket, a picnic hamper with Chardonnay Estate, Riesling Reserve, and Gamay Reserve for $65 (includes decorations), a Harvest Basket with Dry Riesling, Gamay and preserves from Inn on the Twenty ($55), or a variety of wooden wine crates. Order from 1-800-806-9910, after checking the website Henry of Pelham has a Special Select Late Harvest Vidal 2000 Gift pack, wrapped in a spectacular wooden case, at 10.5% alcohol. SSLH is post-Late Harvest and Indian Summer but pre-Icewine, just a few Brix points short. Yummy consistency, and certainly more affordable than Icewine. Cilento Wines features food and wine pairings in its baskets. For example, the Cilento Basket includes a bottle of Merlot and Renaissance White, with brie, cream crackers, smoked salmon spread, cookies, chocolate, tea bags, and other sweets: $39.95 plus taxes. The Wine and Cheese Basket has 1998 Riesling and 2000 Baco Noir plus three kinds of cheese and crackers, salsa, sweets: $49.95 plus tax. Cilento Choice Basket takes it up a notch with Chardonnay and Cabernet bottles plus lobster spread, cheeses, liqueur-filled chocolates, etc.: $59.95 plus taxes. I think the best is the Healthy Heart Basket of Baco Noir, Merlot, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, balsamic vinegar, olives, lobster, salmon, pasta, pasta sauce, crackers, etc.: $75 plus tax. Baskets can also be customized. Call 1-905-264-9463 or send email to: cilento@ica.net. Happy Holidays!! BACCHUS' HOLIDAY TREATS 2000 BY DEAN TUDOR Gifts for the holidays are always a trying experience, especially for someone who is "into" wines and spirits. Books have always been a safe bet. Here are some fiction and non-fiction titles in different price ranges. Barbara Leslie and Tony Aspler have authored CANADIAN WINE FOR DUMMIES (CDG Books, 2000, $27.99 paper covers), surveying the latest developments in Ontario (mostly Niagara Peninsula), British Columbia (mostly Okanagan Valley), and other provinces. More chapters provide the basics of wine tasting and wine storage, useful data to acquire. Tony Aspler has also reissued his wine mystery series, featuring sleuth Ezra Brant, a wine writer. Warwick Publishing has reissued them this fall in a standard trade line. BLOOD IS THICKER THAN BEAUJOLAIS was followed by THE BEAST OF BARBARESCO, and then DEATH ON THE DOURO. Good entertainment for $19.95 apiece. A sure winner this holiday season is the OXFORD COMPANION TO THE WINES OF NORTH AMERICA, edited by Bruce Cass and Jancis Robinson (Oxford University Press, 2000, $69.95). Although a tad expensive, it has a lot of data (some repeated but updated from the larger Oxford Companion to Wine) in its three-columned pages. I also have some reservations about the sketchy maps and lack of bibliography, but it does cover a wide range, and gives both Canada and Mexico their fair share of space. Of course, the big three categories of holiday wines and spirits are icewines, champagnes, and ports. They are always appreciated, and almost any bottle in the range, off the shelf, will do. If you cannot -- or will not -- choose, then get a gift certificate for the LCBO for $50 or so, and designate it with a card, for the recipient to pick his or her own champagne, icewine or port. The LCBO is currently overstocked with icewine from 1998: high volume coupled with poor sales abroad. So there is no major launch of the 1999s until next February. This gives the LCBO a chance to clear out stock. Depending on how you look at it, this is not necessarily a bad thing. While nothing is on sale, except for Inniskillin's sparkling icewine (reduced from $89.95 to $69.95 in its own stores), the bright side is that icewine should really be aged a few years, and drinking the 1998s now is a lot better than drinking them all up last year. I usually recommend Riesling icewine. It costs a few dollars more, but it has a little more refreshing and drier acid in the finish and more character, suggesting peaches rather than Vidal's apricots. It also ages longer. Prices are about $55 a half-bottle. Sparkling wines? Any Champagne will be a hit, but make sure that it is the real thing and not some US or Canadian or Spanish knockoff. You are looking at about $40 a bottle. Ports are a landmine field: you can find poorly constructed rubies and tawnies, as well as overpriced vintages. You could play it safe and try a "Vintage Character Port" . These have been blended from different years (and are thus different from Late Bottled Vintage ports which come from only one particular year), bottled after spending about six years in wood. They need no decanting, and they have the "character" of vintage ports. LBVs tend to be sweeter in the finish, while VCs have a longer length due to the finishing acidic complexity. (Do I detect a similar comparison with Vidal vs. Riesling icewine?) Churchill's Finest Vintage Character Port is one of the better ones, just released here for under $20. Most VCs are new players in the Ontario marketplace, so you'll be one up on most drinkers by giving VC port for a holiday treat. Over the past few years, the LCBO has been creeping onto the Christmas gift market scene. This year, they have at least six different brochures, covering the range from "boxed wines with accompanying glasses" to expensive spirits (in a blazing array of different and fragile glass and crystal shapes), to non-alcoholic accessories such as CDs, corkscrews, empty wooden gift boxes. Many are not available in the stores, and must be orderd from exclusive catalogues. Call 365-5767 or 365-5900, or view and order online at URL www.lcbo.com or URL www.vintages.com. The LCBO will also do gift-wrapping and arrange for direct delivery within Ontario. And you can charge it all. It takes some time to sort it all out, to find that special bottle. Every conceivable type of alcohol is available. More and more people are using the Internet to find, and arrange for gifts to be sent to friends, relatives and bosses. It certainly is handy to let your PC do the walking! A couple of my favourites (disclosure: I tasted samples and spat; I was not given a whole bottle) include the Calvados XO in a large perfume-styled bottle and gift box from Cidreries du Calvados La Fermiere, a blend of 14 to 20 year old French apple brandies (+708404, $69.90). Superb apple textures, extremely smooth finish. Good value, especially for women: they drink more calvados than do men, and the bottle has won major marketing prizes. Something comparable for the men (they drink more cognac than do women): Napoleon Chateau Montifaud 20 years old (+521500, $89.95) with its fruity, floral, dried flowers, dried fruits (prunes, pears, apricots) and vanilla on the finish. Or, the more expensive Chateau Montifaud XO (+544742, $144.65) which averages 30 years of age: honeyed "rancio" tones from the nuts and wood flavours, caramel-butter, English dark toffee. Both have a dry but persistent finish. There are actually many wines and gift-baskets available from Ontario wineries in Niagara -- and they deliver! Usually the packages involve some glasses, wine jellies, jams, chocolate truffles, all in a quality basket, delivered to you or your friend. Pillitteri has a magnum of 1998 Merlot Family Reserve in a pine box for $79.95 plus shipping. Crown Bench has 1998 Vidal Icewine plus two tall stem special glasses in an etched box, $49.95 plus shipping. Hillebrand has an enormous collection at URL www.winecountryathome.com (pictures, catalogue, home delivery). Kittling Ridge has its 1999 Vidal Icewine in a gold wire basket for $42.95. Henry of Pelham has a birch-wrapped cylinder with 1999 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal (Gold and "Wine of the Show" at the recent Ottawa Wine and Cheese show, $24.95, URL www.henryofpelham.com). One of the most ambitious Ontario wineries is Vineland Estates (www.vineland.com). Their gift packages are stunning, and you can select your own wine to put in the basket: there's "The Ultimate", a leather or wooden box, crystal glasses, corkscrew, etc. for a mere $170 without the cigars and without the wine -- just add your own! For more URLs of Ontario wineries, check my "Wines Beers and Spirits of the Net" URL www.ryerson.ca/~dtudor/www.htm Depending on where you work or live in west Toronto, you can find some of these gifts on display at the LCBO in the Manulife Centre, Summerhill, Queen's Quay, Atrium, Royal York, or at the Vintages store in Hazelton Lanes, which is closing after Dec. 31. ================================== Dean Tudor is Treasurer of the Wine Writers Circle of Canada, and Professor Emeritus from Ryerson's School of Journalism.